9.23.2013

 

Trimalchio's Feast and other Mini-Mysteries

by Caroline Lawrence, 114 pgs, paperback
Series: The Roman Mysteries
Overall Grade: B


A collection of short mysteries and character studies set between the first 14 books.

Again, it was intersting to learn more details about gladiator training, fullers and ancient Roman lamps, as well as some of the events that are hinted at in the books. All of the stories are quick reads, with commentary by the author on how she came up with the ideas for each, and an interview with her at the end of the anthology.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 5:59 PM

3.28.2011

 

The Secrets of Vesuvius


by Caroline Lawrence, 165pgs, paperback
Series: The Roman Mysteries  2

Overall Grade: A-
Another quick read. Another juvenile mystery set in the early Roman Empire. Following the events of the last book, Flavia and her friends are shipped off to her Uncle, who lives near Pompeii. Shortly before, they save Pliny and befriend the admiral/naturalist. At Flavia's uncle's, the troublesome quartet of Flavia, Nubia, Jonathan and Lupus quickly involve themselves in trying to find a mysterious blacksmith that Pliny described to them, and generally meddling in the family affairs of everyone around them. Then Vesuvius erupts and we spend most of the book hoping that the main characters will get the heck away from the volcano. I actually enjoyed that part because I like imagining what it would be like to be in the middle of a natural disaster.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 7:14 PM

1.22.2012

 

Caveat Emptor


by Ruth Downie, 336 pgs, hardcover
Series: Gaius Petreius Ruso series book #4
Overall Grade: A-

Another series of ancient Roman mysteries! This one occurs during the Roman Empire, the reluctant sleuth (Ruso) is an army doctor by training, and this particular mystery is sent in Roman Britannia. The dilemma involves a tax collector and his brother who went missing with the taxes from a nearby town. Eventually you feel as frustrated as Ruso, learning more about the Roman bureaucracy and monetary system than you ever wanted to know.
BTW - the title translates to "buyer beware"

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 9:32 PM

6.17.2013

 

The Fugitive from Corinth

by Caroline Lawrence, 181 pgs, hardcover
Series: The Roman Mysteries X
Overall Grade: B+

I have to give the author props for the events at the beginning of the book. I would not have expected that to happen in a novel for kids, but then Lawrence has written a surprising number of sensitive topics into this series (the suicide of a witness in an earlier book springs to mind).
This tenth installment finds Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia & Lupus in Greece on their homeward journey after their voyages in the ninth book. A tragic turn of events leaves Flavia's father on the cusp of death and the 4 young sleuths tracking down their former tutor as the suspect from Corinth up to Delphi and down to Athens.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 2:05 AM

2.21.2011

 

The Thieves of Ostia


by Caroline Lawrence, 146 pgs, paperback
Series: The Roman Mysteries  I

Overall Grade: B


Quick read. Juvenile mystery set during the Roman Empire. Not for the squeamish, dogs are beheaded, one boy has no tongue, and one of the suspects commits suicide. Plot - young Flavia Gemina (daughter of a merchant captain) befriends her neighbor, Jonathan and the two set out to uncover who killed and beheaded Jonathan's dog.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 1:02 AM

8.06.2013

 

The Charioteer of Delphi

by Caroline Lawrence, 210 pgs, hardcover
Series: The Roman Mysteries XII
Overall Grade: A-

Flavia's father is suddenly called on to sail his patron to Greece, fortuitously allowing Flavia & company to travel to Rome in time to find a missing, prized racing horse. But why was the horse so easy to find? Our young sleuths uncover a deeper mystery amidst the excitement of the chariot races.

I particularly liked all the details about chariot racing and the Circus Maximus this book lovingly used. That's exactly how I imagine I would use my own scholarship in a work of fiction. Also the scene with the morning worship of the lares and penates was interesting to me.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 12:07 PM

11.05.2013

 

The Slave-girl from Jerusalem

by Caroline Lawrence, 209 pgs, paperback
Series: The Roman Mysteries XIII
Overall Grade: B+

 Although I've always thought the series was darker and more realistic than many YA series, this book seems even more so. (By the end, all 4 main characters have written their own wills.)
The story begins with Jonathan's sister, Miriam, who enlists the help of the 4 young sleuths in proving that her childhood friend was freed before her master died. The case rather quickly becomes bloody, and the slave-girl is shortly accused of triple-homicide.

