Description: Will Burrows has little in common with his strange, dysfunctional family. In fact, the only bond he shares with his eccentric father is a passion for archaeological excavation. So when his dad mysteriously vanishes, Will unearths the unbelievable: a subterranean society that time forgot.

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Children's Literature Review: Fourteen-year-old Will Burrows has a passion for digging around his small town of Highfield, which is so old it dates back to Roman times. He and his father, curator of the town's history museum and archaeologist, spend their spare time looking for ancient artifacts, abandoned underground train tunnels, or maybe something more interesting: evidence of ancient settlements. Outside of his exciting hobby, Will's life is dreary. His family is dysfunctional. His older sister Rebecca does all the shopping, cleaning, and cooking while their mother spends her time in front of the TV. Will's appearance works against him--he is pale with white hair, and his only friend is big, bumbling Chester who is also on the outside of teen society. Suddenly, Will's humdrum life turns dark and desperate. His father disappears, their family is without any money, and Will suspects that his father may be in danger connected with some secret excavation. Can he find his father with Chester's help? Some mysterious...

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