QUEEN OF THE SILVER ARROW, by Caroline Lawrence. Reviewed by Saviour Pirotta

Title: Queen of the Silver Arrow
Author: Caroline Lawrence
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Publication Date: 15 January 2016
Format: paperback

Caroline Lawrence has probably done more than any other living author to popularise ancient Rome in children's fiction. Her Roman Mysteries series starring the indefatigable Flavia Gemina needs no introduction.  It sold over a millions copies, was turned into a television series for the BBC and spawned a second series for younger readers called The Roman Mysteries Scrolls.

Her latest historical adventure goes back in time to the founding days of Rome and is based on sections from Virgil's Aeneid. It's the story of Camilla, a princess of the Volsci tribe. According to legend, and Virgil, her father Metabus was hounded out of his realm by his own people who were angered by his continous taxation. Coming to the banks of the Amasenus with the infant princess in his arms, he binds her to a spear and hurls her across the river. The baby Camilla lands safely on the opposite bank but must remain faithful to the goddess Diana for the rest of her life.

When the king dies, the growing child has to fend for herself in the forest, becoming a fearless hunter. Until one day she is befriended by a group of girls from the nearby city of Laurentum who treat her as a living legend and draw her out of the forest and on to the battlefield...

Lawrence can always be relied on to bring ancient history to life and this book hums with excitement. The authentic details of life in the ancient world, the bonding among the girls and the battles scenes with the invading Trojans are all brought brilliantly to life. This is great, fast-paced stuff that will leave the reader breathless for more.

Barrington Stoke specialises in dyslexia friendly books which also appeal to reluctant readers aged 12+. But Queen of the Silver Arrow will also find favour with more able readers of any age.  Princess Camilla forever!

Saviour's latest book, THE GHOSTS WHO DANCED - SPOOKY STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD is out now.
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The Case of the Good-Looking Corpse, by Caroline Lawrence: reviewed by Sue Purkiss

Caroline Lawrence is well known for her hugely successful Roman Mysteries books, but this book is the second in a series set in the (very) wild west: the P.K. Pinkerton Mysteries. P.K. is a twelve year old whose foster parents were killed at the beginning of the first book. For the detail you need to go back and read The Case of the Deadly Desperadoes, but in brief, in that story P.K. avenges himself on the eponymous desperadoes, and in so doing, settles on a new career as a detective - despite his youth.

In this second book, he gets his first case, when he's asked to solve the murder of a Soiled Dove (Lady of the Night, good-time girl, call Short Sally what you will - but 'Soiled Dove' works so much better.) It's not easy: there are multiple suspects - who could believe there would be so many men in Virginia City fitting the description of the killer: tall and slim with a billy-goat beard? Not only that, but P.K. is also being chased by a couple of the gang who killed his foster parents - and, even worse, there are all these girls who want to kiss him, when he absolutely HATES being touched!

It's a terrific story, very pacey, full of danger and cliff-hangers, with an intricate plot and masses of atmosphere. But for me the best thing is the characters. There's a fantastic array of them - Soiled Doves, Celestials, a charismatic poker player who has taken P.K. under his wing, a doctor and a preacher who would both like to - and Sam Clemens, aka Mark Twain: a journalist completely without scruples who would instantly find a place on a News International paper. But best of all is P.K. himself, a really original creation and a very engaging narrator. P.K., as he tells us early on, has 'a Thorn'.

My Thorn is that people confound me. I am not good at reading people's faces & sometimes have trouble knowing if they are telling the truth or lying.


As well as my Thorn, I have some Foibles & Eccentricities.


One of my Foibles is that I get the Mulligrubs...

So - not perhaps obviously cut out to be a detective. But this is where his friends come in. For instance, Jace the poker player teaches him how to use body language to help him figure out if people are lying - and his foster mother has already taught him how to master a few basic facial expressions.

This extract also demonstrates what is for me the second-best thing: the language. Caroline Lawrence uses original spellings, newly created expressions and a sprinkling of capital letters which somehow convey remarkably well both the atmosphere of a mid-19th century frontier town, and P.K.'s very serious approach to life.

The P.K. Pinkerton Mysteries are original, they're page turners - and they're very funny. I'd recommend them very, very strongly for readers of eight and up. Fun to read aloud, too, with each chapter the perfect length to read at a sitting.

The Case of the Good-Looking Corpse, by Caroline Lawrence: published by Orion at £9.99 (hardback)

www.suepurkiss.com

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