Nevermore! Tales of Murder, Mystery, and the Macabre

This eclectic and delightful collection of original short fiction celebrates Edgar Allan Poe’s far-reaching influence on numerous genres and many well-known and respected writers, from his own contemporaries to modern-day stars. Asked by Kilpatrick and Soles to create “Poe-like tales,” 25 writers, including Margaret Atwood, David Morrell, and the late Tanith Lee, took to the page with obvious gusto, delivering such gems as Robert Lopresti’s “Street of the Dead House,” a heartbreaking exploration of “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”; Kelley Armstrong’s waggish “The Orange Cat,” a new twist on its ebony cousin; and Christopher Rice’s “Naomi,” a gruesome update of “The Tell-Tale Heart” that’s all too topical. Kilpatrick and Soles have amassed a cache of worthy tributes to a fundamental member of the horror and weird fiction pantheon. (Oct.)