BEWARE THE RAVENS

Readers who last met Todd and his great-aunt Morbelia in Aunt Morbelia and the Screaming Skulls (1990) will happily accompany them and Todd's friend Jeff on a trip to England. From the outset it looks like a truly unforgettable outing. Aunt Morbelia's crumbling family estate in Surrey has a shady history containing a deranged cousin, Albert, and an evil uncle who ``eliminates'' people. Throughout the visit they sense they are being trailed, and they are bombarded with bird—especially raven—imagery. The significance of these strange events eludes them, and Albert's journal, full of mysterious markings, only complicates matters. In the end, a plot to scare Aunt Morbelia into renouncing her claims to the estate provides the tame solution for all the odd occurrences. The accent may be British, but Carris has concocted a solidly American mystery. (Fiction. 8-12)