Darkness Becomes Bright: The Haunted Life (and Afterlife) of Edgar Allan Poe

'Emily Ogden does not flinch from the obscure and sometimes horrifying recesses of Poe’s psychosis. Her enthralling psychological portrait of the tormented artist is drawn with panache, and great compassion' - Sue Prideaux

'A wonderfully engaging account of Poe’s troubled life and work . . . Nimble, generous, brimming with insight' - Sarah Waters

ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO STEP INTO THE DARKNESS?

Edgar Allan Poe did not truly die. In the years since his mysterious demise, his works have captivated millions and spawned the genres of horror and the detective story. His masterpieces — filled with talking ravens and buried women, haunted houses and beating hearts — live on in our imaginations and our nightmares. His most famous tales ('The Black Cat', 'The Fall of the House of Usher', 'The Tell-Tale Heart') are endlessly adapted, parodied and obsessed over. His darkness has shaped our world.

But who was Edgar Allan Poe? And why does he haunt us still?

Following the course of Poe’s fascinating, short and tragic life — from his fame as the poet of 'The Raven' to his tortured romances and mysterious disappearances — Emily Ogden dives deep into the mind of the man who authored the world’s most famous and enduring horrors, and interweaves his story with those of the devoted readers who have found solace and recognition in his haunted legacy.

Edgar Allan Poe’s darkness surrounds us. Might it also help us to see the light?

'Spellbinding . . . This portrait of Poe will haunt you to the grave and beyond' - Christine Smallwood

'Emily Ogden brilliantly exhumes the beating heart of America's darkest poet' - Orlando Reade