Paradise Square: A Mystery by E.M. Schorb

I could describe this book, the plot, the characters and do a classic review. But I won't! This book deserves to be read simply because of the use of the English language. E.M.Schorb writes in a style that places the book alongside contemporary literature of the very period that he writes about. That is not an easy feat. If you're a fan of Poe you should read it too. And if you've just seen (or plan to see) Scorcese's 'Gangs of New York' then come and visit the Five Points district of New York, so capably brought to life here. And if you're Irish, get familiar with part of your history: did you know that Poe was of Irish descent? I'll bet you didn't!

E.M. Schorb has written a wonderfully atmospheric novel of murder set in the historical Five Points district, New York's most infamous slum, in the 1840's. Poor Mary Hart, the beautiful Hot Corn Girl, is brutally murdered in the middle of Paradise Square. When Peter VanBrunt is found kneeling beside the butchered woman with a meat cleaver in his hand it looks like an open-and-shut case. But Sergeant Jonathan Goode of the Municipal Police isn't convinced that VanBrunt is guilty. Sergeant Goode enlists the help of renowned author Edgar Allan Poe and a cast of colorful cohorts to solve the mystery.The setting is as much of a star in this book as the characters. Schorb brings 1840's New York to life quite vividly. I'm not an expert on either Poe or that era of history, but Schorb certainly made it FEEL authentic to me. In my humble opinion, PARADISE SQUARE is a must-read for all connoisseurs of historical mysteries and Poe aficionados. There's a reason E.M. Schorb won The Frankfurt eBook Grand Prize in Fiction for PARADISE SQUARE. And the reason is it's a bloody good read!

This witty and amusing Frankfurt eBook Award winner positions Edgar Allan Poe, that most mysterious of literary legends, in the appropriate medium of murder and mystery. A clearly delineated plot and straightforward prose make this a quirky mystery right up an ebook reader's alley. It's a modern blend of literary history and spunky humor that deserves its Frankfurt nod. ~Publishers Weekly