Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

When retired constable Gus Landor is summoned out of his upstate New York retirement to investigate a strange death at the not-yet-permanent West Point, he encounters a charismatic, brilliant cadet named Edgar Allen Poe. The two team up to solve the mystery, using the techniques the estimable Mr. Poe would apply in helping establish the murder mystery genre. Bayard is up to his usual tricks here, delving into literary history for characters and notions and coming up with a rollicking good time. You know that somewhere in the story you will come across the word tintinnabulation, and that ravens will appear. The small details make this an enjoyable read, so you might want to brush up on your Edgar Allen to enhance the experience.

I have a large “but� to toss in here, though. I found Bayard’s explanation for the mystery (well, one of them anyway) noisy and unconvincing. It took away from my enjoyment. But if you can tolerate that, the ride is a fun one, and life is about the journey, right, not necessarily the destination.


Other Bayard titles I have enjoyed include:
The Black Tower
Mr. Timothy
The School of Night