A Comedy of Terrors is a historical crime novel by British writer Lindsey Davis, the ninth in her Flavia Albia series.

[4]: [ix]  It features nuts ("both the snack and missile of choice of tipsy celebrants") and threats to the emperor ("Domitian himself is a target for the old criminals' new schemes").

[5] Publishers Weekly's reviewer said that "Davis convincingly depicts first-century mobsters, an aspect of ancient Roman criminality that's been underutilized by authors writing about this period.

... She writes with verve and vitality, swooping from comedy to tragedy to a satisfying conclusion, with a tip of a Saturnalia wreath to Tiberius's [her husband's] pie charts.

"[7] It was included in The Guardian's "This Month's Best Paperbacks" and in The Observer's list of "The best recent thrillers", where it was described as "Lighthearted, witty and effortlessly clever" and "a window into ancient Rome, and a tonic and a joy to read".