This book contains Edgar Allen Poe’s 1844 short story, "The Purloined Letter". Famous Parisian detective C. Auguste Dupin is asked by the Prefect of the Police to investigate the theft a letter that is being used by a shady minster as an instrument of blackmail. An exciting tale of mystery and intrigue, “The Purloined Letter" constitutes a must-read for lovers of detective fiction. Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American author, editor, poet, and critic. Most famous for his stories of mystery and horror, he was one of the first American short story writers, and is widely considered to be the inventor of the detective fiction genre. Many antiquarian books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.