The Ides of April

As homeschoolers, we loved this book. It went along with our study of Ancient Rome - but would be exciting for anyone who likes historical novels and mysteries. The sequel, Beyond the Desert Gate, is also great!

This was a very good book. Sometimes a bit of a slow read, but such and intriguing murder story set in anciet Rome you won't even think to put the book down! Great for everyone!

Part Agatha Christie, part Eloise McGraw ... this book totally blew me away! Mary Ray is terrific, practically creating a whole new genre of books - children's historical mysteries. The plot flows beautifully from one catastrophic event to another, creating a tale of incredible skill and baffling turns.Not much has been written in the Ancient-Roman category anyway, and this book is made even more unique by its point of view - that of a slave. It exposes the so-called 'glamour' of Rome to be merely a circle of cruelty and struggle. This book is not for the very young, but discerning readers 12 & up will find this book absolutely wonderful. I can't endorse it too strongly!