The Iron Hand of Mars

Two mysteries from the incomplete ‘Histories’ of Tacitus provided the ideas for the plot of Falco’s German adventure. It falls to him to end the rebellion of Civilis and Veleda, who had tried to create a united Celtic Europe.

This he does in his own unusual fashion, helped by Nero’s barber (out of work since Nero’s suicide) and by a shy lad who likes talking to girls. In Falco’s way stands an uppity legion, who have a notorious past in Britain, and Titus Caesar, angling after Helena. There are corpses which have vanished in the murk of the rebellion, corpses Falco finds in ditches, the ghosts of long-dead legendary corpses – and, as Falco and his offbeat party tramp the barbarian forests, they face a serious risk that they will end up dead themselves.

This is the one with the much-loved Little Mess Tin song.