As a mystery aficionado and all-around genre reader, I’ve long been acquainted with the works of Edgar Allan Poe. After all:

QUOTE
The two forms he crafted into literature have one thing in common: both horror and mystery are an attempt to uncover a truth. The horror story probes the mysteries of the cosmos and human nature, searching for revelations that we may never find. The journey into darkness must be taken, and fears must be faced, but answers are not guaranteed. We may well be on the trail of the unknowable, the insolvable, the impenetrable. The detective story might take us down similarly dark alleys, but it gives us the assurance and comfort that an answer can be found, understood, and revealed.
END QUOTE

To a large extent, I’ve favored his mysteries over his horror stories, but perhaps none of the ones he penned has seized the public imagination so greatly as the mystery surrounding his own demise. The facts are few but certain. On October 3, 1849, he was found in Baltimore in a state of insensibility, wearing cheap clothes that were not his own. He was taken to the Washington Medical College, where he died several days later. Every other facet of his death has been disputed, if not outright lied about, almost from the moment the last breath left his body.

I freely admit that I was one of the people bamboozled by the wealth of urban legends surrounding his final days. I’d been under the impression that he’d died in a Baltimore gutter, most likely of rabies, all of which is untrue. Mark Dawidziak not only sets the record straight, establishing the few known facts of what happened, but also does a deep dive into what may have occurred and what the likeliest actual causes of death might have been, offering the known evidence for the support of each but ultimately acknowledging that modern technology might not yet be capable of ascertaining without a shadow of a doubt how the legendary writer actually passed on.

A Mystery Of Mysteries does a greater service, though, than merely presenting the most plausible causes of death. It also debunks the many myths that have grown around the great writer’s life. It’s easy to think of Poe as a gloomy alcoholic who wrote in great crazed spurts of inspiration before sinking back into long periods of prostration. The reality, however, is that he was a lively, humorous man in vigorous good health for most of his life. His work ethic was top notch, as he persevered at various poorly paid positions while constantly writing and revising his own output. In his day, he was considered a critic first, a poet second, then a writer of prose fiction last. It is no surprise to me, a book critic, that this has entirely turned around in the intervening years, and that he’s best known now for his wildly atmospheric short stories.

There are, of course, some aspects of his life that have persisted as truth. He did have a bad habit of quarreling with people he needed help from, and his romantic life raised eyebrows, to say the least. But he worked hard at his craft, and was severely beset by misfortune at nearly every step of the way. Mr Dawidziak chronicles these setbacks with compassion and empathy, though one can’t help feeling that posthumous glory is cold comfort to someone who spent so much time struggling to house and feed his young wife and beloved mother-in-law. It’s argued that Poe would never have written his best works had he not had to struggle so hard, but I subscribe to the idea that he would have been even more prolific had he not had the stresses of survival to contend with. Adversity may build character but poverty sucks the energy out of souls trying to thrive in society.

Written with painstaking attention to detail and with the collected testimony of over a century of people who knew, admired or have studied Poe, A Mystery Of Mysteries is the kind of book that ought to be read by anyone with even a passing interest in the acclaimed author. The timeline can sometimes feel disjointed, but this is, overall, one of the finest investigations into his life and death I’ve come across. After having read this book, I like to remember him now thusly, as he appeared to friends barely a fortnight before his untimely death:

QUOTE
Certainly during the last few days in Richmond, many friends and acquaintances described his mood as upbeat. That seemed to be the case when he bid farewell to the Talley family on September 25. He was the last to leave the party at Talavera that night. The parting image was for Susan Archer Talley both symbolic of his life and sadly prophetic of his death: “We were standing on the portico, and after going a few steps he paused, turned, and again lifted his hat, in a last adieu. At that moment, a brilliant meteor appeared in the sky directly over his head.”
END QUOTE

A literary figure whose light shone only too briefly during his own lifetime, Poe was a rare talent indeed.

I do like Edgar Allan Poe's work, so thought this book would give more insight in to how he got his inspiration to write. Although the book did give his bio, and theories of how he finally died, I did think that many chapters were repeated and no exact conclusion was reached.i do thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fascinating look at Edgar Allan Poe's death (and life).

