The school band is about to get a lot louder, and a lot creepier. When a new band teacher arrives at Bailey Elementary, the students immediately notice there is something highly unusual about him. Mr. Claude is incredibly thin, wears a dark suit, and moves with a strange, rattling stiffness. Worst of all, he is absolutely obsessed with playing the heaviest, deepest instrument of all. Melody, Liza, Howie, and Eddie hear him practicing down in the dark basement, and the deep, booming notes rattle their very bones. They start to wonder if there is an actual skeleton hiding beneath the new teacher's sharp clothes. The third graders must tune up their detective skills and face the music to figure out who is really leading the band. This delightfully spooky chapter book hits all the right notes, blending musical humor with a suspenseful, kid friendly mystery.