It is 79 A.D., Titus is the Emperor, and Vesuvius has just erupted! Book III of the "Roman Mysteries" series continues the adventures of its multicultural teen-aged detectives (Flavia is Roman and free, Jonathan is Jewish, Nubia is African and a slave) and their amazing eight-year-old co-conspirator Lupus, who has no tongue, although we are not told why or how he lost it. The young investigators discover that children are going missing from the refugee camp and the hills surrounding the Bay of Naples—pirates may be abducting them to sell as slaves. Suspects are many, from a charismatic and powerful Patron to a handsome and entrepreneurial African slave. After several narrow escapes, the intrepid adventurers stage a cartoon-like shipboard battle that begins with the wicked pirates hallucinating from too much mushroom powder and ends with a rousing victory for captives and detectives. The background information and details of the eruption add interest to the sometimes less than believable exploits of the friends. Along the way there are, however, some lessons to be learned: appearances can be deceiving; all human beings should be treated with respect; there are more important things in life (music, for example) than expensive jewels and magnificent villas. Maps of the Bay and the Cape of Hercules are helpful with geography, while "Aristo's Scroll" explains Roman terms. A "Last Scroll' from the author, who appears to have visited the sites, reflects as well her studies in classical archaeology. 2003, Roaring Brook, Talcroft
The Roman Mysteries series continues as Flavia Gemina and her fellow sleuths Nubia, Lupus, and Jonathan join for new adventures in the ancient city. Lawrence offers a detailed and unique perspective of Roman society, combining everyday life and mythology with wicked villains and intriguing mystery. The Pirates of Pompeii vividly describes the physical devastation after the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Flavia and her friends are helping to aid victims of the volcano in a refugee camp when children begin to disappear. They see a mysterious boat in the area and believe that someone might be kidnapping the children. While searching for clues, the four are invited to the villa of a powerful Roman nobleman whom they soon suspect might be responsible. Pirates, actors, slave traders, and some deceitful friends are all overcome by the cunning and quick thinking of the young heroes in solving the mystery. The appealing young characters in this series have developed throughout the books. The novels have a suspenseful, movie-like pace that will keep readers interested. The books in this series can stand independently, but new readers might become confused by the mention of characters and events from earlier volumes. Maps, a glossary, and the Last Scroll in each book provide historical foundation for the stories. Readers with an interest in history will better enjoy this cloak-and-dagger mystery series, but the set can also serve as an uncomplicated introduction to the Roman period. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P M (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8). 2003, Roaring Brook, 176p., Ages 11 to 14.
—Eileen Kuhl
Gr 5-7-Flavia, Jonathan, Lupus, and Nubia are once again faced with a mystery. The year is 79 C.E. and Mount Vesuvius has just erupted, leaving chaos and destruction in its wake. The children are living in a refugee camp with Jonathan's father and Flavia's uncle. The sky is hazy and red, everything is covered in a thick layer of ash, and the wails of professional mourners and families who have lost loved ones pierce the air. One by one, children disappear from the area and Flavia and her friends decide to find out why. Woven into the mystery are problems and issues of Roman life such as the abusive treatment of slaves and the class structure of the patron/client system. The search for the missing children is fast paced and in several instances peril seems imminent. Newcomers to the series may be a little confused by this one but fans will enjoy it.-Genevieve Gallagher, Orange County Public Library, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
It’s the summer of a.d. 79. Flavia, her friend Jonathan, the young mute Lupus, and the slave Nubia have lived through the eruption of Vesuvius. A camp has been set up for those who fled Pompeii. Children are disappearing, however, and rumors of slavers terrify an already scarred people. The four young heroes are sent to a lovely villa, home of the charismatic Publius Pollius Felix, ostensibly out of harm’s way. Felix is called The Patron and at first they think he may be responsible for the missing children. His own daughter is spoiled and selfish, and a catfight between her and Flavia is the proximate cause of pirates’ grabbing all of them, except Lupus. With Lupus’s wily assistance, they instigate most of their own rescue, and Flavia formally frees Nubia. What made the two earlier titles so good was their fast pace and Roman setting: this one is marred by events and mindsets that sound a bit too contemporary; still, readers will want to continue the story. (glossary, author’s note) (Historical fiction. 10-14)
Publishers Weekly
Flavia Gemina, the teen sleuth of first-century Ostia and heroine of the Roman Mysteries series, cracks her third case in The Pirates of Pompeii by Caroline Lawrence. Mount Vesuvius has just erupted, and refugees stream into camps-where children go missing.
Booklist
This third book in the Roman Mysteries series continues the first-century B.C.E. adventures of teen sleuth Flavia and her sidekicks. This title begins in a refugee camp in the aftermath of Vesuvius' eruption. While assisting the camps' doctors, Flavia and her friends discover that many children have disappeared in the chaos. Suspecting a kidnapping plot, the friends investigate, and their inquiries lead them to the opulent villa of a wealthy, charming nobleman. Is he behind the kidnappings? The friends discover the answer in a series of terrifying near-death adventures. As in the series' previous titles, Lawrence combines vivid period details and graceful imagery with a thrilling pace and some gory action scenes, always portraying Flavia and her friends as well-drawn young people whose playfulness, jealousies, outrage, and courage will resonate with contemporary readers. Additional themes of slavery and class issues add depth to the plot, while a glossary defines the many Roman terms used throughout.
School Library Journal
Flavia, Jonathan, Lupus, and Nubia are once again faced with a mystery. The year is 79 C.E. and Mount Vesuvius has just erupted, leaving chaos and destruction in its wake. The children are living in a refugee camp with Jonathan's father and Flavia's uncle. The sky is hazy and red, everything is covered in a thick layer of ash, and the wails of professional mourners and families who have lost loved ones pierce the air. One by one, children disappear from the area and Flavia and her friends decide to find out why. Woven into the mystery are problems and issues of Roman life such as the abusive treatment of slaves and the class structure of the patron/client system. The search for the missing children is fast paced and in several instances peril seems imminent. Newcomers to the series may be a little confused by this one but fans will enjoy it.