It's pretty clear we'll never have a definitive answer on strange and unusual circumstances of Edgar Allan Poe's mysterious death, but I appreciated the way the author presented all of the evidence for the various theories over the years without saying outright what he thought happened. We were guided through some possibilities that were more probable than others and left to make our own inferences.

This is an incredibly well-researched book. The quotes from more modern horror authors such as Robert Bloch and Stephen King were a nice addition.

I have always been fascinated by Edgar Allen Poe, so when the chance to read Mark Dawidziak's POV on his enigmatic, I jumped at the chance.

This book covers the last few weeks of his life and fills in some of the backstory on his life as a child and teenager. Getting to know Poe in a much different light than he is portrayed usually was both refreshing and exhilarating. Poe was a master of comedy and had such a beautiful writing style in his poetry that the fact he is best known for his macabre writings is a little sad to be honest.

You can see quite clearly that Poe had some pretty intense mental health issues and the author really did an excellent job of giving a very well researched and rounded review of his life.

The writing was lucid and I really enjoyed the way the information was presented. I felt I learned things about Poe I didn't know and buying a copy is top of my to do list.

If you like non-fiction and you would like to know more about Poe, then this book has to be your next read.

4.5 stars!! Thank you St Martins press and netgalley for my review copy!!

A interesting investigation into the death & life of the famous Edgar Allan Poe makes for quite an interesting read. Alternating chapters between Poe's life and his final days Mark does a great job debunking some of the many myths surrounding Poe.
His use of Poe's material through the book along with letters, articles, & reviews are used throughout the book, so even if you're somehow not familiar with Poe's work you leave with an unbiased knowledge of it. Historically it's quite a fascinating read.He even dives into the modern day adaptations of Poe's work.

As always my reviews are my honest opinions and spoiler free!

I received a complimentary copy of this excellent biography from author Mark Dawidziak, Netgalley, and publisher St. Martin's Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read A Mystery of Mysteries of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I have added Mark Dawidziak to my authors followed. He writes a good history. I am happy to recommend his work to friends and family.

I have read several Poe biographies over the years, and I must say this one is special. If there are conflicting tales, Dawidiak gives you both viewpoints - you decide which you want to remember. And there are many conflicting viewpoints on this author/editor who died so young. Having this overview of his life and work without prejudice is very interesting. If you have read them all, have no idea of the history of this versatile author, or are only familiar with required high school readings, pick up this biography. Poe was an author of many genres of work, though best known for his horror tales. Please check out his poetry and other novels if you are not familiar with them. His was a fine talent.

Say the name Edgar Allan Poe and dark, gothic tales and poetry come to mind. But he was so much more than that brooding figure we have all come to recognize. From his poor beginnings to time at West Point to creating the detective that birthed Sherlock Holmes, Poe has a much bigger tale to tell. And then there’s his death – strange, mysterious and still unsolved after all the decades since. A Mystery of Mysteries by Mark Dawidziak covers all of this and more, providing a deeper look at the man known for “nevermore”.

I have been a fan of Poe’s stories and poems since I was a pre-teen. I even made sure to pay a visit to his grave when I was in Baltimore a few years back. But I will admit that I have never gone beyond the well-known darker tales that created the image of Poe we all know. This biography has inspired me to look into other works and reread many in closer detail, especially those following his detective C. Auguste Dupin.

And though I knew a little about Poe’s life, it was enlightening to read of just how much hardship he faced almost constantly, from family to health to money. He led an exceedingly stressful life. Of course, like so many artists, he was not universally well-received during his time nor did his work provide a comfortable life. He moved around so often, it’s difficult to keep track of where he was living at various points in his life.

But the biggest mystery of Poe’s life is, of course, his death. The circumstances are well-suited for creating a mythology around any figure, but the fact that there are still merely theories and no definitive answers is amazing. No one knows why he was in Baltimore on that fateful day, nor why he seemed to not even be wearing his own clothes or why he was acting so strangely when he was found. Dawidziak does a good job covering some of the more reasonable theories and does provide a good basis for the most likely explanation. A Mystery of Mysteries is worth a read for Poe fans.

I have always been fascinated by Poe and this investigation of his life and his sad ending engaged me from start to finish. With alternating chapters of his life and the many theories about his death I came away with a new sense of who he was. Full of details about what may have caused his death, this is a book I'll be talking about to my mystery reading friends.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Many of the myths about Poe turn out to be false, but many of the facts are just as interesting or mysterious. And Dawidziak’s insights and commentary help humanize Poe and shine new light on his gifts. Like the best author biographies, it makes you want to reread everything Poe ever wrote.

