In the work of Matthew Pearl, fact and fiction seamlessly blend, and from this provocative brew, strange mysteries emerge. The literary giants of history -- Longfellow, Dante, Poe -- become the subjects and solvers of puzzling thrillers. Pearl s masterful novels The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow bridge the gap between literature and popular fiction, winning him international praise from critics and readers, no matter how high their brows may be.