In 1884, Arthur Conan Doyle published a fictionalized account of what happened to a mysteriously abandoned ship, the Mary Celeste. Following in his footsteps, Valerie Martin imagines what life may have been like for the family of Captain Briggs. Briggs, his wife and daughter, along with the entire crew disappeared from the Mary Celeste in 1872. She was found drifting, undamaged, but crewless.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Captain and crew is a minefield for creative writers and Martin has crafted a beautifully haunting tale. The story mostly revolves around Violet Petra, a medium in high demand, who brings a journalist, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Briggs family members together in subtly surprising ways. While the Mary Celeste of the title only briefly takes center stage, her ghost is ever-present and haunts throughout.
The Ghost of the Mary Celeste surprises, intrigues, and surprises again. Fans of Arthur Conan Doyle, spiritual mediums, and maritime mysteries will be happy to follow Martin as she weaves each around the other.