Walsh examines the last days of one of America's most admired authors to explore the reasons behind Poe's death--a mystery that has gone unsolved for 150 years. The book examines the week that Poe was missing before he died in a hospital after periods of raving delirium. 8-page photo insert.

While traveling alone from Richmond, Virginia, to New York City, Poe disappeared for nearly a week. When seen again he was terribly drunk and nearly dead in Baltimore. In the hospital, four days later, after periods of raving delirium, he died. The immediate cause of death given was congestion of the brain. At first no one seriously doubted that Poe died from drunken debauchery. However, Poe adherents suggested many theories of a physical nature about precipitating causes but no one has seroiusly probed the mystery of the missing week . . . until now.