Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$11.99

Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial

Hardcover
$17.95

Paperback
$10.57

$17.95 with 38 percent savings

List Price: $28.99

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Monday, March 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Tomorrow, March 13. Order within 14 hrs 8 mins.

In Stock

$$17.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

Payment

Secure transaction

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$4.40

Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc... Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc... See less

$3.98 delivery March 19 - 20. Details

Only 2 left in stock - order soon.

$$17.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Ships from and sold by glenthebookseller.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (56) from $8.38 & FREE Shipping

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Mark Dawidziak

Follow

A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe Hardcover – February 14, 2023

by Mark Dawidziak (Author)

4.1 368 ratings

Editors' pick Best History

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.95","priceAmount":17.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"p03GjmcQlF8sXr9MYGOVVXnUDhcfPddGBQrb18WmEuBa%2FqI1kWRAEUDyb1OIML1BxJQSzo8NE6CDP3x%2BTCfURpcw6yuPOXxyP6ZD%2Bc3YAzkjL1fdlJp2fnfzEJ0MOJ0lnv%2B3D8qQRdmKQnJjwxG2rg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$4.40","priceAmount":4.40,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"4","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"40","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"p03GjmcQlF8sXr9MYGOVVXnUDhcfPddGVFdLaoGrO7%2BnySNFaZVH8Z0Hvv8rsjBNjNT%2BjV%2FPXMivp24YZlvXAweDcd7rlkxrFE2yMIRQ6TEDm6%2Fc%2Fy8BzxToTqd8uQhqGc1nc%2BhflRi393D1HkYV%2BM0iDsyQB3WZ7vnj9cW4GrVqg3WFOmEWw%2B7PBpB6S4Cf","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

An Agatha, Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, and Ohioana Award nominee!

A Mystery of Mysteries is a brilliant biography of Edgar Allan Poe that examines the renowned author’s life through the prism of his mysterious death and its many possible causes.

It is a moment shrouded in horror and mystery. Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7, 1849, 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, delirious and “in great distress” on the streets of Baltimore, wearing ill-fitting clothes that were not his own?

Mystery and horror. Poe, who remains one of the most iconic of American writers, died under haunting circumstances that reflect the two literary genres he took to new heights. Over the years, there has been a staggering amount of speculation about the cause of death, from rabies and syphilis to suicide, alcoholism, and even murder. But many of these theories are formed on the basis of the caricature we have come to associate with Poe: the gloomy-eyed grandfather of Goth, hunched over a writing desk with a raven perched on one shoulder, drunkenly scribbling his chilling masterpieces. By debunking the myths of how he lived, we come closer to understanding the real Poe―and uncovering the truth behind his mysterious death, as a new theory emerges that could prove the cause of Poe’s death was haunting him all his life.

In a compelling dual-timeline narrative alternating between Poe’s increasingly desperate last months and his brief but impactful life, Mark Dawidziak sheds new light on the enigmatic master of macabre.

Editorial Reviews

Review

*A 2024 Edgar Award Nominee*

“A biography that reads like a gripping, well-reported feature story.... [Dawidziak's] informed enthusiasm sweeps the reader irresistibly along.” –The Washington Post

“Part high-speed tour of Poe’s tumultuous career and part cold-case investigation of his premature and enigmatic end.” –Wall Street Journal

“This bio’s mode of presentation is almost as striking as its subject’s life…vibrant.” –Washington Independent Review of Books

“Written like a novel with frequent quotes and stirring accounts that paint vivid details…a page-turner from start to finish.” -Forbes

“Excellent…Dawidziak’s biography reaches beyond the myth of Poe to reveal the actual man and writer, all while painting a vivid picture of the era in which he lived.” –Bookpage (starred)

“In this intrigue-filled offering, Dawidziak achieves the difficult feat of delivering a fresh biography of Edgar Allan Poe…this has revelations to spare.” –Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Dawidziak’s thoroughly researched investigation meticulously explores the various theories surrounding Poe’s death while vividly capturing the public’s ongoing fascination with this quintessential tortured soul.” –Booklist (starred)

