With Tiberius incapacitated (hopefully temporarily), Flavia has to solve a mystery at the very top of diplomatic politics.

I found this book a bit more scrambled than its predecessors. I couldn't see a reason why Falco wouldn't be called in as backup, for instance; yes, he hates the Emperor, but the whole empire is in danger, not to mention his own daughter's life. And danger to Flavia is presented with odd flippancy - I know she normally ignores danger, but in this book it's on a whole new level.