Product Description

Flavia and her friends are on a quest for the Emperor Titus - to steal a valuable gemstone known as 'Nero's Eye'. The Delphic Oracle prophesied that whoever owns the gem will rule Rome - so Titus is determined to claim it for himself. Their travels take them across the Roman province of Mauretania, from Sabratha (in modern Libya) to Volubilis (Morocco). As they travel on a caravan across the desert they encounter slave-traders, pantomime actors and a wild animal stampede. The detectives must consider another quest: what has happened to Uncle Gaius? Meanwhile, Flavia faces some tough decisions about her future.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37114 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Review
'A great read for kids' DAILY EXPRESS

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

Splendiferous
This brilliant book is the latest in the fabulous Roman Mysteries series, and I would say the most exciting yet.

In this book the four friends - Flavia , Jonathan, Nubia, and Lupus - travel to Africa and discover the country that Nubia tries to forget. On their way they meet with pantomime actors, siblings of the Emperor and many other wonderfully interesting characters.

Read The Beggar of Volubilis to find out who asks for Flavia's hand in marriage and who gets lost in a desert of mirages. Read it most of all to be swept along in an exciting adventure.

The Beggar of Volubilis
The Beggar of Volubilis is so far, the best Roman Mysteries book. All the new charachters are so exciting and enjoyable to read about. At every end of every chapter there is a very exciting cliff-hanger that leaves you wanting to read the next page even more. The book includes wonderful descriptions of the cities, the Mediterranean and the hot, dry desert, where the book is mainly set. Every page is breath-taking and leaves you guessing till the end. Overall, the Beggar of Volubilis is a very descriptive, moving and humourous book.

Exciting and Exotic
Does what it says in the title. Exciting from beginning to end, matching physical tension with emotional suspense. And Exotic in its setting in the deserts and cities of North Africa in Roman times.
The four friends are yet again on a voyage of discovery to different place, as they search for a jewel Emperor Titus desperately wants.
My favourite inclusion in this Roman Mystery was the pantomime characters, giving a sense of ancient life not explored in the books before. But also the lack of communication in the empire, where some people still didn't know the last emporer had died!
All in all, this mystery, partly due to Flavia's dramatic decision at the end of the book, is one of my favourites yet.