Despite the presence of Flavius, or "Floppy", and Flavia's fawning over him, I enjoyed this story. There was a lot to learn about how Romans freed their slaves, wrote and enacted wills, and conducted criminal trials.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 12:16 AM

6.27.2011

 

The Dolphins of Laurentum


by Caroline Lawrence, 155 pgs, paperback
Series: The Roman Mysteries book 5
Overall Grade: A

Not so much a mystery this one, but an backstory info-dump on Lupus.
Flavia's father has returned, just barely surviving a shipwreck, and with all his money literally at the bottom of the sea, his creditors are demanding he pay up. At the same time Lupus is looking to hire an assassin to kill the slave-trader Venalicius, who murdered his parents and cut out his tongue. Fortunately, they meet Pliny the Younger, very thankful that they stayed with his uncle until nearly his dying moments, who offers to put them all up in his seaside villa in Laurentum till things get sorted out. And wouldn't you happen to know, there's an old shipwreck just off the shore that's supposed to have gold in it!

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 2:55 PM

5.21.2011

 

The Pirates of Pompeii


by Caroline Lawrence, 152 pgs, paperback
Series: The Roman Mysteries book 3
Overall Grade: B-

Flavia and her friends are refugees after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. In the encampment they discover that children are going missing, presumably abducted. At the invitation of a local patron, the four children visit his villa and attempt to figure out who is behind the kidnappings.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 8:27 PM

5.15.2013

 

The Colossus of Rhodes

by Caroline Lawrence, 173 pgs, hardcover
Series: The Roman Mysteries book 9
Official Website
Overall Grade: B+

This mystery takes place during a sea voyage, as Flavia & company sail with her father from their home in Ostia to the island of Rhodes, following up on the child-abduction ring they had previously fought against. There's a lot of nice details that all tie together at the end of this one. The only unappealing feature being Flavia's budding interest in men, which I and her friends could all do without.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 6:50 PM

6.14.2011

 

The Assassins of Rome


by Caroline Lawrence, 152 pgs, paperback
Series: The Roman Mysteries book 4
Overall Grade: B+

Backstory like whoa!
So Flavia and company are back home in Ostia finally have their eventful travels around Pompeii. But they're not there long before Jonathan's uncle shows up, begrudgingly telling him that his mother (whom he thought had died many years in the siege of Jerusalem) might be alive and tucked away somewhere in the imperial palace in Rome. So Jonathan scampers off to Rome with his uncle, leaving his father to be arrested back in Ostia, Lupus gets to hang out in a tree for a... while, and leaving Flavia and Nubia to devise their own plan to set off for Rome to find Jonathan and rescue him. Oh yeah, and some assassins might also be there trying to kill the emperor.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 2:47 PM

7.08.2013

 

The Sirens of Surrentum

by Caroline Lawrence, 196 pgs, hardcover
Series: The Roman Mysteries XI
Overall Grade: B-

This books sees Flavia & company finally back in Italy. But practically as soon as they arrive they receive a letter from Pulchra (a friend from a previous mystery), who is seeking their help in finding out who is poisoning her mother. So they're off to visit the Villa Limona again, along with a small covey of lustful young men and widows. They, along with Flavia's crush on the head of household Pollius Felix, make for a some what agonizing read, though sometimes humorous as Pulchra tries to teach Flavia how to beautify herself in adult ways.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 11:12 AM

12.18.2011

 

The Gladiators of Capua

by Caroline Lawrence, 184 pgs, hardcover
Series: The Roman Mysteries book 8

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 6:40 AM

8.08.2011

 

The Twelve Tasks of Flavia Gemina


by Caroline Lawrence, 159pgs, hardcover
Series: The Roman Mysteries book 6
Overall Grade: B

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 8:15 PM

8.30.2011

 

The Enemies of Jupiter


by Caroline Lawrence, 171pgs, hardcover
Series: The Roman Mysteries #7
Overall Grade: C+

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 10:33 PM

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