The Biographer of Forgotten Authors: A Novel That Invents Its Own History

Obsessed with resurrecting forgotten stories, biographer Mariel Stannis finds her latest subject, the enigmatic 19th-century novelist Edric Caulfield, a tantalizing blank canvas. Caulfield’s works have vanished, his life a void punctuated only by a cryptic journal filled with unsettling sketches and enigmatic entries. Mariel’s quest begins in the dimly lit corners of antiquarian bookshops, amidst the scent of aging paper and decaying leather, but what she uncovers is more unsettling than any dusty tome. Fleeting mentions in yellowed newspaper clippings, a scathing review of a lost novel titled *The Obsidian Mirror*, and a handful of letters are mere fragments of a shattered mirror, reflecting only distorted glimpses into Caulfield’s world.

Then, the journal in Mariel’s possession develops a chilling autonomy. New entries, inexplicably in her own hand, detail events yet to occur. Simultaneously, fragments of Caulfield’s supposedly lost works begin to surface, each painting a strikingly different portrait of the author. Is Caulfield a literary chameleon, or is something far more sinister at play?

Two figures emerge from the shadows: Darryl Hernandez, a rare book dealer whose helpful guidance is laced with veiled threats, and Cameron Turner, a skeptical academic whose doubts both challenge and fuel Mariel’s unwavering determination. As Mariel’s investigation intensifies, the journal’s pronouncements begin to mirror her interactions with both men, and Caulfield’s spectral presence bleeds into her reality. A hidden photograph, a lock of hair, and the journal’s chillingly accurate descriptions further blur the lines between biographer and subject, past and present.

Is Edric Caulfield rewriting history from beyond the grave, manipulating Mariel’s research to resurrect his lost legacy? Or is Mariel’s obsession a manifestation of her own fractured psyche, a desperate attempt to escape a solitary existence? The narrative itself fractures, a labyrinth of footnotes, fragmented manuscripts, and conflicting accounts. Mariel’s pursuit of truth leads her down a rabbit hole of increasingly bizarre occurrences, culminating in a shocking revelation that will question the very nature of identity and the power of stories to shape our perception of reality.

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Rafbók: 4 december 2024