The Hum Bug - Harold Schecter

From Library Journal: Schechter's second historical mystery starring Edgar Allan Poe (after Nevermore) begins in 1844, when Poe has just moved his family to New York City in search of work. After accusing showman P.T. Barnum of willfully defrauding the public, Poe is astonished when Barnum asks his help in solving the gruesome murder of a young woman. Intrigued by the notion, Poe agrees to join forces to solve the crime. He is plunged immediately into a world of greed and inexplicable horror, as more victims are found. Understandably, these experiences fuel Poe's taste for the macabre. But will the detective in him be able to catch the dreadful serial killer? Schechter offers some luridly amusing descriptions of human oddities such as Bruno the Armless Wonder and Willie Schnitzler the Bearded Lady. The writing is wordy and the mystery itself a bit thin, but Schechter effectively conveys the climate of New York at a time when people were easily suckered by Barnum's tricks.

NEW, HC w/dj, 388 Pages