" This is a very entertaining book about four children who become friends in Ostia in 79 AD. The main character, Flavia, is the daughter of a sea captain, and she lives next door to Jonathan, a Jew whose family has converted to the new religion, Christianity. Her family purchases a young black girl, Nubia, as a slave and companion for Flavia, and the fourth member of the group is Lupus, a young beggar whose tongue was cut out some years ago. They make a great group of kids who are handy as solving mysteries. I had to laugh at the comment of the guilty party after he was caught when he said something along the lines of "I would have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for you meddlesome kids." Reminded me of the Scooby-Do gang. "
— Vicki, 1/24/2014