Haunting Poe: His Afterlife in Richmond & Beyond

by Christopher P. Semtner

Edgar Allan Poe has had a busy afterlife. The author of "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart" might have died back in 1849, but some claim that did not stop him from composing poetry for another four decades. Others say he still makes appearances in no fewer than five cities, and that his ghost is a regular at a couple of different taverns, one of which saves a seat for him. Like a character from one of his short stories, Poe refuses to stay buried. Author Christopher Semtner explores the ghost stories and hauntings associated with his life--from the supernatural legends that inspired his writing to the alleged paranormal activity inspired by those terror tales.

144 pages, Paperback

Published April 4, 2022

Reviews

[Jessica Cottrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was a unique take on the facts and legends of poe. I knew a lot about his life already and the fact that him being a depressing drunk all the time was mostly due to his haters that are always gonna hate. Yes he did have a problem with depression and alcohol but he would go years and years with not drinking. Most of his close friends and family members say he was witty and intelligent. A lot of his works that are the most famous are horror but I feel like his largest common theme was loss of love (romantic sense) which coincidentally he loved many women over his years of life and some did die early not just his wife Virginia but also his first love Jane stanard, also the possibility of a woman in Charleston south Carolina where he was stationed named Annabel Lee Ravenel. I loved the parts about his hauntings and the legends or events he had heard in his lifetime that could have shaped his outlook and interests for his literary career. I enjoyed learning more about his early life and childhood, as well as his many romantic endeavors lol I never realized he had so many but yet he was very much devoted to his one and only wife Virginia. He seemed to be very much in love with all of these women in one point at a time but never seemed like he wasn't serious about them. I only ever knew about Virginia so I found that really interesting. Anyway, such a good read I you are a poe fan or not . His life may have had sad moments but who doesn't have those ? However the other moments are very interesting and his activities after death are very interesting and entertaining. Which I believe just continues to show us his popularity. He seems to be a very hard working ghost 👻

[Levi Lionel Leland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Chris Semtner! There hasn't been a book he has written about Poe that I didn't enjoy and learn from!

[Leeanne Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Christopher P. Semtner’s new book, “HAUNTING POE His Afterlife in Richmond & Beyond,” the first sentence in the introduction grabbed my attention, "A ghost told me to write this book.” I was hooked and I wanted to know how this could happen. Mr. Semtner begins by sharing the ghostly encounters that many people report occurring at the Poe Museum and he continues throughout the book to tell the intriguing supernatural legends that are associated with Edgar Allan Poe.

This well-crafted book takes you on a journey through Poe’s life altering encounters with love, sickness, death, a tragic theatre fire, spiritual and supernatural forces, while illuminating how these experiences were woven into Poe’s written works.

I love this book and have enjoyed taking my time re-reading back through it to compare each chapters subjects to Poe’s written works. As an example, in the chapter entitled “Between Life and Death,” Mr. Semtner explores Poe’s intense feelings that he had for Jane Stanard and how her untimely death came into play with his poems such as “To Helen” and “Spirits of the Dead,” or his tales “Morella,” “Ligeia,” and “Eleonora.” Connecting these dots gives the reader a better understanding of Poe’s masterful work and the many inspirations that influenced him to put pen to paper. Speaking of a pen, the chapter with a haunted pen will give you the supernatural shivers!

Christopher P. Semtner, curator of the Poe Museum in Richmond VA, is a witty, informative, and one of the go-to experts on Edgar Allan Poe. He has written a book about one of our favorite mystery and macabre writers that you will not want to put down. As a historian and Poe fan, I highly recommend this book as an essential odyssey to take into Poe’s intriguing life and written works. Let it haunt you too… forevermore!!

LeeAnne Ball
Historian and Educator
“Spirited History”