Edgar Allan Poe 
The Gold-Bug and Other Tales 

For lovers of gothic American literature, horror, mystery, or suspense, consider the nine gripping stories contained within the Edgar Allen Poe collection ’The Gold-Bug and Other Tales.’ Two mysteries and seven murders, all coming from various points in Poe’s writing career, make this anthology a valuable addition to any literature collection. ’The Gold-Bug’ is set in South Carolina and follows the tale of a man and his servant as they embark on a madness-induced journey for buried treasure. The story hinges on the reader’s ability to break a code in order to figure out a secret message. ’The Murders in the Rue Morgue, ’ known as the world’s first detective story, makes the audience look for a non-human explanation of a double homicide in France. The puzzle involves a murderer who spoke no language known to man, and a hair left at the crime scene that was not human. Other popular Poe stories are included in the collection, such as ’The Fall of the House of Usher, ’ ’The Masque of the Red Death, ’ ’The Pit and the Pendulum, ’ and ’The Cask of Amontillado.’ Readers will enjoy Poe’s twisted sense of horror and the Gothic style, both of which have entranced audiences for the better part of two centuries.