What do you think?
Rate this book
Edgar Allan Poe #2
Disquiet Heart
After the death of his beloved wife, a devastated Poe decides that a change of scenery is in order. He has been invited to Pittsburgh by a wealthy benefactor, Dr. Alfred Brunrichter, a man of intriguing contradiction who on the one hand was fascinated by subjects so macabre that even Poe did not wish to consider, while on the other hand was solicitous of Poe's comfort in every regard and was a local philanthropist and patron of the arts. Augie Dubbins, now a young man in search of adventure, joins Poe in order to keep an eye on his increasingly maudlin friend.
After an exhausting journey across the length of Pennsylvania, their first glimpse of Pittsburgh is not a heartening one. The city, a tight triangle of enterprise squeezed between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, is gray with factory smoke; its riverbanks clogged with barges, streamboats and freighters, choked with log rafts from the denuded forests farther north. It is at every turn a working-class city, gritty and rough. Moreover, the air of Pittsburgh reeks of death - a cholera epidemic has recently swept through the city, killing hundreds - and Poe and Augie soon learn the real reason behind the city's malaise.
Several young females, all attractive women in their late teens, have disappeared over the past six months. All are of the merchant class - not among the cultural elite but not outright prostitutes either. With Poe almost incapacitated by the lavish attention of their host, Augie finds himself exploring Pittsburgh on his own and begins to investigate the killings.
With great attention to period detail and utilizing all of his skill as a seasoned novelist, Randall Silvis once again crafts a wonderful historical thriller that will leave you gripping the edge of your seats.
After an exhausting journey across the length of Pennsylvania, their first glimpse of Pittsburgh is not a heartening one. The city, a tight triangle of enterprise squeezed between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, is gray with factory smoke; its riverbanks clogged with barges, streamboats and freighters, choked with log rafts from the denuded forests farther north. It is at every turn a working-class city, gritty and rough. Moreover, the air of Pittsburgh reeks of death - a cholera epidemic has recently swept through the city, killing hundreds - and Poe and Augie soon learn the real reason behind the city's malaise.
Several young females, all attractive women in their late teens, have disappeared over the past six months. All are of the merchant class - not among the cultural elite but not outright prostitutes either. With Poe almost incapacitated by the lavish attention of their host, Augie finds himself exploring Pittsburgh on his own and begins to investigate the killings.
With great attention to period detail and utilizing all of his skill as a seasoned novelist, Randall Silvis once again crafts a wonderful historical thriller that will leave you gripping the edge of your seats.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 20, 2002
16 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
About the author
Randall Silvis
48 books306 followersRandall Silvis is the internationally acclaimed author of over a dozen novels, one story
collection, and one book of narrative nonfiction. Also a prize-winning playwright, a
produced screenwriter, and a prolific essayist, he has been published and produced in
virtually every field and genre of creative writing. His numerous essays, articles, poems and short stories have appeared in the Discovery Channel magazines, The Writer, Prism International, Short Story International, Manoa, and numerous other online and print magazines. His work has been translated into 10 languages.
Silvis’s many literary awards include two writing fellowships from the National
Endowment for the Arts, the prestigious Drue Heinz Literature Prize, a Fulbright Senior Scholar Research Award, six fellowships for his fiction, drama, and screenwriting from the Pennsylvania Council On the Arts, and an honorary Doctor of Letters degree awarded for “distinguished literary achievement.”
collection, and one book of narrative nonfiction. Also a prize-winning playwright, a
produced screenwriter, and a prolific essayist, he has been published and produced in
virtually every field and genre of creative writing. His numerous essays, articles, poems and short stories have appeared in the Discovery Channel magazines, The Writer, Prism International, Short Story International, Manoa, and numerous other online and print magazines. His work has been translated into 10 languages.
Silvis’s many literary awards include two writing fellowships from the National
Endowment for the Arts, the prestigious Drue Heinz Literature Prize, a Fulbright Senior Scholar Research Award, six fellowships for his fiction, drama, and screenwriting from the Pennsylvania Council On the Arts, and an honorary Doctor of Letters degree awarded for “distinguished literary achievement.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 21, 2021
The Adventures of Edgar Allan Poe "Disquiet Heart" (book 2) is an historical fiction that was a great deal of fun to read.
The story revolves around Augie, who having heard of his dear friend's (Poe) wife having died, set out to find Poe and offer his sympathies and comfort.
The story has much to offer, from a union of old friends, to a dark mystery that is very creepy. A well written story that does take a while to getting going. This is due to the need of character introductions, all whom play an integral part in the story.
Mr Silvis does a great job of bringing us the Poe we all know in terms of character, but the very clever part is that through Augie's character we come to understand how a person can fall into the pit of despair that Poe finds himself in.
As the story progress' it starts to pick up speed and Poe plays a much more prominent role in the story.
This is my first read of this Poe series and I really enjoyed it.
The story revolves around Augie, who having heard of his dear friend's (Poe) wife having died, set out to find Poe and offer his sympathies and comfort.
The story has much to offer, from a union of old friends, to a dark mystery that is very creepy. A well written story that does take a while to getting going. This is due to the need of character introductions, all whom play an integral part in the story.
Mr Silvis does a great job of bringing us the Poe we all know in terms of character, but the very clever part is that through Augie's character we come to understand how a person can fall into the pit of despair that Poe finds himself in.
As the story progress' it starts to pick up speed and Poe plays a much more prominent role in the story.
This is my first read of this Poe series and I really enjoyed it.
September 6, 2016
This was a fun read, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it is a fictional mystery involving Edgar Allen Poe and that is never a bad thing. Secondly, this particular mystery is set in the Pittsburgh of 1849, and as someone who lived there for 10 years it was fascinating reading a depiction of the city (or cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny City) at that time, picturing how it must have been as bustling port city. This was an enjoyable read, the main characters are well written and the book moves at a good clip. It you are a fan of all things Poe, and historical literary fiction, you might enjoy this book.
March 1, 2017
Auggie Dobbins is now a teenager looking for adventure. Edgar Allan Poe's wife Virginia has died and Auggie rushes to his old friends side. Poe has been invited to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania by a wealthy client and Auggie accompanies him. The city of Pittsburgh has just gone through a cholera episode that killed hundreds of people. Several young women have disappeared over a time period of six months. Auggie sets out to find out who is killing these young women in Pittsburgh. While Edgar Allan Poe becomes entranced with his wealthy clients "macabre activities". A great novel I really love this series!
July 15, 2012
The "Poe Series" by Randall Silvis (2 books) is historical fiction mixing real information about the life of Edgar Allen Poe with fictional murder mysteries... Poe doing the investigative work, etc... The books are narrated by a street rat who befriends Poe and tags along on through all the adventure. I really liked the first book, but this 2nd one took a while to get going. More bang for the buck toward the end, but not really as good as the first. You learn a lot about Poe though, which is fun!
February 28, 2021
Augie Dubbins is a former street urchin, who is befriended by Edgar Allen Poe. Poe finds him a home with a farm family where he over-worked and under-fed. Finally having enough, he seeks out his old friend, Poe. A wealthy benefactor invites Poe to Pittsburgh and basically takes control of Poe’s life, causing Augie to feel left out. Meanwhile in Pittsburg there is a rash of young girls disappearing without a trace. Augie and Poe are sucked into this mystery.
June 11, 2020
As the second of the two books, this certainly lived up to the standards set by the first. Silva is a talented linguist, words so rich to describes Poe’s melancholy over losing his beloved Sissie and his vulnerability to flattery and alcohol; I wanted to cry for him. Augies loyalty, their new unlikely friends during such a horrific murder spree in Philadelphia...it’s all so well done! And gripping! And totally worth your time.
September 1, 2018
I liked this book almost as much as the first one. The idea of Edgar Allen Poe as a fictional character was new to me then. I also liked Augie and some of the other characters. This book was a great travel read. This book was much darker than the first one.
February 14, 2013
Good follow up in the Poe series, Poe's sidekick Augie really grows in this story, going from adolescent to a wise mature man.
July 24, 2025
In Disquiet Heart, author Randall Silvis sets the story of seventeen-year-old Augie Dubbins, who suffered a rough upbringing, in heavily polluted Pittsburgh during 1847, where the boy finds himself accused of the multiple murders of young women. Augie's salvation from his brutal arrest and averted hanging comes from the help of his mentor Edgar Allen Poe, who is suffering from personal loss and a weakness for drugs and alcohol.
I enjoyed this gritty story, which depicts the vast divide between the haves and have-nots of the period. The dark descriptions of the tale's settings and the brutal treatment of poor people provide a dismal backdrop to a surprising ending. If you enjoy intrigue and mystery, Disquiet Heart delivers.
I enjoyed this gritty story, which depicts the vast divide between the haves and have-nots of the period. The dark descriptions of the tale's settings and the brutal treatment of poor people provide a dismal backdrop to a surprising ending. If you enjoy intrigue and mystery, Disquiet Heart delivers.
September 25, 2021
Excellent read
As has been with every book that I have read by this author, this story is full of intrigue, excitement, and emotional intensity. I have felt a strong affinity to the writings of Edgar Allen Poe since a very young age and now I have that same affinity for the writings of Randall Silvis. Don't pass this book by. A must read.
