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As usual with Lindsey Davis the detective element also leads to insights into the Roman water supply system, even bringing the real Julius Frontinus in as a character.

The exile of a Roman Mob Boss should lead to at least a temporary drop in crime, but does it?

Enjoyed to introduction to a new investigator member of the Falco family. Just a filled with insights into life in Roman times

In some places it reads more like an adventure story, but interesting insights into a different era.

Forensics with lots of twists and turns, and in this novel, plenty of shocks!

Often, when reading Grisham's stories, I discover something about the American legal system which I had not known, whereas these tales, although a good read did not particularly draw me in.

The intermingled threads are full of twists and surprises. A rare featuring of Network Time Protocol, and Certificate Expiry - though technical readers will be complaining that it does not work like that - but could this be yet another Red Herring?

I have enjoyed several of the Falco series, and this tale of his adopted daughter, Flavia Albia. also has a good blend of insight into Roman life and a mystery written in a light humorous style. Due to the large number of related characters and extensive use of the tria nomnia this book would have been better as holiday reading than fitting in reading chapters interspersed with other activities. I am still inclined to read more in this series

The in-depth sections on neurobiology - particularly the Neurobiology 101 are very informative, as is the reminder of how rapid progress is in this area. The scope of coverage of subjects is similar, but more recent, than The Emperor's New Mind. Although I believe strongly in the importance and power of individual decisions, so disagree on a fundamental level, he puts a strong case.

Tim Marshall was on the ground as a reporter for much of the Yugoslav wars, and he tells the story as told to him, not only from armed forces on all sides, but some of the civilians, and reporters, in the war zone.

He tells of cities being bombed from afar with high technology weaponry, having much great impact on the civilian population than the military assets they were supposed to be targeting.

The large scale march to the capital after the Yugoslav election in 2000 has some resonances with the 2021 Capitol Riot - both fuelled by suspicion of a rigged election, but differ that history showed the Yugoslav one was, and the US one was not. Tim's reflections on the the current and future pressures in the region make interesting reading.

Randall's writing, and cartoons, are always entertaining, and I feel my mind has been expanded.

Set during the Restoration, like Andrew Taylor's Marwood and Lovett series, which I enjoyed, and in Oxford, which I know, I still struggled to get into it at first. There are many references to real historical characters, but the Unreliable narrator technique made it hard like or identify with the main characters. It did come together in an interesting way at the end, and had broadened my knowledge of the period some of the notable people who appear in itl

Democracy, like science and important software, needs to happen in the open for it to work. This book exposes some of the means by which some people attempt to obscure the process. I have a more complete review on my blog

The descriptions of lives and particularly deaths of the people in the area, now Belarus, at the time of WW2 make grim reading. In some respects the events of the time have kept the people in a mediaeval existence today, while, for example the people of Poland, just across the river have moved on. The character of Andrusha Sawoniuk reminded me of the chapter "Petty Tyrants and Psychopaths" in Corruptible I did find the details of the cross examinations and legal wrangles a bit too detailed, and it could have been edited down without losing much.