Twelve-year-old Stephanie's beloved, eccentric Uncle Gordon, a successful horror fiction writer, has suddenly passed away. Among the people who come to pay their respects is an unusual gentleman with the even stranger name of Skulduggery Pleasant, who seems to know quite a bit about Stephanie. Weeks pass, and just as summer vacation is getting under way, Stephanie is surprised to be invited to the reading of her uncle's will, and even more surprised when (to the indignation of her Uncle Fergus and Aunt Beryl) she inherits Gordon's estate and considerable fortune.

When bad weather changes a visit to the mansion into an overnight stay, Stephanie is confronted by a sinister man searching for a key--and rescued by the mysterious Skulduggery. What Stephanie discovers about him shocks her, but his identity is no less incredible than the peril the world faces from an ancient evil. This thrilling fantasy is a perfect combination of excitement and humor. Ages 12 up. 392 pages

Recommended by Basya Karp, Librarian.