Alexandria (novel)
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| Author | Lindsey Davis |
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| Cover artist | Mark Edwards |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Marcus Didius Falco |
| Genre | Historical mystery crime novel |
| Publisher | Century, Mysterious Press |
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Publication date
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5 February 2009 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 288 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 267224251 |
| Preceded by | Saturnalia |
| Followed by | Nemesis |
Alexandria is a 2009 historical mystery crime novel by Lindsey Davis and the 19th book in her Marcus Didius Falco series. Set in Egypt and Ancient Rome, the novel stars Marcus Didius Falco, informer and imperial agent. The title refers to the setting where the deaths occur.
Falco and his family attend a dinner party in Alexandria, Egypt, hosted by his mother's brother Fulvius and his partner Cassius, to which the Serapaeion Chief Librarian, Theon, is invited. Unfortunately for them, Theon is later found dead, locked in his chamber, and Falco's entire family falls under suspicion for causing Theon's demise.
As usual, Falco has to clear everyone's names. He visits the Serapeion and meets the people running it, including Philetus, its deceptively incompetent Director, and a naturalist, Philadelphion. Falco's family also cross paths with an old family friend, Thalia (from Venus in Copper and Last Act in Palmyra), who has also arrived in Egypt presumably to "discuss business" with Philadelphion, as well as his dreaded father Geminus, who has arrived to discuss business with uncle Fulvius.
More deaths soon follow: an old scholar, Nibytas, is found dead in the Library of Alexandria, while a student, Heras, is devoured by a crocodile in Philadelphion's care, further compounding the difficulty of Falco's investigations. Philadelphion takes matters into his own hands and personally dissects Theon's body in public, risking arrest by the authorities in the process (who have banned operating on dead bodies), but not before revealing some interesting tidbits: Theon was emotionally depressed (his liver was enlarged from heavy drinking) and that he was poisoned from ingesting oelander. A deadly chase through the streets of Alexandria ending at the top of the Pharos soon reveals more: the Director was stealing library scrolls for resale back to Rome; the intermediaries being none other than Falco's uncle and father, Fulvius and Geminius. Theon and Nibytas tried to stop Philetus, with tragic consequences for both: Nibytas chose to press on and was murdered, while Theon simply committed suicide by eating the oelander from garlands at the dinner party with Fulvius. Falco sadly admits that he may have caused Theon's death simply by asking Theon about the books under his care while having dinner with Fulvius, causing Theon to decide to take his own life later.
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