Under the Surface

Gr 9 Up–Four American students studying French in Paris find themselves lost in the catacombs in this thrilling survival story. Val accepts an invitation to an illegal underground party from handsome French stranger Julien, and Ruby, concerned for her safety, follows to stop her. Olivia, four-time teen Jeopardy! winner, and Selena, Ruby’s ex-best friend, get swept up in the effort, too. At the mouth of the catacombs, Selena falls and is injured, kicking off a terrifying chain of events. They quickly realize they’re being pursued by armed men in skeleton masks. They can’t figure out why these men are chasing them, but it’s clear they mean them harm as they continue to push the students deeper and deeper into the catacombs. Julien is lost now, too, there’s no cell service, not much food or water, and it’s completely pitch black without their few weak flashlights. This book doesn’t pull punches as tragedy after tragedy strikes the group, revealing character-developing backstories along the way, as well as fascinating details about “cataphiles,” real-life catacomb explorers. The chapters are narrated in turns by Ruby and Sean. Sean is still above ground, and loves Ruby but hasn’t yet found a way to tell her. Lots of twists, heart-pounding near-misses, and heartbreaking turns of events make for an exhilarating read.