The House With a Clock In Its Walls (Lewis Barnavelt)
Lewis always dreamed of living in an old house full of  secret passageways, hidden rooms, and big marble fireplaces. And  suddenly, after the death of his parents, he finds himself in just  such a mansion--his Uncle Jonathan's. When he discovers that his  big friendly uncle is also a wizard, Lewis has a hard time keeping  himself from jumping up and down in his seat. Unfortunately, what  Lewis doesn't bank on is the fact that the previous owner of the  mansion was also a wizard--but an evil one who has placed a  tick-tocking clock somewhere in the bowels of the house, marking off  the minutes until the end of the world. And when Lewis  accidentally awakens the dead on Halloween night, the clock only  ticks louder and faster. Doomsday draws near--unless Lewis can stop the clock!This is a deliciously chilling tale, with healthy doses of humor  and compassion thrown in for good measure. Edward Gorey's  unmistakable pen and ink style (as seen in many picture books,  includingThe  Shrinking of TreehornandOld Possum's Book of Practical Cats) perfectly complements  John Bellairs's wry, touching story of a lonely boy, his quirky  uncle, and the ghost of mansions past. (Ages 9 to 12)--Emilie  Coulter--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.