Product Description

It's August, AD 81. Presumed dead by their families but wanted by unknown authorities, Flavia and her friends feel very far from home. News of more kidnappings in Italia reach them, and when they discover one of Miriam's twins is among the missing, the four detectives set out for Halicarnassus in the Roman province of Asia. Here they find the countryside is full of prophets who heal the sick and cure the lame - or are they merely tricksters and villains in disguise? Once again, the detectives' loyalties are tested as they are confronted with hopes for the future and grim legacies of the past . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5488 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Review
'the novel opens - and indeed ends - on a note of tension and excitement.. This is an interesting, well researched and well paced novel' (THE BOOKBAG )

'The best of the bunch... I already need to read the last book' (ANNE GILES BOOKWITCH )

About the Author
Caroline Lawrence is American. She won a scholarship to Cambridge to read Classical Archaeology, then did a degree in Hebrew and Jewish Studies at University College, London. She lives with her husband, a graphic designer, by the river in London and is active as a speaker in schools and at book festivals.

Customer Reviews

The Prophet
This new book from Caroline Lawrence is once again quite an accomplishment. It goes back to previous themes including the Colossus of Rhodes. The book charts the trek across Asia of Flavia Gemina and co to find missing children,taken by a not so evil slave dealer and his bodyguard, and along the way they encounter christianity in its early days. The flowing book is sown with intresting facts yet does not bore you. Will the children ever be the same again? find out by reading the book.

The Prophet From Ephesus
The Prophet From Ephesus is the latest book in the Roman Mysteries series, and is the penultimate one. It is an outstanding read, full of wonder, suspense and surprise. The book is set in Halicarnassus, the Roman province of Asia, and the four friends are once again solving a mystery. Not only have hundreds of children been kidnapped, but Jonathan's nephew is also among the taken. They set out on a journey to find them, meeting mysterious characters on the way, including prophets and slave-dealers. With this main plot, there are many sub-plots cleverly woven in, and the book has a surprising ending. Altogether, this is an amazing book, and I am sad that there is only one more book to come!

They Just Keep Getting Better
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. As always, Lawrence has seamlessly woven into her work a wealth of historical details, and in this particular book, biblical allusions. Instead of being intrusive, these details only add to the depth and fullness of the novel. Everything is very accurate, and even the most casual reader is sure to pick up some historical knowledge (though he or she may not realize it at the time!). The Prophet from Ephesus offers the reader an intriguing glimpse into early Christianity as well. Without being preachy or cheesy, Lawrence addresses issues of Jonathan's faith that have needed to be resolved.

A distinctive characteristic that sets her books apart from other historical fiction is her knack for describing settings. Lawrence does not simply rely on visual details--she paints a multisensory masterpiece of scent, sight, and sound that swiftly draws the reader into the novel. When reading her descriptions of places, one receives the impression that Lawrence has been there before (and she has). All of her books have this remarkable quality, but The Prophet from Ephesus is beyond exceptional in this regard.

As far as the plot goes, the series is clearly arcing towards an imminent climax. Romance, excitement and tension climb higher and higher, and at the end of the book, the reader is left hanging off a cliff. Personally, I am torn between longing for the next book to come out, and not wanting the series to ever end!

The Roman Mysteries may be children's books, but in no way does Caroline Lawrence dumb them down for her audience. C. S. Lewis once said, "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." By that criterion, The Prophet from Ephesus is a definite success.