Man from Pomegranate Street (The Roman Mysteries) [Paperback]

Caroline Lawrence (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 3, 2010 | Series: The Roman Mysteries (Book 17)

September AD 81. Returning from Ephesus to Rome, Flavia and her friends learn of the mysterious and sudden death of the Emperor Titus. Was his death natural? Or was it murder? As the four detectives investigate this mystery, they little dream how much their lives—as well as the future of Italia—will be changed as a result.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is both educational, yet pulls no punches in describing the violent and gory times that were Ancient Rome" NEWBOOKS MAGAZINE

About the Author

Caroline Lawrence is the author of The Roman Mysteries, which have been turned into a television series for BBC.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Orion Children's Books; Reprint edition (March 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1842556088
• ISBN-13: 978-1842556085
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Ancient Civilizations

More About the Author

Million-selling author Caroline Lawrence writes detective stories with the double aim of entertaining children and teaching them. Combining fast-moving plots with historical accuracy means her history mystery stories are beloved of children, parents and teachers.

In 2009, Caroline won the Classical Association Prize for her Roman Mysteries series, which comprises over 20 books and inspired a glossy BBC TV series in the UK.

In 2011 Caroline launched a second historical detective series, the Western Mysteries, staring P.K. Pinkerton: a 12-year-old doubly orphaned detective who has trouble "reading people". The Case of the Deadly Desperados was the Sunday New York Times Editors' Choice in February 2012.

Caroline says: "I want to know everything about the past, especially the exciting things. Also the sounds, smells, sights and tastes. I write historical novels because nobody has invented a Time Machine. And I write for kids because 11 is my inner age."

Caroline is also writing a spin-off series of Roman books for readers aged 7+, starting with
The Sewer Demon

Here are the Roman Mystery novels in series order:

The Thieves Of Ostia: The Roman Mysteries 1
The Secrets Of Vesuvius: The Roman Mysteries 2
The Pirates Of Pompeii: The Roman Mysteries 3
The Assassins Of Rome: The Roman Mysteries 4
The Dolphins Of Laurentum: The Roman Mysteries 5
The Twelve Tasks Of Flavia Gemina:The Roman Mysteries 6
The Enemies Of Jupiter: The Roman Mysteries 7
The Gladiators From Capua: The Roman Mysteries 8
The Colossus Of Rhodes: The Roman Mysteries 9
The Fugitive From Corinth: The Roman Mysteries 10
The Sirens Of Surrentum: The Roman Mysteries 11
The Charioteer Of Delphi: The Roman Mysteries 12
The Slave-Girl From Jerusalem: The Roman Mysteries 13
The Beggar Of Volubilis: The Roman Mysteries 14
The Scribes From Alexandria: The Roman Mysteries 15
The Prophet From Ephesus: The Roman Mysteries 16
The Man From Pomegranate Street: The Roman Mysteries 17

Here are the mini-mysteries:

The Legionary From Londinium And Other Mini-Mysteries
Trimalchio's Feast And Other Mini-Mysteries

Plus quiz books, omnibus editions, a travel book and a treasury:

The First Roman Mysteries Quiz Book
The Second Roman Mysteries Quiz Book
The Roman Mysteries Omnibus (Books 1-3) (B) (Feb)
The Roman Mysteries Omnibus (Books 4-6) (B)
From Ostia To Alexandria With Flavia Gemina
The Roman Mysteries Treasury

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Who Says the Truth is Always Good?", September 10, 2010

By 

R. M. Fisher "Raye" (New Zealand = Middle Earth!) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Man from Pomegranate Street (The Roman Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Well, here I am at the end of an amazing seventeen-part detective series (not counting two short-story collections), set in Ancient Rome and starring four precocious youngsters; the accumulation of a wonderful set of books that magnificently combines solid characterization, exciting plots and accurate research into a fantastic reading experience for adults and children alike. For the past two months I've been scouring the local libraries in the search for these books so that I can read them in order, and trying to put off their imminent finish in the hopes of savoring the adventure. But there's no avoiding it anymore.

"The Man from Pomegranate Street" has Flavia, Nubia and Lupus returning home after their long sojourns throughout Africa, Egypt and Asia, following in the footsteps of Jonathan who has gone on ahead in order to warn Emperor Titus of a suspected plot against his life. They are still in danger considering that they are wanted on charges of thievery and treason against Rome after the botched mission of The Beggar of Volubilis, but the four of them are desperate to prove their innocence.

But on returning to Rome they are horrified to discover that Emperor Titus is already dead, and his brother Domitian has assumed the throne in his place. Certain that he's the one behind Titus's suspicious death, Flavia, Nupia and Lupus reunite with several old allies from previous books in order to investigate his death and find Jonathan.

To say more would be to give away the final mystery of the final book that really should not be read by anyone who does not already have the first sixteen books under their belt (starting with The Thieves of Ostia). But for anyone who has been traveling along with spunky Flavia, pessimistic Jonathan, wise Nubia and fearless Lupus throughout the series, they'll find that this final installment is an apt finish to each character's growth from child to adult.

Spanning two years in total, and including famous historical events such as the eruption of Vesuvius, the great fire of Rome, and of course, Titus's mysterious death, "The Roman Mysteries" are exceptional works of fiction and learning tools for any young reader interested in ancient history. Tidbits of information are littered throughout the story, from cultural beliefs, geographical descriptions, or the known quirks of real-life historical figures. Facts are never shoehorned in, rather any information conveyed is always of importance to the story, adding to both the mystery and the themes of each book in such a way that it feels as though history is being *absorbed* rather than learnt.

