This is the 12th book in the series of mysteries set about 79 a.d., mainly in the port city of Ostia, but also in various other spots. In this, the children go to Rome to solve the mystery of a missing race horse and get caught up in intrigue surrounding the races in the Circus Maximus. Rich in details, these are all fun ways to give students information about ancient Rome in a way that is entertaining and yet very, very informative. There are apparently going to be 18 in the series, which is wildly popular in England. There is even a television program that I wish could be obtained in the states.I read this on the last day of break, which would account for my slight annoyance at a couple of things. Nubia, the African slave girl, speaks in stilted English. I hate reading anything in dialect. (This is why I haven't abscounded with the new Brian Jacques' book. It can wait until summer. )Nubia could also "talk" to the horses and understand what they were feeling, which seemed odd. I don't think students will mind, and these things were certainly minor issues in a well-crafted series. I am looking forward to the next!
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