Dido is the only girl ever to have raced to victory at the Circus Maximus, Rome's greatest sporting arena. Now she and her beloved horse, Porcellus, are in hiding, and the Emperor Caligula has put a price on their heads. Can she outwit the emperor and his bounty hunters? And will a shocking family secret stop her in her tracks, or spur her on to make a daring return, helped by a one-eyed mare with a heart as brave as her own?
Horses, history, mystery, thrilling entertainment and sensational storytelling race neck and neck through the second pulse-pounding adventure in Annelise Gray's 9+ series set in Ancient Rome.
'Rivals on the Track is as heartpoundingly thrilling as the races in its pages. I adored it. Buckle up for the ride of your life...'. Lauren St. John, author of The One Dollar Horse.
'Second in the thrilling series following a determined young heroine who dreams of horseracing glory, set against the richly drawn backdrop of Ancient Rome. Book one was a Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week'. Fiona Noble, The Bookseller, February highlights previews.
'I couldn't leave it alone....the ending! OH! The ending! This is a SUPERB series. If anything, this (might) be better than Race to the Death....full of drama, adventure.....a book where I was almost too worried about what was going to happen next but almost too scared to find out....frankly these books should be read by anyone who enjoys a good story - let alone anyone with an interest in ancient Rome....horses....and people. Place your orders now.' Sue Chambers, Waterstones Finchley Road children's bookseller.
'Dramatic and heart-pounding historical fiction...I LOVED everything about Rivals on the Track'. AM Howell, author of Mystery of the Night Watchers.
'...utterly brilliant and breathtaking....Rivals on the Track by Annelise Gray is fast-paced, full of adventure and peril and I literally gulped it up over the weekend...I think everyone needs to read!' Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear.
'Rivals on the Track is the stunning sequel to Annelise Gray's Roman adventure, Race to the Death.....a thundering adventure, overflowing with danger and daring....teachers often ask for book recommendations to accompany a history topic on the Romans. The Circus Maximus series has slotted into that gap for Upper Key Stage 2 beautifully.' Kate Heap, Scope for the Imagination.
'Rivals on the Track has all the elements that made its predecessor such a good story.... it immerses you in the past in such a vivid way you almost feel like you are there with the characters.....a fantastic book and it would be perfect for children that are aged 9 and above that love exciting adventure stories.' Andrew Rough, bookblether.co.uk
'I absolutely tore through Race to the Death, in fact it was one of my favourite reads of 2021...and there's no let up in pace this time around...Rivals on the Track is pure, unbridled adrenaline...I could almost hear the roar of the crowd and taste the blood, sweat and sand of the colossal racing arena...these are monumental tales that in my opinion, would make for legendary motion pictures'. Primary Teacher Bookshelf
'Here, not only is this a title which will appeal to anyone with an interest in horses but it will also find fans with those who enjoy action-packed, exciting stories with a heart-stopping level of peril – my copy of Book 1 is currently in the hands of one of our Year 6 boys, who is loving it..' Mrs Sydney's Famous World's Smallest Library
