The Pet and the Pendulum is the third and apparently (!) final installment of the Misadventures of Edgar and Allan Poe. I didn't realize it was a trilogy!

In this final tale, villain, Dr. Perry, makes his triumphant return. We learned in the former that he underwent facial reconstruction. The boys are in class, back home in Baltimore, and being given public speaking tips by a guest, Miss Reynolds. They receive a ghostly warning and begin to suspect that maybe their granduncle really was murdered all those years ago. Worse, this means his soul is not at rest. They embark on a mission to help him, clearly heading right into a trap. While dealing with this, they are dealing with the fact that their parents satellite is potentially headed for a crash landing right into earth! Not the typical drama that your average twelve year old has to deal with.

I have to admit that in this book, it seemed to have a different vibe from the first two. It was overly hyped in a Tell Tale Start and Once Upon a Midnight Eerie what a magnificent bond the boys have. But it wasn't really...touched on. Except of course by the professor. There is no wrap up for the Dickinson twins, Em and Milly. I expected more involvement with them, since they are local.

And we were even treated to an explanation of Roderick's eight on his chest. If you're familiar with Poe's works, then that should be a cool nod.

All three books were quick reads, in my opinion. Young readers new to chapter books will find it easy to follow along. Plus it's a good blend of action, mystery, and humor. ( )