Once Upon a Midnight Eerie

Gr 4–6—Edgar and Allan Poe, identical twins in body and mind, are back with a continuing adventure to outwit their impending murder by an even more sinister enemy than the evil-minded Professor Perry from the first book (Viking, 2013). This time the boys are in New Orleans as part of a film about their famous ancestor. A film crew member (the neglected daughter of Professor Perry) and her grandmother devise a plan to murder both boys as payback. The story is told through emails, snail mail, and some ghostly messages from beyond. The clever twins, together with some new characters (the Dickinson twin girls, Em and Milly), must foil the villainous plans and help uncover a long lost pirate treasure. McAlpine's double entendres and literary references create intrigue as well as mild amusement as the clues unfold. Pen-and-ink drawings add to the quirky fun. Fans of Kate and M. Sarah Klise's mysteries, such as Regarding the Fountain: A Tale, in Letters, of Liars and Leaks (Avon, 1998), will enjoy the nefarious and often comedic action.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI