Marc Olden (1933–2003)

A hulking English boxer seeks out Edgar Alan Poe to track down the killer of his wife, a man who is seeking the power over demons that Solomon held. A fast-moving story that explores the unappealing primitive life of 1840's New York. There may have been some rich people who were able to soften their lives at the expense of everyone else, but the average person, slogging through the mud and manure in the unpaved streets obviously had a tough life. It's not hard to see why many people went West...it couldn't be worse. With his attitude of superiority, crushing poverty, intolerance for liquor, grief over his dead wife, chivalry towards women, sharp tongue, and many other qualities, Edgar Alan Poe is a great character. His fears and frailties are exploited to the full as the horror writer and inventor of the detective story forms a reluctant alliance and friendship with boxer Pierce James Figg and dive into the New York underworld. Highly recommended.… (more)