ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT EERIE

They've just escaped almost certain Death, and now they're facing it again - only they dont't know it...

In THE TELL-TALE START, Edgar and Allan Poe (great-great-great-great-grandnephews of the legendary Edgar Allan Poe) managed to outwit the nefarious Professor P. Pangborn Perry, who was (and is) determined to kill just one of them in order to prove a mad scientific theory.

Now the boys are in New Orleans, about to play the young Poe in a major feature film. The role may cost them their lives, because someone else now wants them dead. But who? And can the twins - with the help of their costars, Em and Milly Dickinson, their ghostly forebear, and a pair of real ghosts - manage to outwit them?

With a mix of literary humor, mystery, a little quantum physics, fun extras such as coded letters and license plate clues - and playful illustrations throughout - this series is a perfect choice for smart tweens.

Gordon McAlpine is the author of adult novels ranging from magical realism to hardboiled literary mystery. This is his first work for younger readers. He lives with his wife in Southern California. His Web site is www.gordonmcalpine.net. Sam Zuppardi used to draw pictures at school when he was supposed to be doing work. In fact, he still draws pictures, though he is no longer at school. At the moment he lives in York, England which is a very picturesque city and particularly good for ghost walks. Sam likes a good ghost walk. Visit his Web site at www.samzuppardi.com