The Poe Shadow
A Novel
Book - 2006
The hotly anticipated novel from the author of the bestselling The Dante Club is a thrilling literary suspense novel about the still unsolved mystery of Edgar Allan Poe's death.
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Publisher:
New York : Random House, 2006.
ISBN:
9781400061037
1400061032
1400061032
Characteristics:
370 p. ;,24 cm.
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Summary
Add a SummaryQuentin Clark is an attorney in 1851 Baltimore, obsessed with Edgar Poe and his death. He goes to Paris to find the man upon whom Auguste Dupin, detective in Rue Morgue murders, is based. He finds Auguste Duponte, but there is also Baron (faux title) Dupin, who is apparently a con man. Clark and Duponte come back to Baltimore and the Baron is already there and has apparently planted enough gossip so that Poe' circumstances are now being discussed. Before Clark went to Paris, no one wanted to investigate. Other characters, Neilson Poe, cousin, and his wife, who is half-sister to Poe's deceased wife. Also Hattie, Quentin's fiance, her aunt, and Peter, Quentin's law partner.
Comment
Add a CommentThis story, is based on the real life mystery of how Edgar Allan Poe died. The author has crafted a historic who-done-it which he researched thoroughly to provide the best scenario for what really happened to Poe. Fast paced and enjoyable.
The Poe Shadow --- by --- Matthew Pearl.
I have a certain unexplainable antipathy towards books written in the first person singular. On the very first page of text alone, the word “I” appears nineteen times: to my mind that strikes me as self-important and stogy and presumes that I might be interested in knowing about you. It puts me in memory of old moldy books and decomposing paper freighted with ideas and stories of of places and battles obscure: the Boer War or the Battle of Gallipoli: stories no one could care about today.
I liked it
Well written book that combines historical facts about Edgar Allan Poe with an intriguing mystery.
Author's entire series is worth reading.
I tried hard to enjoy this book but in the end I abandoned it about a third of the way through. For me, the characters were just too unbelievable.
This author has obviously done extensive research. Smart writing, but not over one's head. Concentration needed.
I enjoyed the story and being left with deciding what may have happened to Poe.