The Ides of April

The Ides of April, by Mary Ray
(Bethlehem Books, 1974, 1979), pb., 165 pp.
Ages 10-15

This is a well written story with a compelling murder mystery. The story is set in Rome in A.D. 62 in the reign of Nero. The main character is a slave, Hylas, whose prominent master is murdered. Since it is assumed that one of the slaves was responsible, all the slaves of the family will be executed. Hylas escaped the initial arrest and begins a desperate attempt to prove the innocence of the slaves, find the real killer and rescue his fellow slaves including his mother. Intrigue, adventure, bravery, a nobleman’s recognition of the humanity of slaves, and even Christians who are willing to risk themselves to help a stranger- all these elements are skillfully combined for a fun story which also provides some insight into the Roman world.

We all enjoyed this book and commend it to you.