Are you perhaps thinking of Edgar Allan Poe? He is a famous American writer known for his dark and macabre tales. Some of his most well-known works include:
* The Raven
* The Tell-Tale Heart
* The Fall of the House of Usher
* The Murders in the Rue Morgue
* The Pit and the Pendulum
If you're thinking of another author, please provide more information so I can help you find them.