THE PET AND THE PENDULUM (THE MISADVENTURES OF EDGAR & ALLAN POE #3) - Gordon McAlpine

The conclusion of McAlpine's trilogy, about twins Edgar and Allan Poe, also happens (yay!) to be the best of the series.  Well-written, funny, exciting (nice finale, in this one), with lots of puns and Poe references to keep adult readers happy, here the Poe twins have returned home to Baltimore, now local celebrities from their acting debuts as well as all they did in helping others and thwarting nefarious villains (no spoilers here, sorry) from the previous novel.  But not all is rosy; not only is a satellite their now-deceased parents were responsible for sending into space about to crash-land on earth, potentially killing many people ... but Professor Perry, who has snuck back into the country, has found a new and even more insidious way to capture the boys for his latest diabolical plot (one that will utilize the torture device mentioned in this book's title) - by using their own beliefs and intelligence against them!  This is a great adventure, for young and old alike, that digs a little deeper than its two predecessors, finishing up the trilogy with unexpected heart you can feel coming through McAlpine in the writing.  A terrific conclusion; enough so, it makes this reviewer sorry the series is over.  ****1/2