Century Book One: The Ring of Fire by P.D. Baccalario

February 29th is an auspicious day for many calendars since it only occurs once every four years. The likelihood that four children all born on this day, not necessarily in the same year, would meet up in Rome at the same time is almost astronomical.

Yet that is exactly what happened to Elettra, Sheng, Harvey, and Mistral. Four kids from four different countries all end up in the same hotel together, the one that Elettra's family runs, on the eve of San Silvestro (New Year's Eve). When a freak blackout occurs, the kids venture out into the Roman night to investigate the extent of the blackout. While out and about they run into a man frightened for his life. He implores them to take his briefcase until he returns for it.

The kids do as they are aked, but discover the next morning that the man they met has been murdered. Now the race begins to uncover what the items in his briefcase mean and why he was murdered. Unfortunately for them, they are not the only ones investigating the briefcase. There is someone watching them & chasing them.

The first in a quartet series about the adventures of these four kids, The Ring of Fire is an excellent starting novel.While I feel that the characters are only semi-built, I also feel strongly that as the books progress the characters will grow in their dynamics. A realistic fiction with some history thrown in for educational purposes. Truly entertaining!