The Thieves of Ostia

Where it came from
Caroline Lawrence originally planned to write a script about a Jewish slave girl living in Pompeii. Her sister suggested a change of direction: why not write a children’s book instead, set in Pompeii? That idea sparked something even bigger. Lawrence decided to create a girl detective, inspired by the Nancy Drew mysteries she loved growing up.

The twist was that this detective wouldn’t live in the modern world, but in first-century Rome. Lawrence chose Ostia, Rome’s bustling port city, which is similar to Pompeii. She first visited Ostia on a school trip at the age of sixteen and never forgot it. When she began writing for children, Ostia felt like the perfect setting—a lively place where ships arrived from faraway lands and adventures could set sail at any moment.

Where it went next
The story became the first book in The Roman Mysteries series. In total, there are seventeen books in the series. Ten of them were adapted for television by the BBC in 2007 and 2008 under the title Roman Mysteries. Lawrence has also written The Roman Mystery Scrolls, a version of the series created especially for younger readers.

Associated stories
Caroline Lawrence has gone on to write many other series and standalone books. These include The Roman Quests (2016–2018), The P.K. Mysteries / The Western Mysteries (2011–2015), The Time Travel Diaries (2019–2020), and Tales from Virgil’s Aeneid (2014–2025). Together, these stories whisk readers across Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, and even the American Wild West—proof that history can be full of mystery, adventure, and fun.