Story about a murderer who kills people with methods described by Dante. The book is set in the 1860's, and focuses around a group of poets. The writing style is "old" and period appropriate. I enjoyed this, but the writing style made for a somewhat difficult read. None of the characters are particularly moving or endearing. They don't seem to have a lot of depth, either.

HATED IT. I only finished it because my bookclub was discussing it. It is written in a period appropriate vernacular and very difficult to get through. The murder scenes are incredibly grisly, not for the squeamish at all. I just found the tone condescending and was somewhat taken aback that the author thought he could perceive the thoughts and actions of such iconic historical/literary figures like Longfellow. The one good thing - it has inspired me to read Dante and it was nice to have it under my belt when I read Jodi Picoult's The Tenth Circle (which I did enjoy).

Excellent mystery set in 1860s Boston. A group of scholars want to translate and publish Dante's "Divine Comedy" so all Americans can enjoy his work. But a series of murders takes place around the city, based on the fate of some of Dante's characters.

Set in Boston of 1865. Longfellow and several of his poet-friends (Lowell, Holmes) are translating Dante's "Divine Comedy" (against resistance from Harvard functionaries). A series of murders happens, which are basically reenactments of some of Dante's punishments in hell. The "Dante Club" helps the first mulatto police officer in Boston to find the murderer.

Even though this book is very well-written (old style), I had a hard time "getting into it". On the one hand, the book is filled with details - you learn a lot about post-civil-war Boston, on the other hand, it feels as if it is an account by an impartial observer. The characters show no emotions, sometimes it is hard to figure out who is speaking or why someone acts a certain way.

I liked the story idea, and the writing is excellent, but the characters are too flat.

The Dante Club is a carefully plotted, imaginatively shaped, and stylistically credible whodunit of unusual class and intellect...the writing is passionate, the narrative driven.
The Boston Globe

This is one of the best books I have ever read! Though it is a bit gruesome in some parts, it is definetly worth the read. It centers around Longfellow's translation of Dante's Inferno and various murders that are happening in Boston, post Civil War. Definetly worth your time!

Good mystery book, but hard to get through at times.

This is one of my favorite books. It's the perfect blend of historical novel and mystery.

This mystery takes place in Boston, just after the end of the Civil War. There is a murderer loose and the violent and sadistic murders are reminescent of Dante's punishments in the DIVINE COMEDY.
This suspenseful plot starts out slowly, but once you get hooked, you can't put it down!

A suspenseful plot engaging historical figures in a mystery

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A "pearl", Pearl! As usual a convulted approach but interesting and thought provoking.

Although the premise is intriguing, I found the writing stilted and the characters fairly flat. I'm a big fan of Dante and the American Romantics, but this book failed to deliver.

'The Dante Club' - novel, or plot to get people to read Dante's Inferno? Well, both! And quite effective as both, apparently!
I was a bit loath to read this book, because it sounded a little too similar to Arturo Perez-Reverte's 'The Club Dumas'. I can't say that the one does not owe a debt to the other, but I did very much enjoy this book, which is a well-researched, well-written historical mystery of the sort that leaves the reader wanting to do more research to find out more about the characters, the time period and the books mentioned - always a good thing! The plot concerns a group of poets - including the historical figures of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., and James Russell Lowell, who are devoted to, against university bureaucracy, translating Dante and bringing his works to an American audience for the first time. But, when some vicious and bizarre murders of highly-placed society figures occur in Boston, they are the only ones who notice that the men have been killed in ways which correspond to the tortures of hell described in the Inferno. Can they bring this information to the police without throwing suspicion upon themselves and their work? Or can they solve the crimes themselves?

series of murders based on Dante's Inferno occur in Boston in 1865...an elite group of Dante scholars attempt to solve the crimes...some descriptions of the bodies are very detailed, but adds to the overall feeling of credibility of the novel...an interesting read.

"...beguiling look at the United States in an era when elites shaped the course of learning and publishing. With this story of the Dente Club's own descent into hell, Mr. Pearl's book will delight the Dante novice and expert alike." -The Wall Street Journal (taken from back cover)

"The Dante Clube is a carefully plotted, imaginatively shaped, and stylistically credible whodunit of unusual class and intellect...the writing is passionate, the narrative driven." - The Boston Globe

Well-reviewed murder with a literary flair. As the cover blurb says: "Boston, 1865. A series of murders, all of them inspired by scenes in Dante's INFERNO. . . "

This book is a well-written, suspenseful, and enjoyable account of a fictitious set of murders that takes place in 1865 following the Civil War and prior to the release of H.W. Longfellow's translation of The Divine Comedy. Pearl's characterization of well-known literary figures is insightful and personal, and never sentimental or corny. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great story regardless of their familiarity with Dante's work.

Whodunit of unusual class and intellect

Good plot. Interesting use of real individuals.

Intriguing reading

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