Murder and Marcella

The imposing estate at the end of Oak Lane in Carteret County, North Carolina, is the domain of Lady Rena Laurel Chadwick, a mysterious and eccentric recluse whose wealth, political clout, and nebulous past have made her a favorite subject of local gossip and speculative intrigue.Lady Rena, who dresses in Victorian costumes and speaks with a British accent, lives alone except for six cats; her redoubtable housekeeper, Marcella; and Dr. Corbeau , a graduate of Duke Medical School who enjoys playing a stoic butler. Not a single resident in the coastal rural community of Williston has seen Lady Rena leave her house in the last thirty years, but Lady Rena has one confidantHarry Wade,a neighbor who lives down the lane with his wife and faithfully visits Lady Rena. But when Marcellas son suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances and then Marcella disappears without a trace, Harry, his wife Rosemary, and a sheriffs deputy become embroiled not only in an intriguing murder case, but also find themselves facing specters from the past. In this lively tongue-in-cheek murder mystery, someoneor somethingis harboring a secret in Williston, and it is up to the motley crew of detectives to find out what it is.