The Shadow of the Volcano by Wendy Leighton-Porter

The Shadow of the Volcano

Shadows from the Past Book 5

by Wendy Leighton-Porter.

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The ancient Roman town of Pompeii lies in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, but its inhabitants are blissfully unaware of the deadly threat of the volcano that is about to devastate their lives.

Still on the hunt for their missing parents who are lost in the pages of history, twins Jemima and Joe Lancelot travel back into the past once again, along with best friend Charlie, and Max their talking Tonkinese cat.

When the children arrive in the middle of a slave auction in the Forum, they are shocked to find themselves being sold to the highest bidder. Trapped in the household of a wealthy Pompeian, how will they manage to escape before the town is buried by the erupting volcano?

“A really stunning lesson in history with a brilliantly woven plot.”

K. C. FINN, author

“So much fact is cleverly woven into the story, teaching kids a history lesson without their even knowing it.”

FIONA INGRAM, author of the Chronicles of the Stone series.

“The Shadow of the Volcano is a thrilling and exciting read.”

READERS’ FAVORITE BOOK REVIEWS

A Word from the Author

The Shadow of the Volcano, the fifth book in the Middle Grade time-travel series, Shadows from the Past, is set in Pompeii where the imminent eruption of Mount Vesuvius threatens death and destruction to all those who do not heed the warnings. Who can persuade the inhabitants of the ancient Roman town to leave their homes before it’s too late? Perhaps all is not lost…

Enter eleven-year-old twins Jemima and Joe Lancelot, their friend Charlie, and their talking Tonkinese cat Max. Continuing their quest to find the twins’ parents who are lost somewhere in the pages of history, this is the intrepid young time-travellers’ fifth excursion into the past. As is always the way, however, their journey is fraught with danger, not least when they arrive and find themselves in the middle of a slave auction in the Forum where, to their horror, they end up being sold. Now trapped in the household of a wealthy Pompeian, how will they ever manage to escape before the town is buried by the volcano?

Experiencing the life of a slave in Roman times proves to be a sobering ordeal for the children and is exacerbated by the knowledge that the forthcoming eruption is looming ever closer. The ever-present undercurrent of danger, as they await the inevitable disaster, adds to the suspense of the story.

Max, meanwhile, has a harrowing experience all of his own when the steward of the household evicts him from the house and he is forced to loiter outside on the street. Adopted by passing priestesses from the Temple of Isis, he has an easier time than the children, but he is desperate to find his way back to them. His adventure is both touching and hilarious in equal measure. After befriending both a lion and a gladiator, the resourceful cat is able to choreograph an amazing spectacle in the amphitheatre when Pompeii hosts what will be its last ever gladiatorial show. Afterwards, the grateful gladiator finds a way to reunite Max with his beloved Jemima… and not a moment too soon.

On the 24^th of August, the fateful day dawns and, just as the children have predicted, the worst happens – Mount Vesuvius blows its top, heralding the start of the eruption. The town descends into chaos; buildings collapse with the violent earth tremors and under the weight of the falling ash, and the citizens are thrown into panic, desperate to flee the terrifying disaster. It’s touch and go for the children, too, but somehow they make it back to the harbour where they first arrived, finding the portal home just in the nick of time. Although badly shaken by their experiences, they are comforted by the knowledge that they were able to save at least some of the inhabitants. In addition, they had gleaned some important information from their new “owner”, Caecilius, who told Charlie about two strange adults who had visited the town before the children’s arrival. From the description he gave, including the couple’s mangled attempts to communicate in schoolboy Latin, it is clear that the twins’ parents had also been in Pompeii but, according to Caecilius, they had since moved on elsewhere. Maddeningly, the youngsters have just missed them yet again and know they must now continue their search somewhere new. The next adventure beckons…

(Wendy Leighton-Porter, 2021)