Edison's Gold by Geoff Watson

It looks like this book is probably the first in a series, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. The main character is the great, great, great grandson of Thomas Edison. His father has lost his job, they're moving to Wichita, and most of Thomas Junior's inventions manage to go wrong. Then, Thomas and his two friends discover that his namesake may have discovered a formula to change metal into gold. One hundred years ago, a group called the Sub Rosa created a mystery of clues to hide it from people who would use it for their own gains. Thomas and his friends follow the clues, try to avoid being kidnapped, and try to avoid having their parents find out. Thomas finds that a couple of his failed inventions may actually come in handy.

The plot was fun and easy to follow. There weren't any real confusing twists, and all of the kids had natural fears, unlike some adolescent stories. They were afraid of being grounded by their parents, they were afraid of heights, and were even a little panicked around rats and darkness. The plot continues as the kids and Thomas' father become the new Sub Rosa.