Edgar Allan Poe’s “return” is triumphant. The half-open suitcase in his right hand is filled with manuscript pages that are falling out from behind, while an oversized raven flies out the front.

The roots of modern detective fiction go back over 150 years to a Boston-born master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. And the most shocking true-crime story in Poe's day was the Parkman murder.

”Poe was no saint; let’s just face it,” says museum curator Smith.“His problems, according to some people, he was a womanizer; and to others, he was an alcoholic.” Before leaving ...

Jane Austen and Edgar Allan Poe may not have much in common biographically, stylistically, or in their chosen subject matter, but what they do share is a rare ability to stay relevant in pop culture.