WINNER SILVER AWARD Literary Titan Pass into the town of Herculaneum and feel the ancient volcanic paving stones beneath your feet as you tread the narrow streets. Gaze up at the ruined buildings, many with their top storeys still there, and stop by the ornate street fountains as residents did once to drink. Who were these people? And who was the man imprisoned in the town's locked room with the barred window? Lucius Calpurnius Piso, is master of the huge, exquisite villa perched on the clifftop on the fringe of town. He is wealthy and the guardian of a hidden horde of the Emperor's gold. Alexus, Calpurnius' friend, is a Greek trader of antiquities. What has he found that is so special it's worth a fortune? Frontius, master fresco painter is close to retirement and in poverty after his wife walked out with all of their savings. Livia, a sharp-tongued, wealthy matron is married to one of the most disliked men in Herculaneum. She is in dispute with Frontius about his fee. Prima, the most beautiful and famous courtesan in Herculaneum and Pompeii, has an unusual secret. Cassia, a pleasant, chatty woman is the owner of the town's only luxury hotel. She is liked by all. Who would seek to do her damage? Their fates become tangled together as Vesuvius erupts. Who will live and who will die? And what will happen to the survivors?