<p> Meet Skulduggery Pleasant </p> <p> Ace Detective<br> Snappy Dresser<br> Razor&#150;tongued Wit<br> Crackerjack Sorcerer<br> and<br> Walking, Talking, <br> Fire-throwing Skeleton </p> <p> &#8212;as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old. </p> <p> These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil. </p> <p> The end of the world? </p> <p> Over his dead body. </p>