The Chicks are pleased today to welcome the fabulous Molly MacRae, author of the Highland Bookshop Mysteries, the Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, and the brand new Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, the first of which, Come Shell or High Water, releases on June 25th! Take it away, Molly:
Sand, Shells, and Secret Cemeteries
Here’s my recipe for a cozy mystery beach vacation:
- 1. In a large sand pail (half full or half empty, your choice), mix one small barrier island, seashells, a hurricane, a pirate ghost, and fear of sharks.
- 2. Stir in muffins, golf carts, cats (indoor and out), trapdoors, an amateur sleuth (or two or three), and a quack doctor (optional).
- 3. Adjust seasonings with the helpful refrain: “What could possibly go wrong?”
- 4. Top with at least one dead body.
- 5. Wrap in a dust jacket and you now have Come Shell or High Water, book one in my new Haunted Shell Shop mystery series.
Come Shell or High Water takes place on Ocracoke Island, one of the fragile barrier Outer Banks islands off the coast of North Carolina. Two hundred feet wide at its narrowest and three miles wide at its most robust, Ocracoke is a spindly sixteen miles long. It’s awash in seashells and pirate history and afloat in ghost stories. Its iconic lighthouse, built in 1823, is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in North Carolina and second oldest in the country.
My husband and I first visited the island in 1979. We fell in love with it and took our children there each summer for years. It’s a place you can only get to by ferry, private boat or small plane. Of course there’s more to the island than long ago pirates and the frisson of ghosts. Because it’s an island in the Atlantic there’s also the possibility of sharks and hurricanes. And there are always seagulls and seashells.
my friend the crab
Most of the island is federally protected as part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. In the two square miles at the southern tip, though, you’ll find Ocracoke Village, a thriving town since the early 18th century. It’s completely walkable or bikeable. Golf carts are abundant, too, offering a quiet alternative to guzzling, spewing cars and trucks. There’s something else you’ll find in abundance in the village that I didn’t include in the recipe above. I left it out because cemeteries, like cilantro, might be a matter of personal taste.
There are eighty-one identified cemeteries scattered throughout Ocracoke Village. ‘Identified’ is doing a bit of work there (and I leave the rest of that thought to your imagination). Most of the cemeteries are small family plots. They’re found in back yards, sheltering in thickets of wax myrtle and yaupon, or running alongside footpaths and lanes shaded by old and gnarled live oaks. Some of the cemeteries are so comfortably nestled into their surroundings that you’ll walk right past them without noticing—sort of like ghosts.
I have several favorite Ocracoke cemeteries. The Howard family plots on Howard Street (the island’s original Howard was Blackbeard’s quartermaster) are some.
the Howard family graves
Another is the little two-grave plot at Springer’s Point. Buried there are Sam Jones and his favorite horse, Ikey D.
the graves of Ikey D. and Sam Jones
Apparently a music lover, Ikey D. was allowed in the parlor when friends came to sing around the piano. What could be cozier than that? And how could I resist stirring all these ingredients together to make for you the cozy mystery beach read that is Come Shell or High Water?
Readers: What favorite pet would you invite to sing around a piano with friends? What’s the best cemetery you’ve visited and what makes it so?
About Come Shell or High Water: When widowed folklorist Maureen Nash visits a legendary North Carolina barrier island shell shop, she discovers its resident ghost pirate and the mystery of a local’s untimely death . . .
As a professional storyteller, Maureen Nash can’t help but see the narrative cues woven through her life. Like the series of letters addressed to her late husband from a stranger—the proprietor of The Moon Shell, a shop on Ocracoke Island, off the coast of North Carolina. The store is famous with shell collectors, but it’s the cryptic letters from Allen Withrow, the shop’s owner, that convince Maureen to travel to the small coastal town in the middle of hurricane season. At the very least, she expects she’ll get a good story out of the experience, never anticipating it could end up a murder mystery . . .
About Molly: The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” In addition to the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, Molly writes the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch she writes books for Annie’s Fiction and Guideposts. Molly’s short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction.
Chicks on the Case 
I would allow my 2 cats to come listen to the music but I don’t think that they would as they don’t like other people in their house.
I used to go to different cemeteries when I was much younger, some of it was for research purposes for school. Would love to go to New Orleans to tour some of the cemeteries there. I suppose my favorite would have to be the one where my family is buried at and one day I will be too. My Dad designed a bench the doubles as a family gravestone. It is strange to see your name already there with your date of birth along with my husband, 3 brothers and sister. He wanted us all together in death as we were in life. Who were we to argue.
LikeLike
Congrats in advance on the new release, Molly! This past weekend, my wife and I took my older kiddo and their partner to Crown Hill Cemetery here in Indianapolis. We visited, among others, the grave sites of President Benjamin Harrison, poet James Whitcomb Riley, and author Booth Tarkington. We enjoyed the trip through some local history.
LikeLiked by 4 people
What a great cemetery trip, J.C. Next time I’m in Indianapolis I’ll make a point of stopping there too. Thanks for the good wishes about the book.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I can’t wait to read this series!!!!! I had a 29 pound cat who would sit on my lap while I tried to practice the piano, while his slightly smaller brother would sit on the bench next to me. It made playing a challenge but I wouldn’t change a thing. Now that they are both crossed over the bridge, I really miss them when I play.
Being a family history buff, I came across an old family cemetery in CT where the newest grave was 1849. All of them were family. The most interesting was a great great and a few more greats grandfather who had 18 children and 3 wives. I found it interesting that none of his wives were buried with him. I wonder what the story was with that….
