The Man Who Killed Edgar Allan Poe

by J.R. Rada

If you're a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, The Man Who Killed Edgar Allan Poe solves the mystery of his murderYou might be thinking that Poe wasn't murdered. He died in a hospital. You're wrong. While he did die at the Washington Medical Center, he was found delirious on the streets of Baltimore wearing clothes that were not his own. He was admitted to the hospital where he died without explaining what had happened. The only clue is he shouted the name "Reynolds" before he died.

The hospital and its records were later destroyed in a fire, so we're left with theory and conjecture about how the Master of the Macabre died. One person knows how the Father of the Modern Mystery met his end, and that person is ...

The Man Who Killed Edgar Allan Poe.

This is his story, although it reads like one of Poe's horror tales.

Alexander Reynolds has been known by many names in his long life, the most famous of which is Lazarus, the man raised from the dead by Christ. Matthew Cromwell is another resurrected being living an extended life. Eternal life has its cost, though, whether or not Alexander and Matthew want to pay it.

Alexander has already seen Matthew kill Edgar’s mother, and he is determined to keep the same fate from befalling Edgar.

From the time of Christ to the modern days of the Poe Toaster, The Man Who Killed Edgar Allan Poe is a sweeping novel of love, terror, and mystery that could have come from the imagination of Edgar Allan Poe himself.

From the "Impressively original, exceptionally well written, absolutely absorbing from beginning to end, 'The Man Who Killed Edgar Allan Poe' showcases author J. R. Rada's outstanding skills as a novelist. " - Reviewer's Bookwatch"...this fictional nail-biting account of the two men whose blood feud brought about Edgar's death. ... it's a great ride through suspense, horror, and mystery - worthy of the writer for whom the novel takes license." - Allegany MagazineScroll up and grab a copy today.

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2016

Reviews

[Mary E. Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journey Through Time

I loved how the beginning of the book took us through 2,000 years of history. It was really fun to watch everything unfold. I was not expecting a biblical Character to come into play but I liked the twist. The fantasy magic behind the resurrection ability and the immortality was cool. It made so much sense when combined with the mysterious reason behind Edgar's death. I was seriously hoping this would become a movie or TV series when the fight to the death scenes came into play. The walking through fire, flaming arrows and duel was a nice action touch. I would love to see this type of storyline applied to Jack the Ripper. I love Edgar Allen Poe and would recommend this to fans wondering what the heck happened. It puts a lot of theories and analysis in place. Perfect blend of absurd and believable.

[Neda B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me of the format of “Interview With A Vampire” by Anne Rice. It was a clever perspective on the mysterious death of Edgar Allan Poe and I enjoyed the idea of immortality and ties to the macabre. I’m not a fan of religious undertones and there many references here. The plot itself had to do with the story of Lazarus but I didn’t feel that the religious parts overpowered the underlying plot. Some plot points fell just short of my expectations but ultimately I wanted to keep reading.

[Tam French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting

Not what I was expecting, but really enjoyed every word of your book. Normally I would have put this down after realizing how much religion was involved, but I was hooked and it gave me something to think about.

[Sarah Rotruck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was not what I expected but a good story.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally decided that reading this book (which has been sitting on my bedside table, partly read, for months now) is NOT how I want to spend my time. I picked this up from a local author at a neighborhood book fair a few years ago. I kept reading beyond the first chapter because I was really rooting for the author (a local guy) and I REALLY wanted the book to be good. Unfortunately, it just is not good writing. The prose and dialogue are just sooooo heavy handed. With really good writing, you forget to notice the writing at all; it works seamlessly to tell an absorbing story without drawing attention to the process of reading. Reading this book is like being slapped in the face repeatedly with prose. To the author, if you read these reviews: I really want you to succeed. It might help to focus on this tenant of fiction writing: Show. Don’t tell.

[Lynn McClelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally unique!

An unique way to combine fact and fiction . While I enjoyed the story and there were many plot twists and turns , the story proceeded at a rapid pace in the beginning , but then began to drag as it progressed . That is the reason why it was a four-star read for me.

[Priya Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the story is original and interesting, the USP of the book is Edgar Allan Poe, as the title of the book reads. However, the plot is quite simplistic on those terms and this could very easily have been just another religious fantasy-cum-murder mystery.
I couldn't understand the reason behind keeping such an explosive title and having such loose reference to the story, unless I completely missed a vantage point. Disappointed with the title and its little, broken relevance to the novel.

[Mark Luongo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard to provide a review without spoiling it for those who may wish to read it. All I'll say is that the author, a local favorite, intwines spirituality, horror & mystery in his story that takes place in both the past and present. In other words you get to know his take on who the "Toaster" is too. Fans of Poe may know who that is.