Library Journal—America’s marquee trade publication for librarians—has just positively reviewed Things We Found in the Ground, the “uplifting” (Lara Maiklem) debut on metal detecting by Ellie Bruce and Lucie Gray, also known as Roman Found.

“The book captures the patience, perseverance, and mud required to track down a find. It also offers a bit of history for the period each object represents.”

Find the full review here.

Cousins Ellie and Lucie set out to find buried treasure. Instead, they stumble into an unexpected journey―one that uncovers forgotten histories, rekindles family bonds, and digs deep into who they are becoming.

Reuniting for the first time in over twenty years at their grandfather’s home, the two quickly discover a shared fascination with hunting for the past. What begins as a tentative hobby soon becomes a shared obsession, sending them across fields and footpaths in search of objects lost to time.

Across months of digging, Ellie and Lucie make surprising finds: artifacts that illuminate the lives of those who came before them, revelations about their own identities and family ties, and the joy of belonging to a community of villagers, detectorists, and history lovers who welcome them in.

Heartfelt, humorous, and quietly profound, this charming tale of (self-)discovery will enchant anyone drawn to the magic of the past―and the hidden stories lying just beneath our feet.

Things We Found in the Ground is out now in the UK. Grab your copy here or, better, via your local bookstore and bookshop.org.

The book will be published this September in the US. Copies are available for pre-order here or, better, via bookshop.org.