Possibly my favourite book from 2005. Usually when I review something I'll focus more on the flaws but I find myself just wanting to say the word brilliant. ( )

Cadet Edgar A. Poe makes a fascinating character in this West Point historical mystery. We were all surprised by the ending and the book is certainly worth the effort it took to read it. ( )

I was very much looking forward to this book: a murder mystery featuring Edgar Allan Poe as a character, set in the early years of the 19th century at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point - what's not to love?

Well, this book is pretty much not to love. I don't usually let a pervasive emotion put me off a book, but this hits me as a very sad book indeed. I don't want to spoil anyone's enjoyment of this novel, but there is NO ONE in the book who should be above suspicion. Some of the descriptions of the area are quite effective, and the protrayal of Poe rises above the pedestrian - I liked it - but overall, you might want to spend your valuable time elsewhere. ( )

One of six nominees for best novel of 2007 by the Edgar Awards. I liked the use of West Point and thought the use of Edgar Allan Poe as a cadet at West Point was put to good use. I liked the narrator, Gus Landor. The writing style does reflect the time it is being written about and does ring true when Poe is submitting his reports; it at least reflects his style of writing if not his gloominess. But the book also has the dumbest scene that I read last year.

I read twenty-eight books in 2008 and the scene that starts on page 357 (First Edition) is the winner of the Dumbest Scene Award for the year. It is functional within the framework of the story and is again somewhat reflective of the style of books that were written in the 1830's. But still.......

The book recovers from this and is still a good read. I placed it 5th of the six books that were nominated for best novel of 2007 by the Edgar Awards. Not great, but certainly not a waste of my time. In fact it gave me a Dumbest Scene of the Year nominee.

The runner-up for the Dumbest Scene Award that I read in 2008, goes to Puple Cane Road by James Lee Burke for the scene that begins on page 255 (First Edition). Pleeze Jeez Louise. ( )

This is a truly engaging book. Don't be deceived by the length; it is in fact a very quick read. The suspense will keep you on your toes, turning pages as quickly as possible to reach the denouement. The story takes place in the 1830s, and a heinous crime has just taken place on the campus of West Point. Augustus Landor, a renowned but now retired New York City police detective, is called on to the case. He soon engages as his assistant a young cadet, a Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. Landor and Poe pull together all their powers of observation and intellect to unravel the mystery, with an ending even the most astute reader will not suspect. In addition to the intriguing plot, the writing style is superb. The author easily distinguishes between Landor and Poe's narrative voices, but without being over the top about it. The author clearly shows a fine intellect, but the book is not written to be over the heads of the audience either. I'd recommend this book for either the mystery lover or literary buff. ( )