Jim Musgrave's "Forevermore"

I adore Edgar Allan Poe and when I started “Forevermore” by Jim Musgrave I thought, “Oh no…another book about how bad Poe was.” Was I in for a marvelous shock! The author, Jim Musgrave, envisioned a young man who admired Poe, even lived in his cottage, and wished to find out what Poe died of, why and who was responsible for the death of the dark poet.Delving into Poe’s life just before he died, Patrick O’Malley began his quest into Poe’s death. The search for the truth led him to many famous writers such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who hated Poe. John Anderson, the owner of a tobacco shop, who violated a young woman who worked for him, is another. She was the famous “Mary” from one of Poe’s novels.

O’Malley was told Anderson paid Poe to write the tale to avoid suspicion regarding her death. Oddly enough, John Anderson lived in Sleepy Hollow made famous by the tale of the “Headless Horseman”. Other famous names were sprinkled throughout this mystery. Literary references ran rampant and Musgrave was adept at making them fit into his tale.You will also be introduced to the low life. McKenzie, who became a protector, was head of the Plug Uglies. I’ll let you read the book to find out what that means. I also met a certain Madame who introduced O’Malley to heights he had never attained before. You will find Joshua Reynolds a person who could have been the subject of Poe’s worst visions.

There is no generally accepted reason for Poe’s death. Some said alcohol, some dementia and others believed diabetes. We know he died in Baltimore in the gutter, dressed like a bum. Mr. Musgrave weaved a wonderful tale and came up with a perfectly believable reason for not only how Poe died, but also why he died like a bum. He was killed. If you want to know by whom, you will have to read the book.

Carol Piner Kindle Book Review “The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.”