Pandora's Boy

{{Short description|2018 historical crime novel by Lindsey Davis}}

{{use DMY dates|date=June 2024}}

{{use British English|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox book

| italic title =

| name = Pandora's Boy

| image = File:Pandora's_Boy_cover_2018_UK_hbk.jpg

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| caption = Cover of 2018 UK first edition

| author = Lindsey Davis

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| country = UK

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| series = Flavia Albia

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| genre = Historical fiction, crime fiction

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| publisher = Hodder & Stoughton

| publisher2 = St. Martin's Press

| pub_date = 5 April 2018

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| media_type = Print, e-book, audiobook, large print

| pages = 398

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| isbn = 978-1-4736-5863-9

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| preceded_by = The Third Nero

| followed_by = A Capitol Death

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Pandora's Boy is a historical crime novel by British writer Lindsey Davis, the sixthAs at 8 October 2017 both Amazon and the publisher's site refer to it as the 5th, but Davis's site and the fact of five previous titles indicate 6th. in her Flavia Albia series. It was published by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK on 5 April 2018, ({{ISBN|9781473658745}}) and in the United States in 2018 by St. Martin's Press.{{cite web|title=Pandora's Boy|url=http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/publications/pandoras-boy/|website=Lindsey Davis website|publisher=Lindsey Davis|accessdate=8 October 2017}}{{cite book|title=Pandora's Boy| date=4 September 2018 |url=https://www.hodder.co.uk/books/detail.page?isbn=9781473658639|publisher=Hodder & Stoughton| isbn=9781473658639 |accessdate=8 October 2017}}

The tale involves the death of a young girl and during her investigation Albia "has to contend with the occult, organised crime, an unusual fertility symbol, and celebrity dining"; the Pandora of the title is a local witch. The story begins in October AD 89 and is set in Rome, on the Quirinal Hill.{{cite book|last=Davis|first=Lindsey|title=Pandora's Boy|publisher=Hodder & Stoughton|isbn=978-1-473-65863-9|date=2018}}{{rp|1}}

The first edition cover of the UK hardback shows a cracked blue glass bird credited as "vessel shaped like bird" from the Corning Museum of Glass.{{rp|dust jacket}}

Publishers Weekly and Library Journal praised the "close attention to detail",{{Cite web |date=7 May 2018 |title=Pandora's Boy by Lindsey Davis |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250152688 |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=Publishers Weekly}}{{Cite journal |last=Schirano |first=Matt |date=1 June 2018 |title=Mystery & Suspense |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2043808409 |journal=Library Journal |volume=143 |issue=10 |page=59 |id={{ProQuest|2043808409}} }} as did Kirkus Reviews, who also praised the "brisk pace" and "colorful cast".{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2018 |title=Pandora's Boy |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/lindsey-davis/pandoras-boy-flavia-albia-series/ |access-date=27 October 2024 |website=Kirkus Reviews}} On the other hand, Marilyn Sherlock, writing for the Historical Novel Society was "not particularly impressed" and found the novel to "ramble".{{Cite web |last=Sherlock |first=Marilyn |date=May 2018 |title=Pandora's Boy |url=https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/pandoras-boy/ |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=Historical Novel Society}}