This novel from 1905 is obviously old-fashioned, but I found it entertaining and often very funny. Harlan and Dorothy are young newlyweds. They inherit a big, gloomy country mansion from Harlan‰ÃƒÂ›Ã‚ªs Uncle Ebeneezer, whom they have never met. Shortly after they move in, and Harlan begins to pursue his dream of writing a novel, Ebeneezer‰Ûªs wacky relatives begin arriving. They claim that they always spend summers at the mansion, and see no reason why a change in ownership should alter this satisfactory custom.

This motley cast of characters not only impose on Harlan and Dorothy‰Ûªs hospitality, but they have an ulterior motive: they all believe the Uncle has hidden money and other valuables on the premises, and each believes he or she is the one Ebeneezer intended to have it. This leads to much stealthy nocturnal exploration of the house and grounds, and various players absconding into the shrubbery with shovels and spades.

It could all be quite hilarious, but the author doesn‰Ûªt completely commit to the farce. She also interjects some very serious and somber musings on what it‰Ûªs like to be a writer and how isolating and all consuming the creative process becomes. I found these passages to be interesting, but completely discordant in tone with the rest of the novel, dulling the humorous edge.

Despite these complaints, this was a quick and quaint read, and it was fun discovering the clever way Ebeneezer had set up his relatives for their final comeuppance. ( )

Funny with satire and an abundance of misfit characters. A perfect choice for those who enjoy adding books onto their Halloween reads list. 3.5 stars ( )

Originally published in 1902, Myrtle Reed's At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern is a delightful novel about a young, newly married couple and their adventures in their new home.

Upon the death of his Uncle Ebeneezer, a man he has never met, Harlan Carr becomes the new owner of Ebeneezer's stately home in the country. Eager to get away from New York City, Harlan and his new wife Dorothy immediately set out for the property, where Harlan, a writer, plans to compose his first novel. As they settle into their new home, Dorothy begins to think there is more to the house, and deceased Uncle Ebeneezer, than meets the eye. Dorothy's feelings are further compounded by the arrival of Ebeneezer's distant relatives, who have used his home as a summer gathering place for years and don't view Ebeneezer's death and the subsequent change in ownership as a reason to stop visiting. As a result, Harlan and Dorothy find themselves host to variety of guests, putting a strain on their marriage and jeopardizing the completion of Harlan's novel. Can their marriage, as well as Harlan's writing career, survive?

At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern is full of quirky characters, some loveable, some despicable. Harlan and Dorothy Carr are well-drawn and sympathetic, and it is easy to comprehend their mounting frustration as their new home is invaded by a steady stream of uninvited guests. The interaction of Harlan and Dorothy with their guests, as well as the guests' interaction with each other, is often times comic. Further hilarity ensues when each guest searches, under the cover of darkness, for the riches they just know Ebeneezer left behind for them. Even in death, however, it seems it is Uncle Ebeneezer who will have the last laugh.

As evident by the novel's title, At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern makes for a perfect autumn read. Nevertheless, given its comic nature and fabulous cast of characters it is a book that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. ( )