“A brisk, satisfying biography of a literary icon who still fascinates.” –Kirkus Reviews

“A Mystery of Mysteries is, itself, a mystery worthy of Poe’s fictional sleuth C. Auguste Dupin.” –New York Journal of Books

“A Mystery of Mysteries will surely fascinate even the mildly-curious Edgar Allan Poe fan…a poignant analysis.” –The Week, “8 must-read books in 2023”

“Even those familiar with Poe's story will find plenty of surprises here, while those who know him only by reputation will get a better-rounded view of a man who was far more than an author of a few scary stories.” –The Columbus Dispatch

“Cleverly constructed…With rich detail, engaging prose, Dawidziak offers an intriguing and welcome addition to Poe scholarship.” –Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Dawidziak releases [Poe] from this caricature, emphasizing Poe’s work as a literary critic, his fine sense of humor and the vast amount of work he produced.” –Akron Beacon Journal

"Holds precious information about Edgar Allan Poe's life and professional career beyond the mainstream stereotypical picture that the general public owns of the American poet...an entertaining and engaging read." –The Edgar Allan Poe Review

“Edgar Allan Poe has brooded over the world’s comprehension as the dark prince of horror tales: a hollow-eyed specter surrounded by candle-tossed shadows, a raven on his writing table, an empty cognac glass at his elbow. In this revelatory biography, Mark Dawidziak honors the Gothic nature of Poe’s work, yet sweeps open the curtains to throw full light upon this masterful poet and shaper of American literature.” –Ron Powers, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Flags of Our Fathers and Mark Twain: A Life

“A poignant and realistic picture of Poe through the fascinating black prism of his mysterious death.” --J.W. Ocker, Edgar Award-winning author of Poe-Land

“Mark Dawidziak plumbs the mysteries of Poe’s life and career with extraordinary skill and knowledge. Much like Montresor leading Fortunato through the winding catacombs, he leaves the reader surprised and thoroughly ensnared.” –Daniel Stashower, Edgar Award-winning author of The Hour of Peril and The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder

About the Author

MARK DAWIDZIAK is author or editor of about 25 books, including three studies of landmark television series: The Columbo Phile: A Casebook, The Night Stalker Companion and Everything I Need to Know I Learned in The Twilight Zone, his lighthearted 2017 tribute to Rod Serling’s classic anthology series. His latest book, the Edgar Allen Poe biography A Mystery of Mysteries, has been nominated for numerous awards, including an Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, and Ohioana Award. He also is an internationally recognized Mark Twain scholar, and five of his books are about the iconic American writer. He spent 43 years as a television, film and theater critic at such newspapers as the Akron Beacon Journal and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. His work on the horror side of the street also includes the novel Grave Secrets, The Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Dracula, short stories, and comic book scripts. He lives in Ohio.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press; First Edition (February 14, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250792495
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250792495
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.45 x 1.15 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #158,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #667 in Author Biographies
- #1,293 in United States Biographies
- #4,064 in United States History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.1 368 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Mark Dawidziak

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Mark Dawidziak's many books include fiction and non-fiction, works in the horror field and on Mark Twain, volumes of theater and television history. A theater, film and television reviewer for more than 35 years, he has been the TV critic at the Cleveland Plain Dealer since 1999. Also an actor and director, he often plays Mark Twain and Charles Dickens in productions staged by the Largely Literary Theater Company, the touring troupe he founded in 2002 with his wife, actress Sara Showman. An adjunct professor at Kent State University, he teaches two classes each semester: Reviewing Film and Television and Vampires on Film and Television.

Customer reviews

368 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers enjoy the book and find it fascinating. They appreciate the clear writing and informative content, including an extensive research on Poe's life. However, some readers find the book difficult to follow due to its unorganized structure and repetition of names.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Enjoyment Writing quality Information quality Insight into poe's life Difficulty to follow

11 customers mention "Enjoyment"9 positive2 negative

Customers enjoyed the book. They found it fascinating and enjoyable, especially for Poe fans. The biography provided a good look at the life and mysterious death of this masterful poet and shaper of American literature.

