View on Biblioguides
I didn’t go looking for this book—The Thieves of Ostia came to me through Kristi Stansfield, who handed me a few from the series and asked if I might preview them with libraries in mind. This is the first in a nineteen-book historical mystery series, and I could already imagine Diane groaning at the sheer number. But something about the setting—ancient Rome—and the promise of classical references piqued my curiosity. A quick preview of the first few pages hooked me and put me at ease about the quality of the writing.
I was completely unfamiliar with the author, Caroline Lawrence, but within a few pages, I could tell she was writing from a deep knowledge of the ancient world. I decided to do some searching on the web about her and learned that she is a student of the classics, and her storytelling bears that mark—elegant, well-researched, and surprisingly accessible.
Her portrayal of faith in the story is balanced and respectful, never didactic, nor central to the story, but woven into the character’s family life in a way that feels historically honest. And, intriguing. My first clue that Lawrence was including early Christians in her story was when Jonathan asks his father if they can eat the food that Flavia is serving. Mordecai responds that “the Lord has made all things clean.” My eyebrows went up and I went looking for more information about the author. I found an interview where Lawrence shared that three of the four main characters reflect parts of her own personality. She noted that Jonathan is an early Christian and that while Lawrence herself is of Jewish descent and upbringing, she now identifies as Christian.
The story follows four young people in the bustling port city of Ostia: a Roman freeman’s daughter, a Jewish boy whose family has been pushed to the margins after converting to Christianity, a clever slave with North African roots, and a ragged beggar boy who has lost his tongue. This mix of perspectives gives the story texture and life—it feels lived in, not imagined. The setting is handled with care, and the mystery itself kept me engaged from beginning to end. There’s a substance to the writing that lifts it above many other middle-grade series of its kind.
While the prose is approachable and the pacing brisk, I wouldn’t hand this to young or sensitive readers without previewing it. There are difficult moments, including a series of decapitated dogs—grisly warnings left behind by the villain—and a father who, in despair, takes his own life. The scene is witnessed from a distance and handled with restraint, but it leaves a lasting impression.
For the right reader—an advanced middle-grader or early teen who enjoys rich historical settings, complex characters, and well-constructed mysteries—this could be the beginning of a very rewarding reading journey. I found myself thinking that readers who love Percy Jackson for its sense of adventure and ancient settings might also find something to love here, even without the fantasy.
Better than many middle-grade and young adult offerings out there, this is a promising start to what could be a lovely series for private and school libraries.