Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia, and Lupus are on a quest for the Emperor Titus to steal a valuable gemstone known as Nero's Eye. The Delphic Oracle prophesied that whoever owns the gem will rule the Roman Empire, so Titus is determined to claim it for himself. Flavia and her friends travel across the Roman province of Mauretania, from Sabratha to Volubilis—or modern-day Libya to Morocco. As they travel on a caravan across the desert they encounter slave-traders, pantomime actors, and a wild animal stampede. Along the way, the young detectives must also try to determine what has happened to Uncle Gaius. Mystery and adventure for four young detectives in Ancient Roman times . . . Emperor Titus wants Flavia and her friends to find a fabulous lost emerald. According to a prophecy, whoever possesses the gem will rule Rome. The mission takes the young detectives on a caravan across North Africa where they face beast-hunters, sandstorms and a mysterious beggar . . . Can the friends survive the dangers of the desert to fulfil their mission? (((price and barcode details))) ISBN: 978 1 84255 604 7 £6.99 www.romanmysteries.com www.orionbooks.co.uk Caroline Lawrence grew up in California and went to England when she won  scholarship to Cambridge to study Classical Archaeology, which she followed with a degree in Hebrew and Jewish studies at the University of London. She is the author of The Roman Mysteries, which have been turned into a television series for BBC.