FICTION

The Dante Chamber

by Matthew Pearl
Penguin Pr. Jun. 2018. 368p. ISBN 9781594204937. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780525558958. M
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Here, Pearl returns to the setting of his debut novel, The Dante Club. Five years have passed since the series of horrific murders in Boston, and similar events are happening in London. Christina Rossetti isn't aware of them at first, being deeply troubled by the disappearance of her brother Dante Gabriel. His erratic behavior and unhealthy fixation with Italian poet Dante Alighieri has everyone concerned, especially with the spate of strange deaths based on the "Purgatory" cantica of the Divine Comedy. While visiting from Boston, Oliver Wendell Holmes gets drawn into the search, as does Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson. Can this quartet of gifted poets find Dante and stop the killer from striking again?
VERDICT Pearl uses his literary knowledge to excellent effect as he crafts a sinister tale of obsession and manipulation. This should appeal to fans of Victorian murder mysteries, such as those by Alex Grecian or Anne Perry, and poetry enthusiasts who will enjoy seeing these well-known lyricists come to life. [See Prepub Alert, 12/11/17.]
Reviewed by Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib. , Mar 15, 2018
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