As has been with every book that I have read by this author, this story is full of intrigue, excitement, and emotional intensity. I have felt a strong affinity to the writings of Edgar Allen Poe since a very young age and now I have that same affinity for the writings of Randall Silvis. Don't pass this book by. A must read.
June 15, 2021
Really enjoyed this book. A murder mystery being solved by Poe and a young man he had aved from the streets. Great characters, my favorite was Buck. Poe was such a tragic figure, in real life and fiction.
Read
September 19, 2023Unexpectedly good. Liked the tale of Poe from a different perspective.
August 18, 2024
This was a good read (no pun intended).
First of all, the dialogue is great! The conversations between the characters feel natural and not forced. Bad dialogue is a pet peeve of mine because it just ruins the characters, making them seem like two-dimensional robots and not possible real life individuals, so it was a relief to know that wasn't the case in this. The writing in general is of good quality, and I noticed that right away in the first few pages. It has a simple elegance to it—basic but not overdone while still fitting the setting (1840s).
The plot is also entertaining. I didn't know what to expect going into it, considering I haven't read the first book, On Night's Shore. I purchased this on a whim, not realizing it was the second book for The Adventures of Edgar Allan Poe series, yet, despite not knowing what happened in the previous book, I never felt lost or confused while reading this. It pretty much gives you an idea on some of the things that happened in the first story.
Despite the series name, however, Edgar Allan Poe does not make many appearances or have that much interaction with the other characters until the latter half (closer to the end) of the story. This is told through the first person perspective of the main character, Augie Dubbins, who I really like; he's not just the stereotypical uneducated boy who grew up on the streets. For instance, he speaks very plainly even though he has a knack and love for writing. I can totally relate to that. The phrase "I write better than I speak" holds true for me, and I'm also not one to be so elaborate when I'm speaking to others, constantly using big words and such; I communicate more fluently when I write. Some may see it as contradictory and that I'm trying to be something I'm not, but that couldn't be further from the truth. It's just another side of me, and it was really nice to see the same trait in someone like Augie.
Unfortunately, I cannot say additional good things when it comes to the reveal of the villain; it should have been more exciting/grandiose. The character's motive should have been discussed in detail and the scene itself needed more of a horror element. Plus, the cholera epidemic was barely mentioned. I found this to be odd because it was heavily advertised in the synopsis, so I don't know why it wasn't incorporated in the plot somehow. The ending could have also been better in tying up the lose ends of the characters.
Other than that, this wasn't too bad. It was different than what I usually read, and I really enjoyed it. If anything, this makes me want to read Edgar Allan Poe's poems and short stories. I think most Poe fans can get some type of enjoyment out of this.
First of all, the dialogue is great! The conversations between the characters feel natural and not forced. Bad dialogue is a pet peeve of mine because it just ruins the characters, making them seem like two-dimensional robots and not possible real life individuals, so it was a relief to know that wasn't the case in this. The writing in general is of good quality, and I noticed that right away in the first few pages. It has a simple elegance to it—basic but not overdone while still fitting the setting (1840s).
The plot is also entertaining. I didn't know what to expect going into it, considering I haven't read the first book, On Night's Shore. I purchased this on a whim, not realizing it was the second book for The Adventures of Edgar Allan Poe series, yet, despite not knowing what happened in the previous book, I never felt lost or confused while reading this. It pretty much gives you an idea on some of the things that happened in the first story.
Despite the series name, however, Edgar Allan Poe does not make many appearances or have that much interaction with the other characters until the latter half (closer to the end) of the story. This is told through the first person perspective of the main character, Augie Dubbins, who I really like; he's not just the stereotypical uneducated boy who grew up on the streets. For instance, he speaks very plainly even though he has a knack and love for writing. I can totally relate to that. The phrase "I write better than I speak" holds true for me, and I'm also not one to be so elaborate when I'm speaking to others, constantly using big words and such; I communicate more fluently when I write. Some may see it as contradictory and that I'm trying to be something I'm not, but that couldn't be further from the truth. It's just another side of me, and it was really nice to see the same trait in someone like Augie.
Unfortunately, I cannot say additional good things when it comes to the reveal of the villain; it should have been more exciting/grandiose. The character's motive should have been discussed in detail and the scene itself needed more of a horror element. Plus, the cholera epidemic was barely mentioned. I found this to be odd because it was heavily advertised in the synopsis, so I don't know why it wasn't incorporated in the plot somehow. The ending could have also been better in tying up the lose ends of the characters.
Other than that, this wasn't too bad. It was different than what I usually read, and I really enjoyed it. If anything, this makes me want to read Edgar Allan Poe's poems and short stories. I think most Poe fans can get some type of enjoyment out of this.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews