Mrs. Poe

A richly imagined work inspired by literature’s most haunting love triangle, this gothic romance brings Edgar Allan Poe, his devoted wife, and his brilliant mistress to life in a dark tale of obsession, betrayal, and literary ambition to which Sara Gruen says, “Mrs. Poe had my heart racing...Don't miss it!”

New York City, 1845. Gaslit streets and crowded avenues pulse with opportunity and danger as Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” takes the literary world by storm. For Frances Osgood, a gifted but struggling poet and mother of two abandoned by her husband, Poe’s success feels impossibly out of reach. When she is invited to meet the infamous writer at an intimate literary gathering, she hopes only for professional encouragement—never expecting to be drawn into his dangerous orbit. Though initially unimpressed by Poe’s work, Frances is captivated by his intellect, charm, and the startling revelation that he admires her poetry. What begins as flirtation soon deepens into a passionate, illicit affair. But the situation grows increasingly unsettling when Poe’s fragile wife, Virginia, insists on befriending Frances, weaving the three into a web of intimacy, secrecy, and fear. As Frances becomes trapped between desire and dread, she begins to sense that Virginia’s devotion may mask something far more frightening. Haunting, suspenseful, and emotionally charged, this novel reimagines one of literature’s most infamous love triangles, exploring the cost of genius, the peril of obsession, and the fine line between romance and ruin.

© 2013 Simon & Schuster Audio (Audiobook): 9781442366589

Release date

Audiobook: 1 October 2013