Madeline: After the Fall of Usher

This overcomplicated attempt to build upon the horrifying events in the classic Edgar Allan Poe story ""The Fall of the House of Usher"" dissipates much of its suspense through repetition and excessive detail. When a mysterious young woman named Pamela arrives one night in 1849 to tell of her search for her vanished mother and kidnapped son, Poe-who serves as a central character-is drawn into the tale. With letters, journals and third-person accounts, Kiraly describes Pamela's travels to Louisiana in search of her son and Poe's attempts to uncover hidden aspects of her past. Eventually, they meet again and are thrown into conflict with Madeline Usher, who reveals how she survived the collapse of her former home. Kiraly (Mina: The Dracula Story Continues) artfully interweaves real events of Poe's life and has a talent for creating dark and fearful moods. Suspense lags, however, as long journeys are recounted in excruciating detail and incidents of kidnapping, rape, incest and betrayal occur with such regularity that the effect becomes tedious. (Dec.) FYI: See Forecasts, Sept. 16, for a review of another sequel, Return to the House of Usher, by Robert Poe.