Perfect for fans of R.L. Stine and John Bellairs: a spine-tingling mix of schoolyard showdowns, family drama, and Civil War ghosts that will keep you up past lights-out!

On a disastrous Friday in Oak Bluff, Arkansas, brainy eighth-grader Alex Mitchell buys a battered old Civil War bugle at a dusty auction-and his luck goes from bad to worse. School bully Sammy Findlater wants it for his "trophy" collection, and standing up to Sammy (and his hulking gang) means bruises, dead animals in lockers, and a garbage-splattered chase through town.

But when Alex blows the tarnished horn, something even more frightening stirs. Chilling midnight marches echo down his alley, ghostly Confederate soldiers trample the town square, and a wide-eyed boy in a ragged gray uniform stares up at his window, whispering, "I'm going home."

As the anniversary of the Civil War Battle of Oak Bluff nears, the spirits grow dangerously solid: campfires scorch grass, cannons uproot from concrete, and downtown teeters on fiery ruin.

With bullies on his tail and a supernatural showdown brewing, Alex must team up with tough-as-nails Annie Parker to unravel the mystery. Can he summon the courage to sound the bugle at the right moment and lay the ghosts to rest-or will history repeat itself in a terrifying clash that destroys everything?