Gordon McAlpine est un maître de l'innovation de genre, n'hésitant pas à explorer les frontières du roman policier. Ses œuvres se caractérisent par une approche ludique de l'énigme, mêlant souvent histoire, humour et fantaisie pour créer des expériences de lecture uniques et surprenantes. Le style de McAlpine est salué comme étant talentueux, avec une prose décrite comme claire, nette et musclée, permettant aux lecteurs de s'immerger pleinement dans ses récits complexes et charmants.
Back in Baltimore, twelve-year-old identical twins Edgar and Allan think they have encountered the ghost of their great-great-great-great granduncle, Edgar Allan Poe, asking them to solve his murder--but really it is their arch-nemesis, Professor Perry, looking for revenge.
Set against the backdrop of 1920s Paris, the story delves into the intriguing friendship between Frank and Carol, who navigate their lives as expatriates. As they bond over their shared experiences, the narrative uncovers the mystery surrounding the true identities behind the pseudonyms Franklin Dixon and Carolyn Keene, creators of the beloved Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. Through their journey, themes of friendship, identity, and the allure of literary fame unfold.