Alexis has a gift. A direct descendent of King Midas he has inherited some of the famous king's magical abilities – unfortunately, not the ability to turn things into gold. More the opposite. He can give life to any statue that contains gold.

Alexis's mother died giving birth to him. As a small child his father took him to see the statues on top of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassos. Overcome with the loss of his mother the young Alexis touches one of the statues, Neaera, and brings her to life to take the place of his mother.

A few years later, Neaera comes home, covered in black "statue blood" claiming that they had been attacked and that Alexis's father had been murdered.

As his guardian, Neaera raises Alexis, controlling him with fear, just praying that his ability would change into that of his famous ancestor and make her a rich woman.

Alexis and his friends Kichesias and Princess Phoebe are determined to find proof that Neaera murdered Alexis's father. Will they be able to do this before General Alexander and his Macedonian army take control of the city?

Katherine Roberts has created a series of seven novels based on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, in this case, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassos. In this story she has managed to combine magic, adventure, a murder-mystery and an invasion with a story of friends from different backgrounds working together to solve a murder.

Alexis is a lonely little boy. Never having really known his mother he reaches out to a statue he believes must resemble her and, using his genetic abilities, brings her to life. He soon realises that although she may have taken the physical place of his mother she was not the kind loving person he had hoped for.

What is particularly impressive about this book is the way that Katherine Roberts manages to combine accurate historical fact with fantasy to make an entertaining book that should spark an interest in history in most young readers.

Gentle and enchanting.