THE GLADIATOR FROM CAPUA

Caroline Lawrence's vivid - and sometimes disturbing - descriptions really bring to life the savage bloodshed of the Inaugural Games. The three remaining friends witness bloody beast combats, a bloodbath renamed as a beast hunt featuring barely armed beast hunters, a grisly parade of informers, and public executions re-enacting horrible deaths from myths.
This is my favourite Roman Mysteries book because the descriptions are very rich in detail and it tells you exactly what it was like to live in Ancient Roman times. I think that other people should read it because it really draws you in and even by the end of just the first book you feel like you know the characters very well. Another reason I like this book is because they have a lot of information in them. There are maps and diagrams at the front depending on the location and what the book is based around. For example, at the front of "The Gladiator from Capua" there is cross-section of the Colosseum, maps of Rome, and the complicated seating plan for the amphitheatre according to rank.
To summarize, therefore, it is very readable but still very deep in texture and is a colourful and satisfying read.