"In this revelatory biography, Mark Dawidziak honors the Gothic nature of Poe's work, yet sweeps open the curtains to throw full light upon this..." Read more

"...I found his poems much more readable and enjoyable...." Read more

"...Inspired me to read more about the human being Poe was. Enjoyable read.." Read more

"Sometimes went off on a tangent, overall though.pretty good bio." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the clear writing style of the book. They find the poems readable and enjoyable. The author does a decent job discrediting other theories about Poe's death. Readers appreciate the attention to detail and use of actual printed words to describe others' relationships with him. Overall, it provides a well-written introduction to the life and death of Edgar Allen Poe.

"...work, yet sweeps open the curtains to throw full light upon this masterful poet and shaper of American literature...." Read more

"...I found his poems much more readable and enjoyable...." Read more

"...The author does a decent job at discrediting other theories of Poe's death and settles on one that I thought was long the accepted view...." Read more

"Appreciated attention to detail, use of actual printed words to describe other's relationship to Poe and he to them, historical references that..." Read more

3 customers mention "Information quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's information quality. They find the notes, sources, and index informative and easy to use. The information is interesting and supported by photographs, extensive research, and interviews.

"...about Poe was incorrect, which is proved through photographs, extensive research, and interviews. A very fascinating read!" Read more

"Bibliography, notes and sources and index were all informative and easy to use. Photos illustrated people but not many places in the book...." Read more

"...Poe was incorrect, which the author proves through photographs, extensive research, and interviews. A very fascinating read!" Read more

3 customers mention "Insight into poe's life"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides new insights into Poe's life and death. It offers extensive details about his life that they haven't found elsewhere.

"This book claims to offer new insight into Poe's death which was considered to be very mysterious at the time, in part because of an unreliable..." Read more

"...isn't just an analysis of his death, it also offers an extensive detailing of Poe's life that I haven't found in other books...." Read more

"Fascinating Look at a Great Life and Mysterious Death..." Read more

3 customers mention "Difficulty to follow"0 positive3 negative

Customers find the book difficult to follow with chapters alternating between Poe's life. They also mention that the work is unorganized, repetitive, and confusingly full of names.

"...And it was tough to follow with chapters alternating between Poe's life and death scene." Read more

"...were interesting, I kept putting the book down and found it rather hard to finish...." Read more

"...I had to force my way through it. Dawidziak's work was unorganized, repetitive, and confusingly full of names of all of the author's sources...." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Noelle McNamee
Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2023
Verified Purchase

In this revelatory biography, Mark Dawidziak honors the Gothic nature of Poe's work, yet sweeps open the curtains to throw full light upon this masterful poet and shaper of American literature. He also discusses the mystery surrounding Edgar Allan Poe's death. In fact, he starts with Poe's death and then recreates his life. It seems everything that we thought we knew about Poe was incorrect, which is proved through photographs, extensive research, and interviews. A very fascinating read!

Read more

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Michael Walter
Fascinating Look at a Great Life and Mysterious Death
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book. I had read some of Poe’s more famous stuff as a kid but hadn’t really thought much about him or his literary output since. So when I read a glowing review of this book I figured I’d give it a shot. Glad I did. It took me longer to get through these 300 odds pages then it should have because with almost every mention of a poem or short story that was worth reading I’d close my kindle and seek it out. What I discovered is almost all of Poe’s work is on the internet. I also discovered how difficult some of his short stories are to read (for me anyway). He wrote with that overly descriptive style they used back then, spending pages to describe a house or someone’s appearance before bothering to get on with the action. I found his poems much more readable and enjoyable. And as Dawidziak points out often in the book, thinking of Poe as just a horror writer diminishes him. He could be funny and romantic too. He’s famous for the scary stuff but that’s only part of his oeuvre.

