The Grave

This eerie time-travel tale revolves around the excavation of a mass grave in Liverpool, England. Thirteen-year-old narrator Tom, a mistreated foster child, investigates an abandoned construction site and falls into a hole lined with decaying coffins and scattered bones. From here, he is magically transported to 1847 Ireland just in time to save the life of Tully Monaghan, an impoverished boy who could pass for Tom's identical twin. Imaginations will spin as readers speculate about the purpose of Tom's mission and his connection to a lookalike. Tom shuffles between past and present, helping the Monaghans survive the potato blight and returning to present-day slow-witted Brian, a foster brother in need of his help. Heneghan (Wish Me Luck; Torn Away) skillfully conveys a tug-of-war between Tom's allegiances and allows readers to empathize with the hero's subtle shifts: initially the Irish setting is more compellingly drawn because Tom feels a sense of belonging there, but as the protagonist recognizes that he also has a place in his own world, the strengths of his present-day situation become more apparent. The author relies heavily on coincidence to construct a neat, happy (and highly improbable) resolution, but many readers will be willing to suspend disbelief to welcome a brighter future for a hero who has experienced more than his share of darkness. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)