If you are a fan of Edgar Allen Poe and like to learn more about authors' lives, then this book is for you. There is so much research about what happened to EAP the night of his death. I like that this book starts with the death. It makes it the focus and circles back to it. I think this is really clever!

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press for sending me a copy on Net Galley and a finished copy!

A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak
#seventhbookof2023 #arc

CW: death, poverty, tuberculosis

A Mystery of Mysteries is a biography of Edgar Allan Poe and his impact on the horror and gothic genres.

I have been a fan of Poe forever, so I jumped at the opportunity to read this book. It alternates between Poe’s life story and a very detailed account of his last days. It also took a questioning look at the mysterious circumstances of his death. For some reason, I hadn’t realized that he died at 40! All that talent, so much potential for the missing second half of his life. Also, who knew he had so many feuds with other authors and journalists?

I recommend this book to anyone interested in Poe. Even the most die hard fans are sure to find some tidbit of information they didn’t already know.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advance copy. (Pub date 2/14/23)

#edgarallanpoe #amysteryofmysteries #nevermore

I enjoyed the fact that in order to explain Edgar Allan Poe’s life you have to start with his death. While I’m familiar with his work, I wasn’t as familiar with his life. The information was laid out so it was easy to move through and make connections. Overall great job!

I received a digital advance reader’s copy of A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak via NetGalley. A Mystery of Mysteries is scheduled for release on February 14, 2023.

A Mystery of Mysteries centers around Poe’s death and the myths and questions surrounding his final days and ultimate end. Dawidziak has compiled extensive research in an attempt to tell the story of Poe’s death and his life before it. He has organized his findings into chapters that focus on a portion of Poe’s life, while tying those events to his final days. The result is a series of snapshots or vignettes that tie together to paint a sort of picture of Poe. In the end, Dawidziak is unable to solve the mystery, not for lack of trying, but for lack of evidence of what truly occurred.

While each chapter worked for me, I did struggle to tie them all together into one timeline. Each chapter did focus on a segment of Poe’s life, and these segments were presented in chronological order. However, each segment also jumped forward in time, presenting fragments of Poe’s later days. The constant shifting back and forth in time made it difficult for me to link them together into one coherent sequence.

Overall, A Mystery of Mysteries is a deep dive into Poe’s life and death, that explores the mystery and myth of Poe and acknowledges his place in both literature and history.

I didn’t know much about this author, but I was introduced to him through his poem, The Tell Tail Heart. My son had to read it for school. As my son got older he learned more about Edgar Allen Poe that fascinated him and made him say, “He’s had a sad life, and oh, the mysteries behind his death. No one can agree on what happened to him” When the opportunity came available to read and review this book, I couldn’t turn it down. I wanted to find out more about the mysteries behind this man, his work and his death.

The author starts the book with Edgar Allan Poe’s death on October 7, 1849. The author says, …”at just forty, in a painful, utterly bizarre manner that would not have been out of place in one of his own tales of terror. What was the cause of his untimely death, and what happened to him during the three missing days before he was found…is a mystery.”

Oh, my, I had to know more. I read on. I couldn’t believe all the theories people had. One believed a brain tumor, someone else felt he was murdered, some thought it was suicide, others felt he was poisoned, and the list goes on.

The author touches on his childhood, education, and his mother’s and wife’s deaths. I like how this author wrote this book using some of Poe’s writings from the last months of his life and his own research. It’s fascinating that people are still trying to figure out how this man mysteriously died. I also liked how this author spotlighted some of his works, so readers interest would be peaked to read more. Maybe come up with their own theory.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

I would like to start off by saying I'm not really big on biographies/autobiographies. When I do partake, I like to listen to the audio versions. I was super excited to read this one however. I really love Edgar Allan Poe. That man was wild and petty as fuck. Who can't respect that?

Dawidziak definitely put in the research for this book. When we think of Poe, we see an author, and someone who is sickly and dependant on different substances. But I loved his sassy, dickish reviews. It's a good one for folks who love Poe. It's interesting to see, but what you are able to take from the book depends on you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As a lifelong fan of Poe, I knew as soon as I saw this that I had to read it.  I've always loved his stories and poems, but didn't know much about him or his history.  The basics that I'd learned in American lit in middle and high school were the extent of my knowledge.  This was a great chance to learn more about the man and the mysteries surrounding him.

