As a newcomer to Providence, Rhode Island, in 1848, eleven-year-old Edmund is at a loss when his aunt and sister mysteriously disappear and he welcomes the help offered by an odd stranger known as Mr. Dupin. As they search through misty back streets and gloomy buildings, it becomes apparent to Edmund, and to the reader, that the unpredictable Mr. Dupin has an ulterior motive for helping; he is none other than Edgar Allan Poe, following a storyline in which Edmund fits as protagonist. But Poe and Edmund have different opinions on how the story should end. The masterful intertwining of two stories unfolds a suspenseful plot peopled by complex characters. (Age 12 and older)

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...