ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT EERIE by Gordon McAlpine

Edgar and Allan are on a movie set to star in a show about their ancestor, Edgar Alan Poe. While there, they meet Em and Milly Dickinson, descendants of Emily Dickinson. Together the two sets of twins go on a midnight cemetery tour and search for lost treasure and try to solve a centuries-old murder. But that's nothing compared to the people hunting down Edgar and Allan in order to kill them once and for all.

Another enjoyable book about these fascinating twins! I loved the addition of the twin girls to the story; they were a great complement to the boys. Ghost story is mild; mystery was satisfying. There was less in this book about the over-arching story of threats to the boys, with more focus on the immediate mystery. The contacts from the afterlife continue in this volume, which are amusing. My son introduced me to this series, and I am happy to continue it on my own!

4 out of 5 stars
This book just released this month so there is no AR reading level at the time of this writing.

* I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoy. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 

THE TELL-TALE START by Gordon McAlpine

Edgar and Allan Poe are identical twins who are exceptional - exceptionally clever and exceptionally connected, even moreso than most twins. They are also descendants of the famous writer, Edgar Alan Poe. When their cat goes missing, the boys and the aunt and uncle who have raised them will travel across the country to retrieve the cat, not knowing they are heading right for a trap.

This was a lot of fun. The characters were really interesting, especially the twins. There's a lot of teaser info sprinkled throughout the story, giving readers information the boys don't have. There are also notes from the original Edgar Alan Poe from the afterlife as he tries to help the boys which adds a quirky tone to the story. This story felt a lot like the Genius Files to me as the family was traveling across the country without really knowing what they were getting into. Fans of that series might enjoy this series. There are plenty of references to the works of the original Poe which may lead readers to checking out Poe's works.

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 5.8