Told in alternating timelines, the author gives a detailed retelling of Poe's life and eventual death.  There was so much I'd never known and learning about the inspiration for some of his most recognizable works was fascinating.  The author's style makes it feel like you're hearing from the people themselves, rather than from a biographer or researcher.  It made for an enjoyable and educational read.

The alternating timelines threw me off a bit at times and I was often confused as to which one I was in.  Is this his youth?  Are we leading up to his death?  This technique works well in fiction, in my opinion, but lends itself to disconnection in a biography.  Occasionally, sentences would have too much information added to them, making them clunky and difficult to parse.  However, the writing itself was generally easy to follow and absorb. 

Mystery of Mysteries is an informative and well-researched novel.  Packed full of quotes, excerpts, and details that were new to me, I found myself even more enamored of Poe than I had been before I started reading.  Now, I need to go back and reread many of his works now that I know the backstories and inspirations behind them.

A Mystery of Mysteries by Mark Dawidziak was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. Edgar Allan Poe, most everyone has heard of him and probably read at least one of his stories. I personally had never paid that much attention to his life to be aware of any controversy surrounding his death, or the last few weeks of his life before he died. This book delves into Edgar's life and death. between Richmond, VA, and New York City. Apparently, there are four locations along the East Coast that lays claim to Edgar's life. If you are a fan of Mr. Poe, or are just interested in American history, certainly give this book a read.

4 Stars

The cause of Edgar Allan Poe 's death is the focus of this book. He died in October 1849, after being missing for 3 days. What actually caused his death?

Dawidziak takes a look at the cause(s). He talked to writers, university scholars, and curators of his museums. They all have different reasons and who is to say which one is the correct one. Though, I lean toward one that makes a lot of sense to me. Dawidziak looks at his life from birth to death, but it's not in a chronological order. I didn't care for that. The book seemed to job around on dates a lot.

Poe was an orphan, a ward of a family, and destitute most of his life. He had a problem being able to handle money. He seemed to shot his self in the foot when thinks started going good for him. The one thing I know for sure is that Poe is more popular now than he was in his lifetime.

Publishes February 14, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Dawidziak for the Kindle Version of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🙃 Happy Reading 📚🙃

#netgalley
#stmartinspress
#dawidziak

Edgar Allan Poe has been one of my favorite writers for most of my life. As an English teacher, I have read and written about Poe many, many times. So, reading this book was an absolute must.

The book is well-written and is backed up by evidence, which is nice to see. It was attempting to take us from our gloomy view of Poe and show the truth behind the show. I did think it kind of went in too many directions at once in several places.

Unfortunately, because I have read about, written about, and taught Poe for years, the book didn’t really offer any new insights or information I didn’t know already.

I found myself skimming through section after section because I wasn’t getting anything new or exciting from it.

I think this is a great book for someone who doesn’t already know much about the infamous Poe. For the more informed reader, it’s just a condensed version of what anyone could find spread all over the internet.

Loving Poe and being absolutely drawn to this cover, I raced to request an ARC of A Mystery of Mysteries. However, this book takes a bit of getting used to because it starts incredibly dry. It is also difficult because the author used citations instead of footnotes, which makes the reading cumbersome. This is made even more so as the chapters alternate between a shorter chapter of 20 minutes long, as we’re discussing Poe’s final days, to a longer, biographical chapter that can be upward of an hour.

Poe’s death is riddled with confusion and inconsistencies, so when it’s added in from the author as well, it can be a muddle. For example, Dawidziak states that Poe’s final doctor, Moran, was four years removed from their medical degree, but then goes on to quote an RN who says Moran had graduated two years prior. So it can be tricky parsing out exactly what we’re looking at.

It can be challenging writing about Poe and making it feel like you’re coming at it from a different angle. Perhaps that is why Dawidziak wrote the book with the alternating approaches. But ultimately, it makes the book feel disjointed. I think there is value in this book for readers who don’t know much about Poe’s life or his final days. But the approach, with the endless citations in the text instead of using footnotes, will be challenging for any reader to get through. Thank you, St. Martin’s, for sending this over.