Mystery of the Roman Ransom

  Saving the Senator

Susanna Z. of Augusta, GA, 6/17/2016

" 'He who wants to advance cannot look backward,' " Xantippus quoted, "We're not going to let hope fade away so easily, my dear pupils."

In this mystery, the pupils of the Xanthos School really can't look backward. They always have to look forward and try other ideas to solve the mystery.

Sons of seven famous senators, the boys of the Xanthos school, Mucius, Caius, Publius, Julius, Flavius, Rufus, and Antonius, bought a slave for their teacher's "fiftieth" birthday. (It's actually his 72nd birthday.) They find out that the salve is a secret messenger with a note that could cost the boy's, their father's, their teacher's, and the slave's lives. It suggests the killing of a famous senator - it could be any of the boy's fathers. Who's father is it and how will they protect him?

"Mystery of the Roman Ransom" is a hilarious book filled with close calls, ending up in clueless corners, and one magnificent mystery. The boys - and Udo, the slave - learn that in order to find the answer, they can't go back to where they started. If the boys keep looking ahead, they'll find the answer somewhere. Although obstacles come at every corner, they figure out the answer to the mystery and save the senator.