Ultimately there is no resolution to what killed Poe at such a young age. But as Dawidziak also points out , perhaps that’s for the best since it only adds another layer of mystery to his legend.

Read more

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Roosevelt61
Interesting book.
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book goes into the backstory in the life of Edgar Alan Poe. No one knows for sure how he died and this book comes up with some interesting assumptions.

Read more

Helpful

Report
Brian Lewis
Don't Know Poe
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book claims to offer new insight into Poe's death which was considered to be very mysterious at the time, in part because of an unreliable medical presence at Poe's final demise. The author does a decent job at discrediting other theories of Poe's death and settles on one that I thought was long the accepted view.

The book alternates between chapters set in Poe's final days and a general biography of his life, which feels pretty much like filler to get the work up to book length.

I don't know much about Poe, but I didn't learn much, if anything from this. And it was tough to follow with chapters alternating between Poe's life and death scene.

Read more

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
J. K. Campbell
Know Poe
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
Readers, like myself, who think they know Poe because they had read all of his famous short stories and poems in their youths, saw his morose face in all of the card games of Authors they played, and enjoyed the Vincent Price/Wes Craven movies which were made must read this new biography. For example, I never knew he was equally famous as a book reviewer and that he married his 13-year-old cousin. The author's speculation on his mysterious demise seems well reasoned and his short, but tragic life is worth documenting again. Those numerous individuals who have already delved deeply into his life and career may not find any new revelations, but I certainly did. An excellent collection of black and white photos is an additional bonus.

Read more

15 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Jennifer Vanderslice
Very well done
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2024
Verified Purchase
Just when you think the experts have finally figured out the mystery of Poe's death, along comes another book with another theory. But this book isn't just an analysis of his death, it also offers an extensive detailing of Poe's life that I haven't found in other books. The only thing that I didn't care for when the author's judgement in jumping back and forth in the timeline of EAP's life.

Read more

Jennifer Vanderslice

Very well done

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2024
Just when you think the experts have finally figured out the mystery of Poe's death, along comes another book with another theory. But this book isn't just an analysis of his death, it also offers an extensive detailing of Poe's life that I haven't found in other books. The only thing that I didn't care for when the author's judgement in jumping back and forth in the timeline of EAP's life.

Images in this review

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Bill
Good Show!
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2023
Verified Purchase
Appreciated attention to detail, use of actual printed words to describe other's relationship to Poe and he to them, historical references that described living in that time period, and going back & forth between how Poe lived and how he might have died. Inspired me to read more about the human being Poe was. Enjoyable read..

Read more

Helpful

Report
john
Boring!
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book bored me to death so far and I’m only halfway through it!

Read more

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Luiz G. M. Lapertosa
Uma luz sobre os mistérios da vida e morte de um mestre do suspense
Reviewed in Brazil on June 9, 2023
Verified Purchase

Para os que admiram a literatura de Edgar Allan Poe e têm interesse sobre sua biografia pouco conhecida, este livro consegue desvendar muito do autor que morreu tão misteriosamente quanto os seus contos mais enigmáticos.

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Robert
Interesting and full of information.
Reviewed in Canada on March 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book is worth reading for any Edgar Allen Poe fan. Overall the book has lots of information about Edgar Allan Poe and it is well researched. It has so much information that at times it can get slow to read. Each chapter alternates between timelines from his early life to the last few weeks which at times made it a bit confusing. I am glad that I read this book as I did learn a lot about the life of Edgar Allen Poe.

Read more
Report
J E D
An Interesting book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
Bought as a present, the recipient wanted this book.

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Amazon Prime includes:

Follow the author

A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe Hardcover – February 14, 2023

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Frequently purchased items with fast delivery

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Mark Dawidziak

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

Very well done

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Very well done

Images in this review

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Uma luz sobre os mistérios da vida e morte de um mestre do suspense

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and full of information.

5.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting book

Uma luz sobre os mistérios da vida e morte de um mestre do suspense

Interesting and full of information.

An Interesting book