''Time to Depart'' is a 1995

historical mystery The historical mystery or historical whodunit is a subgenre of two literary genres, historical fiction and mystery fiction. These works are set in a time period considered historical from the author's perspective, and the central plot involves t ...

crime novel Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...

Lindsey Davis Lindsey Davis (born 1949) is an English historical novelist, best known as the author of the Falco series of historical crime stories set in ancient Rome and its empire. She is a recipient of the Cartier Diamond Dagger award. Life and career ...

and the seventh book of the Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries series. Set in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

during AD 72, the novel stars

Marcus Didius Falco Lindsey Davis (born 1949) is an English historical novelist, best known as the author of the Falco series of historical crime stories set in ancient Rome and its empire. She is a recipient of the Cartier Diamond Dagger award. Life and career ...

, an informer and imperial agent. The title refers to the law which stated that no Roman citizen who had been sentenced to death might be arrested, even after the verdict, until he has been given ''time to depart'', the idea being that for a Roman citizen to choose exile outside the boundaries of the Empire would have been a fate worse than death itself.

Plot summary

Falco's closest friend, Petronius Longus, has finally caught one of the leading criminals in Rome, Balbinus Pius. But a quirk in Roman law allows a convicted felon, even a murderer, time to depart before the sentence is carried out. Balbinus' departure has left a vacuum in the underworld of Rome, and there is a crowd of criminals trying desperately to fill the void. Their first step is to engineer a robbery that reverberates throughout the city. Falco is again called upon by the Emperor

Vespasian Vespasian (; la, Vespasianus ; 17 November AD 9 – 23/24 June 79) was a Roman emperor who reigned from AD 69 to 79. The fourth and last emperor who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled the Empi ...

to supply answers, as quietly and quickly as possible. A couple of murders, a kidnapping or two, and more suspects than Falco cares to count takes him, and his

patrician Patrician may refer to: * Patrician (ancient Rome), the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome, and a synonym for "aristocratic" in modern English usage * Patrician (post-Roman Europe), the governing elites of cities in parts of medieval ...

girlfriend Helena Justina, to places a family shouldn't have to go.

Characters in ''Time to Depart''

High Society

* ''Anacrites'' - Imperial spy * ''Camillus Aelianus'' - Eldest son of Decimus Camillus Verus * ''Camillus Justinus'' - Youngest son of Decimus Camillus Verus * ''Decimus Camillus Verus'' - Senator and father of Helena Justina * ''Helena Justina'' - Daughter of the

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Decimus Camillus Verus * ''Julia Justa'' - Wife of Camillus Verus and mother of Helena * ''T. Claudius Laeta'' - Imperial clerk * ''Titus Caesar'' - Eldest son of the Emperor * ''Vespasian'' - Emperor

Low Society (Fountain Court)

* ''Cassius'' - Baker * ''Castus'' - Junk-dealer * ''Ennianus'' - Basket-weaver * ''Lenia'' - Laundress * ''Marcus Didius Falco'' - Informer and Imperial Agent from the Aventine. * ''Smaractus'' - Landlord

Law and Order

* ''Arica'' - Member of the Sixth Cohort * ''Arria Silvia'' - Wife of L. Petronius Longus * ''Fusculus'' - Member of Petronius' enquiry team * ''L. Petronius Longus'' - Enquiry chief in the XIII region and friend of Falco * ''Marcus Rubella'' - Tribune of the Fourth Cohort of vigiles * ''Martinus'' - Deputy * ''Porcius'' - Recruit * ''Scythax'' - Doctor * ''Sergius'' - Punishment officer * ''Tibullinus'' - Centurion of the Sixth Cohort

Other Citizens

* ''Alexander'' - Doctor * ''Balbinus Pius'' - Crime boss * ''Flaccida'' - Wife of Balbinus * ''Florius'' - Husband of Milvia * ''Lalage'' - Proprietress of the Bower of Venus * ''Little Icarus'' - Member of Balbinus' Gang * ''Macra'' - Employed at the Bower of Venus * ''Milvia'' - Daughter of Balbinus * ''Nonnius Albius'' - Court witness * ''The Miller'' - Member of Balbinus' Gang

Major themes

* Investigation into the underworld of Roman life, * Developing relationship of Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina.

Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science

* Set in

in AD 72, during the reign of Emperor

Release details

* 1995, UK, Century Hardback (out of print) * 1996, UK, Arrow, Paperback * 1997, UK, Chivers Press, Large Print, * 1997, US, Mysterious Press, Hardback * 1998, US, Mysterious Press, Paperback * 2003, UK, Arrow, Paperback (as part of single-volume omnibus edition, ''Falco on the Loose'', with

Last Act in Palmyra ''Last Act in Palmyra'' is a 1994 historical mystery crime novel by Lindsey Davis and the sixth book of the Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries series. Set in Rome, Nabatea, and Palmyra, the novel stars Marcus Didius Falco, informer and imperial agent. ...

and

A Dying Light in Corduba ''A Dying Light in Corduba'' is a 1996 historical mystery crime novel by Lindsey Davis and the eighth book of the Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries series. Set in Rome and Imperial Spain during the spring and summer of AD 73, the novel stars Marcus ...

)

References

External links

lindseydavis.co.uk/
Author's Official Website {{Falco novels 1995 British novels Marcus Didius Falco novels Historical novels 72 Century (imprint) books