Horace is preoccupied with making the best of sixth grade and avoiding the class bully when word comes that his beloved grandfather has died under mysterious circumstances. When Horace’s family goes to his grandparents’ farm to sort through things and care for his semi-lucid grandmother, Horace receives a scarab-beetle talisman left to him by his grandfather and a confusing message about his being a Time Keeper. Through a series of events, Horace uses the talisman to open a secret doorway that leads to ancient Egypt. Here he befriends a young boy named Tut, who needs his help, but Horace is unprepared for the challenges posed by ancient Egyptian politics. Combining time travel, mystery, and history, this first in a proposed series takes readers on an exciting romp through ancient temples and Egyptian schools. The settings are well rendered, and themes of friendship, memory, and family explored. This novel will be a solid historical-fiction choice for reluctant readers.