Of equal importance is Caroline Lawrence's impeccable writing style. Though she is writing of the distant past instead of a fantasy world, the customs and beliefs of the ancient Romans are potentially just as alien to a contemporary mind. Yet within her series she manages to bring everything to glorious life. It is not simply accurate descriptions of architecture and clothing that make the Roman Mysteries so vivid, but rather all the sounds, the smells, the tastes and the feel of the world that exists around our protagonists: from the stench of latrines to the sound of rain water, from the taste of bread to the pain of an injury. Just as she involves the reader in the immense beauty of this world, neither does she shy away from the cruelties, presenting a world that is both similar and profoundly different from our own.

Each book has a basic formula in regards to the way information has portrayed: an historical event will be compared to a famous myth or legend, which is then used to help solve the mystery and develop character arcs along the way. It never gets stale, simply because the range of topics that Lawrence can draw upon are so broad, and here the detectives gradually piece together clues from the legend of Romulus and Remus, facts about various poisons, and clues strewn along the path of Emperor Titus's last journey. Along with the children themselves, the books mature in content and themes, and by this stage the foursome are operating in an adult world.

But, as always, they have each other, and their strong, affectionate friendship has always been the highpoint of the series (though there are plenty of romantic entanglements, I have to admit that the falling-in-love aspect of the series left me a little cold; they never quite rang true). Each one has their strengths and weaknesses, and Lawrence makes sure each of them gets their chance to shine by utilizing their unique skills to the problems that beset them. It's sad to see them go, though I hold out hope that they'll reappear in future books written by Caroline Lawrence (she has left at least one rather large plot-thread hanging concerning the fate of Jonathan's nephew and Flavia's uncle).

As a whole, the mysteries themselves are complex enough to avoid insulting one's intelligence, but clear enough for a discerning reader to figure it out along with the protagonists. There are so many clever twists and plotting decisions that I always felt inexplicably *pleased* whilst I was reading - I suppose there's just something satisfying about experiencing a story that is well told. It is worth every effort to read these books in order, as well as to add them to your bookshelf: brimming with danger, excitement, intrigue, romance, suspense, laughter and discovery - these are some of the best historical/mystery books that you could ever give to your child. Or, read for yourself.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful conclusion to the Roman Mysteries series., October 24, 2009

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Man from Pomegranate Street (The Roman Mysteries) (Hardcover)

In this conclusion to the Roman Mysteries series, Flavia and her friends return to Rome in AD 81 to learn of the death of Emperor Titus. The death occurred under mysterious circumstances, and many wonder if Titus truly died of natural causes, or if he was assassinated by one of his many enemies.

This is the biggest mystery yet for Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia, and Lupus, but they are determined to solve it, hoping that doing so will clear their names with the new emperor, Domitian, who is Titus's brother. However, trying to clear their names by solving the mystery ends up putting the friends in more danger, and they may not like some of the answers they find.

The Man from Pomegranate Street is a wonderful conclusion to the Roman Mysteries series, full of adventure, danger, mystery, and for some of the characters, romance. I've been reading this series since the first book was published, so I was very excited to read this final book and find out what happened to all the characters. Particularly I wanted to find out who Flavia would marry and I was not disappointed in the answer! Fans of the series are sure to want to read this book, it is an excellent conclusion that will not disappoint. For new readers who think the series sounds interesting, I recommend starting with book one, The Thieves of Ostia.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautifully Written Conclusion, August 3, 2009

By 

D. A Wend (Arlington Heights, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Man from Pomegranate Street (The Roman Mysteries) (Hardcover)

The Man from Pomegranate Street brings ancient Rome to life, as do all of Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries. The mystery in this final book is who killed Titus? Historically, the emperor Titus died on September 13, 81 CE and Flavia, Lupus, Nubia and Aristo were on a quest to warn him of his potential murder. They missed warning Titus by a day. In turn, the young sleuths become determined to find out who killed Titus. Their early conclusion is his brother Domitian is responsible and they set out to prove their conclusion.

The quest for clues take our heroes on a trek to the country villa where Titus places everyone in quite a bit of danger at the hands of the new emperor. Flavia's life become very complicated when Flaccus appears on the scene and our old friend Tranquillus Suetonius makes a welcomed appearance. The closing scrolls (starting at 27) are especially well written. They beautifully convey the feeling of longing for things past and the reluctance to begin a new life.

Having written about the Flavians, I was interested how Caroline Lawrence would portray Domitian. Many novels about the Flavians tend to treat Titus as the good brother and Domitian as the bad one. Ms. Lawrence treats Domitian as a human being while also making use of the gossip ancient authors reported about him. Domitian did have some worries when he became emperor. There were pro-Titus and pro-Domitian factions and an attempt to replace Domitian with Sabinus seems to have occurred in about 82 CE. The exact events that occurred were not reported by ancient authors (and may not have been revealed) but Sabinus was executed as a result. I highly recommend the novel by David Corson titled "Domitian and Domitia as the author approaches Domitian as a human being.

One point of interest about Titus, the two patricians who conspired against him are mentioned in this book as having been freed by the emperor. However, is this true? Titus invited the pair to a gladiatorial show, where they tested the blades of the contestants. Finally, Titus consulted the horoscopes of both persons warning of "danger from unexpected quarters -- quite correctly as it turned out" (Suetonius Titus 9.1). Such an ominous remark can leave little to the imagination as to their fate.

This book is a magnificent conclusion to the Roman Mysteries series. However, Caroline is going to add a book of short stories and she is working on a series of three book that recount Flavia's adventures 15 years in the future.