Four friends set off in search of treasure after discovering an old map in the attic and end up finding adventure as they follow the map's path through a local haunted house.
Andrew and his three best friends, Michael, Daniel, and William, live in the sleepy California town of Telane, a place where nothing interesting ever happens. Once upon a time, Telane was an exciting place-a Gold Rush boomtown. Now, the boys' families struggle to make ends meet.
When Andrew and Michael find an old map in Michael's attic, the four boys embark on a treasure hunt. They're looking for fun, but they're also hopeful. What if the map is real? A long hidden stash of gold could solve all their problems. Their first stop: an abandoned mansion that's supposed to be haunted.
As they venture deeper into the mansion and the mystery, they realize they're not the only ones on the hunt. They have followers-some friendly, some dangerous. Tunnels beneath the house lead them to an underground river, and soon they're more concerned with finding their way home than locating treasure. Weird noises, lights, and the sudden appearance of a mysterious guide, all point to one frightening conclusion: the mansion really is haunted!
Who, or what, is really lost? The kids or the treasure? And is a heap of hidden gold really worth a bigger heap of danger?
About the Author: Bernard Luthi is a lifelong fan of coming-of-age mystery adventures, from the Hardy Boys novels to classic films such as The Goonies. His own childhood daydreams about lost treasure inspired his first novel, Midnight, Ghosts, and Gold!
A native of Los Angeles, Luthi lives in the San Gabriel Valley and is married with two college-age sons. He enjoys a successful professional life in technology and e-commerce.
