This Building A Mystery Post is all about the author of the very first detective story. Say Hello to Edgar Allan Poe, the sith lord of the macabre and melancholy himself. I believe diving into Poe’s famous detective story is a fabulous place to start when learning how to write a cozy mystery. (Something this writer mom loves to do with her high school students. I’m thrilled to share it with you.) Let’s start with Mr. EAP and his wild biography. Like other famous mystery writers, Mr. Poe leaves us with a tremendous gap in his timeline. It’s a mystery no one has unraveled with certainty. Edgar Allan’s death pulls even the most hesitant skeptics out of their shells and into the controversies. Here are a few posts to get the conversation going: https://www.nps.gov/articles/poe-detectivefiction.htm https://www.biography.com/news/edgar-allan-poe-death-facts https://www.nps.gov/articles/poe-death.htm Onward to the mystery! After reading up on the man, it’s time to dive into his detective story. Murder on the Rue Morgue Given its wandering narrative and old English vocabulary, I find it easier to digest the story by listening to it. Here are a few places to find this wild tale of death and detection: Read it free —> https://manybooks.net/titles/poeedgarother07rue_morgue.html Listen to it for free below: Whether you’re a fan of Mr. Poe’s dark stories or not, the poetic storyteller left his mark on culture. Too many artists, writers, and filmmakers have roasted, spoofed, and recreated Poe’s works to list them. Even I was inspired by his most famous poem to write a series of mysteries starring a raven. (You can check those beauties out here.) Surely, his impact will lessen with time, as all good things must. For now, the madness and beauty of Edgar Allan Poe’s work live on. Bonus Material: Bella Lugosi in MiRM Here’s the book I used to introduce my elementary students to Mr. Poe: Here’s another wonderful read for kids that includes a gentle intro to the Mystery Man. In fact, the entire series is PERFECT for read-aloud time. I highly recommend it. Thanks for stopping by to say hello to Edgar Allan Poe. Good luck with your mystery writing. Remember: I’m Cheering You On! What do you think of Edgar Allan and his detective story? Let me know in the comments and share your favorite Poe poem or story beside your comment. 🙂 If you’d like to know more about how and what I write, you can check out my YouTube channel and say, hey! I love making new murder mystery friends.