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The Mystery of Edwin Drood was Charles Dickens’ final novel—a murder mystery that was only half-complete when Dickens died in 1870. Over the years, several authors have attempted to complete Dickens’ mystery, but with Drood, author Dan Simmons takes a new tack: His novel features Dickens as its protagonist. In Drood, the celebrated author’s life descends into morbidity after an accident on a train. Fleshed out with historical research, Drood follows Dickens through slums, crypts, and opium dens as he writes The Mystery of Edwin Drood in the final years of his life.