SuitabookFriendship and investigation
Four young friends work together to investigate a riddle during a stay near Pompeii.
Loading your next page
Book details
These links show the original reading lists. Inclusion is not a guarantee of suitability for your child.
Caroline Lawrence - Author
A suspenseful historical mystery set around Pompeii, combining a children's investigation with vivid historical detail and the looming eruption of Vesuvius. Expect friendship, curiosity and adventure, but also sorrow and frightening material near the conclusion.
Book Brief
Sign in to see how this book fits your child and family preferences.
Sign in for personalised guidanceA suspenseful historical mystery set around Pompeii, combining a children's investigation with vivid historical detail and the looming eruption of Vesuvius. Expect friendship, curiosity and adventure, but also sorrow and frightening material near the conclusion.
Four young friends work together to investigate a riddle during a stay near Pompeii.
The group includes Lupus, a boy slave, and Nubia, a freed African slave who is still learning Latin.
Give particular thought to how the book handles catastrophe, including the eruption and its aftermath. Religious belief is also prominent through Jonathan's secretly Christian family and encouragement to accept converts' values.
This is a grounded book brief while Suitabook strengthens the analysis: the book’s treatment of its main themes is not yet firm enough; some draft conclusions still depend on unresolved evidence.
Anything not established here remains open; it is not being treated as absent or safe.