It is A.D. 79, and Flavia Gemina, daughter of a successful Roman sea captain, is about to celebrate her birthday. Then the dogs in her neighborhood start dying mysteriously, and there are rumors of burglary in the houses on Flavia's street. Set in the graveyards, houses, and alleyways of an ancient Roman city, here's the first in a series of fast-paced, informative, and satisfying mysteries.