BOOK #5

The Pale Blue Eye is Bayard's 2007 release following Mr. Timothy. Not quite as good as The Black Tower but definitely better than Mr. Timothy. For a change, this book takes place at the West Point Academy (vs London in his other books) in the late 1800s. For this book, we meet Edgar Allan Poe. As a cadet. And Bayard cleverly inserts him into the mystery without BEING the mystery.

His take on a young Poe is as I would have imagined him. An outsider, beyond brilliant, a little lost and a big romantic. Bayard drew him perfectly in my mind. For this romp, Poe is only assisting the main detective, Mr. Landor but they make a great team. I enjoyed this duo more than any Sherlock Holmes story. The story gets graphic at times but after reading Bayard's other works, I would not expect less from him.

This would make a great film.

But, fair warning, don't sit and eat while you read the last 2o pages or so. I was eating my lunch and pretty much lost it due to Bayard's famous twists and turns at the last minute. But, as Bayard said in his reply to my email about the ending - "Hey, hearts are nutritious too!"

Be intrigued.