The Sirens of Surrentum

I have to admit to a feeling of distaste about this, the eleventh in the Roman Mystery series by Caroline Lawrence. It opens with 10-year-old Flavia, kissing her friend Jonathan. It goes on to involve the four friends of the previous stories in solving the mystery of who was poisoning Polla, mother of Pulchra and the wife of Felix, with whom the said Flavia is in love. Felix is a serial philanderer, unable to keep his hands off any woman, slave or free, and the four children witness this behaviour and see and hear things which for most children are shocking. At one point on p.104 one of Felix’s lovers is observed by Flavia, sniffing his bed sheets. Emotions more common to teenagers are attributed to Flavia, who sees nothing wrong in wanting the father of her friend to kiss her and more. Felix’s wife is in fact poisoning herself in an effort to commit suicide as she is so unhappy at his behaviour. As a finale Flavia reminds Polla what true bravery is! All this is astonishing subject matter for a children’s book.