A review by vince_reads
The Murders in the Rue Morgue: The Dupin Tales by Edgar Allan Poe, Matthew Pearl

challenging dark informative mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

 The trilogy of stories about Dupin, the “proto-Sherlock Holmes”, solving crimes in mid-19th century Paris start out strong with some classic Poe Gothic flourish. Not to mention the added delight of experiencing the birth of the genre of “detective fiction”.

The novelty wears off fast, right around the time the second story starts. Poe becomes more interested in philosophical faffery and drives the story off a cliff. It doesn’t take a Dupin to figure out the consequences of gravity thereafter.

Read the original story if you’re a Sherlock Holmes—or Poe—nerd. Skip the other two.