One dark night in 19th century Baltimore, a woman and her young daughter are found brutally murdered. The girl was stuffed into the chimney, while her mother's throat had been slashed. Upon inspecting the crime scene, the police are astonished to discover that the murder is exactly like a murder in a story by an unpopular citizen and struggling author, Edgar Allen Poe.
The police call in the bemused writer for questioning but even so, another violent murder takes place, one that Edgar could not possibly have done. The police then recruit him to help track down the serial killer who is inspired by the author's work.
While hunting down the killer, Edgar befriends a pretty woman called Emily and they soon fall in love. But Edgar's personal life is soon threatened when someone close to him is found to be next on the killer's list. It falls on Edgar to find and stop the murderer before it's too late.
Directed by: James McTeigue
Starring: John Cusack, Luke Evans, Brendan Gleeson, Alice Eve, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kevin McNally, Pam Ferris, Dave Legeno and Sergej Trifunovic