The Man Who Was Poe (Paperback)

~ (Author) "THE old city lay dark and cold..." (more)
Key Phrases: Captain Elias, Hotel American House, Providence Bank (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Suspenseful fiction that works extremely well." -- --Horn Book Magazine

"The writing is that of a true master...a suspenseful, thought-provoking novel that combines mystery with historical fiction." -- --Children's Book Review Service

Product Description

It is night and Edmund is all alone. His mother is gone. His sister has disappeared. Edmund has no one, except for a dark and mysterious stranger who follows him through the cold and shadowy city with offers of help. But who is this stranger who gives Edmund refuge? He has a mission of his own and he needs Edmund, but he tells him nothing of his purpose. Yet the stranger is Edmund's only hope of discovering the dark secrets that surround the disappearance of his family...

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (July 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380730227
• ISBN-13: 978-0380730223
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #363,680 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Man Who Was Poe, August 11, 2000

By	Jacque Coble (Desert Hot Springs, CA USA) - See all my reviews

The Man Who Was Poe is a historical mystery with Edgar Allan Poe as a character in this fictional novel by Avi. This novel might be classified as a puzzle mystery. The setting is early nineteenth-century Providence, Rhode Island. Edmund's mother is missing. His aunt went looking for her and now she's missing too. Edmund and his sister need food. Edmund goes out to get something for them to eat, but since Auntie told them not to leave, he locks Sis in the room; no one can get in, and Sis cannot get out. It's very important to Edmund to keep Sis safe. After helping an old man, Edmund goes back to the room, and now Sis has disappeared. This is the first puzzle. How could Sis have disappeared from a locked room when Edmund had the only key? Edmund gets help from Auguste Dupin who happens to really be Edgar Allan Poe. (Dupin is a character that Edgar Allan Poe created.) Dupin agrees to help Edmund if Edmund will deliver a message for him. Dupin (or is is really Poe) has his own issues and problems. He is a most difficult man to understand. As Dupin and Edmund form their uneasy alliance, they find that their lives are more entwined than either could imagine. Another puzzle catches the attention of Dupin. Gold bars are stolen from the bank vault that has been compared to a tomb. This was an impossible crime. The only way in was through a locked door; yet no one got in that way. Are the two locked room puzzles related? This is an excellent novel of murder, intrigue, danger, and suspense. As with all good mysteries, the reader discovers the clues along with Dupin and Edmund. Dupin and Edmund use their intelligence and keen observation as they seek the solution to the many mysteries contained in this novel. In the back of the book is a section called "Something About Edgar Allan Poe." Readers will find it helpful to read this before beginning the novel as aspects of Poe's life parallel the characters in the novel.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Mystery, May 13, 2005

A Kid's Review

Edmund and Sis are alone. Their aunt has been gone for two days. Starving, Edmund goes to a local pub for food. Upon returning to his dreary Providence apartment, he finds that Sis is gone. Desperate, Edmund turns to anybody who can help. The only person who agrees to help is a stranger named Dupin. Who is Dupin? Can he be trusted? Where is Sis? Aunt? Read The Man Who Was Poe, by Avi to find out.

I liked this book because it's a combination of a murder mystery and a horror. I also liked this book because, living in Rhode Island, I can relate to it, having been to many of the places mentioned in this book. If you like a good thrill, this is the book for you!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Man Who Was Poe, August 11, 2000

By	Jacque Coble (Desert Hot Springs, CA USA) - See all my reviews

The Man Who Was Poe is a historical mystery with Edgar Allan Poe as a character in this fictional novel by Avi. This novel might be classified as a puzzle mystery. The setting is early nineteenth-century Providence, Rhode Island. Edmund's mother is missing. His aunt went looking for her and now she's missing too. Edmund and his sister need food. Edmund goes out to get something for them to eat, but since Auntie told them not to leave, he locks Sis in the room; no one can get in, and Sis cannot get out. It's very important to Edmund to keep Sis safe. After helping an old man, Edmund goes back to the room, and now Sis has disappeared. This is the first puzzle. How could Sis have disappeared from a locked room when Edmund had the only key? Edmund gets help from Auguste Dupin who happens to really be Edgar Allan Poe. (Dupin is a character that Edgar Allan Poe created.) Dupin agrees to help Edmund if Edmund will deliver a message for him. Dupin (or is is really Poe) has his own issues and problems. He is a most difficult man to understand. As Dupin and Edmund form their uneasy alliance, they find that their lives are more entwined than either could imagine. Another puzzle catches the attention of Dupin. Gold bars are stolen from the bank vault that has been compared to a tomb. This was an impossible crime. The only way in was through a locked door; yet no one got in that way. Are the two locked room puzzles related? This is an excellent novel of murder, intrigue, danger, and suspense. As with all good mysteries, the reader discovers the clues along with Dupin and Edmund. Dupin and Edmund use their intelligence and keen observation as they seek the solution to the many mysteries contained in this novel. In the back of the book is a section called "Something About Edgar Allan Poe." Readers will find it helpful to read this before beginning the novel as aspects of Poe's life parallel the characters in the novel.