Primary sourceBook1841
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
Edgar Allan Poe · 1841
Poe's story introducing detective C. Auguste Dupin, widely considered the first modern detective story.
Poe wrote this story, which introduced detective fiction's conventions through the character of Dupin.
About this source
What it is
"The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, published in Graham's Magazine in 1841. It introduces the detective C. Auguste Dupin, who investigates the brutal murder of two women in Paris using careful reasoning.
Why it matters
Poe called stories like this his 'tales of ratiocination', and this one is often described as the first modern detective story. Dupin's methods and his relationship with the story's narrator became a template later followed by famous fictional detectives. The story shows Poe's interest in logic and analysis as much as horror.
Look closer
- How does Dupin's method of reasoning differ from how the police in the story approach the crime?
- Why might Poe have chosen to reveal the solution gradually instead of all at once?
- What does the story suggest about the limits of eyewitness testimony, given how witnesses disagree about the voice they heard?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Edgar Allan Poe on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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