Carol
LikeLiked by 4 people
Cats are great music companions, and at 29 pounds, yours was especially great, Carol. What a cool family cemetery. It sounds like there might be a good story behind those three wives. Glad you’re looking forward to the series. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Molly, the series – and the island – sound wonderful! I love all the cemeteries scattered around the island. As to the animal who’d sing with me, that would problem be our current pooch Cammie. She gets very whiney when she wants attention and I’d love to turn that whining into singing!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks for the kind words, Ellen. There’s something comforting about all those little cemeteries. I think you’re onto something with Cammie. She’s a dog in search of a tune. Let me know if she finds one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for having me on the blog today, Chicks! Always a pleasure.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We’re delighted to have you, Molly!
LikeLike
Congrats on your newest series, Molly! That two-grave site is beautiful.
The most recent graveyard I visited was at Trinity Church near Wall Street. It was so interesting to see a cemetery in the middle of the city–and fun fact: Later, I found out that Alexander Hamilton is affiliated with it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Very cool, Jennifer! Thanks for the good wishes on the series.
LikeLike
I’ve been there, Jen! Strangely peaceful.
LikeLike
I’m a great fan of cemeteries, for the history, and the quiet, and the beauty, and the memories of those who walked the earth before me. I was particularly fascinated by the graveyards in New Orleans and Key West, as all the interments were above-ground because of the high water level. But I think my favorite one is the Cimitière Père-Lachaise in Paris, where folks such as Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf (not to mention James Morrison) are buried.
Congrats on launching the new series, Molly, and thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glad to hear you’re a fan of cemeteries, too, Leslie. Your cemetery in Paris sounds wonderful. I’ve been to some atmospheric ones in Scotland.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Atmospheric” is a great way to describe them, Molly!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m a big fan of cemeteries too, Leslie. Hubs has a degree in history and I’m just nosy and adventurous, so when we lived in England we, ahem, haunted all of them we could find. And we had to walk right through the middle of one to get from our digs to town. Really annoying when we came home late from the pub and the gates were locked!
As to your singing pet question, Molly, our greyhound mix Nala would get to yodeling every time hubs broke out his harmonica. He’s Elwood in a Blues Brothers cover band and she made it quite difficult to do any practicing!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Love your Nala story, Becky. We had a cat who loved my tenor recorder. Every time I tried to play she purred and rubbed her head against it.
LikeLike
Ohmygosh! How cute and probably annoying! All my kids played instruments growing up—piano, violin, trumpet, sax, clarinet, tuba—and it makes me wonder how Nala would have liked that. And how much longer the kids would have practiced if they could have gotten that kind of reaction!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Molly, Come Shell or High Water sounds like a book I’d like to get lost in! I’m intrigued by your pictures and stories of the island and have now put it on my list of places I need to visit. A pirate ghost? Yes, please!
Cemeteries fascinate me, and as an armchair genealogist, my husband and I tend to haunt cemeteries wherever we go. A few of my favorites have been in New England where we’ve found ancestors from the revolutionary war. We visited a few ancient cemeteries in Ireland, and you can feel the past histories in the air.
Paula Charles
LikeLiked by 2 people
Those old cemeteries – aren’t they amazing? Solemn and comforting at the same time. Glad you like the idea of a pirate ghost!
LikeLike
Molly, your new series sounds amazing–and we already know your others are! I’ll definitely be reading Come Shell or High Water this summer, with a big pitcher of blueberry lemonade. My favorite cemetery is Green-Wood in Brooklyn–I’ve spent hours and hours there, and it’s simply beautiful. The list of famous (and not-famous) New Yorkers buried there is extensive–fascinating history. I love the stories told by some of the sculpted monuments–it was the fashion of one era to commemorate the manner in which the deceased departed. Lady on edge of bathtub, anyone? Bride at top of stone church steps? Teen debutante with carriage wheel? Plus a lovely view of the water from the hill (helpful to those Revolutionary soldiers).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank your for the kind words, Lisa! I’ve seen a lot of interesting graves but none commemorating the manner of death. I’ll be on the lookout for that. I also want to see the gravestones with recipes on them that I’ve read about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, recipes…really? As long as none of them killed the deceased, maybe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s a link to a fudge recipe from a gravestone. Kay Andrews wanted it on her stone because she enjoyed making it and people loved asking for the recipe.
https://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/2023/10/gravestone-fudge-from-molly-macrae.html
LikeLike
When I first came to North Carolina nearly 50 years ago, a new friend invited me to go to the beach. They took me to Ocracoke Island. For many years afterward, that was the only place I l knew to go the the beach. Unfortunately, I haven’t been back for many years; your post has reminded me that a visit is long overdue.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Definitely go!
LikeLike
Molly, thanks so much for hanging out with us! Your new series sounds iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiincredible!!
There’s a great little cemetery not far from my house. It’s smack-dab in the middle of town and at the heart of so much local history. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Kathleen! FYI, there’s a Kathleen in book two of the series – There’ll be Shell to Pay.
LikeLike
Molly, thank you for the book. I am going to read it now! I would love my pup Texie (she’s 9) to sing for me. She loves music and dog commercials. She watches TV and when she hears a song that has dogs in it, she runs in to watch it again. After I read your book, I am going to bug Hubby Dearest to go to Ocracoke (he originally looked it up for us to go years ago). I love cemeteries. They are so peaceful. My favorite is the Austin, Texas State Cemetery where Stephen F. Austin and all of my Texas patriots are buried. I used to go there and read and draw.
LikeLike