The Roman Mysteries Epic 10 Books Collection Box Set (Books 1 - 10) by Caroline Lawrence

These books are quite exciting page turners, I as an adult have enjoyed them as much as the kids. pretty good value for 10 books, and there is a lot of interesting historical context in these books to spark interest in the ancient world.

Kids 7-12 are loving these!

My 10 year old is enjoying reading these novels. Enough said.

This is a series of historical novels for children by Caroline Lawrence. The books take place in the ancient time period Roman Empire during the reign of the Emperor Titus. They detail the adventures of four children who solve mysteries and have adventures in Ostia Antica, Rome, Greece, and beyond. While this series is aimed at younger readers, they are enjoyable for all ages My granddaughter and I enjoyed reading them together.. A quick and enjoyable read, they are perfect for anyone who, like myself, enjoys adventure, romance and is interested in the Roman period. A an exciting and educational journey. The books are set in the years AD 80-81 when Rome was considered the center of the civilized world.Each of the Roman mysteries is a separate adventure involving Flavia Gemina, a kind but bossy girl who loves to solve mysteries. She has three friends: Jewish neighbour Jonathon; a Sudanese slave girl Nubia, and, a mute beggar boy Lupus. While they live in the Roman post of Ostia, in the course of their adventures they travel to many exotic locations.This is a wonderful introduction to everyday Roman life and society, from the different classes of citizen and cultures living in Italia, family life, food, housing and décor, mode of dress, literature, medicine, methods of transport, government, religion and social customs. Parents need to be aware that although the Roman Mysteries are written for children, they feature adult themes that may not be suitable for younger readers. The plots of the novels focus on concepts such as slavery, theft, murder, assassination, crucifixion and adultery. Yet to my mind this is quite valuable. It gives us the opportunity to discuss the difference between right and wrong (which is not always as clear as we should like) and how we should treat others, especially people holding different perspectives.

These mysteries are lively and absorbing tales of four young friends growing up in Rome… one is a soldier’s daughter, one her slave girl, one a refugee and the last a Jewish doctor’s son… the background is really vivid, including the eruption of Vesuvius!

Use: 10yo daughter read a couple of these so we bought the box set.Pros: value for moneyCons: box was slightly damaged when it arrived, but we didn't mind as it was about the books rather than the box.

I really love the accessibility of these classic books. My daughter begged me to buy the thieves of ostia when we went into lockdown as she couldn't wait to resume the story with her class teacher. The rest of the series looks equally gripping.

Prompt and good quality!