Lindsey Davis " Silver Pigs " ...suitability for 12 year old?

[inthesticks]

This was recommended as a teenage read for my son who loved the Caroline Lawrence Roman series.

He's only 12 and it is classed as an adult book, I wondered whether anyone had read this or others in the series and could tell me whether there is any "adult "content in the books?

-Just to save me having to read it myself first as it's not really my cup of tea.

No, I would say not. Can't remember specific items in that book, but others are certainly a bit bawdy

I read it when not much older- yes there is some adult content (violence, murders and some sex although don't remember there being a lot of graphic scenes and it is in context as mainly around main characters who end up married and also deals with issues of
Contraception / childbirth in later books). On balance I would say the fact they are well written good novels and educational outweighs the adult edge .

Also violence depicted in a sensible way as does have characters being injured/I'll and trying to avoid it.

My view on this is tempered by having sneaked Jackie Collins etc at a similar age - they were educational and tbh I skipped/ didn't understand half of it. Not sure how they compare to sharpe on bawdy content but now dss read sharpe at that age which is probably as violent.

Lindsey Davis is a fantastic author but having read the whole series myself I would suggest that her writing is too adult for a 12 yo.

I am sure that your son would glean a lot of information from the book - however, IMHO the level of humour in the book would possible be beyond his comprehension and he would in fact not get as much enjoyment out of the book than he would at a slightly older age.

I would however, highly recommend this book for your own enjoyment.

Thank you for these replies.
I think I'll probably leave it a year or two before giving it to DS2 as he's not a mature 12.

Actually I'm now wondering whether I could tempt his 14 year old brother back into reading with this. DS1 also loved the Caroline Lawrence series which he read when he was 10 or 11. He was an avid reader until puberty and then stopped. He flatly refuses to read any fiction now. He will read tedious books of lists and the Daily Telegraph though. Bawdy roman mysteries might just appeal.

I thought I'd just resurrect this thread because I am delighted that DS1 (14) not only read this book and enjoyed it but has asked me to get the rest of the series.

He was an early reader, readthe whole Harry Potter series before he was 7 and nothing ever quite matched up to that.The last time he read fiction he was about 11 and despite my best efforts he refused to read any thing else. I gave up because he does well at school and has other interests but I was sad that he could not enjoy reading for pleasure.

So this is a great result.