Five Fascinating Literary Enigmas Aboard the Massachusetts Coastline
Embracing the oceanic allure of enigma, I've been enthralled by the misty mysteries draped across New England's shores. Being raised in an antiquated Massachusetts fishing village - once home to Spiritualists - left an eternal imprint on my soul. The haunted air still clings to its streets, whispering tales of unexplained phenomena. To me, that eerie sense of the abnormal is the beating heart of any good mystery.
Journeying deeper into this fascination, I've lost count of how many times I've delved into Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables. Representing Salem, a different coastal town tormented by witch trials and tainted by slaver fortunes, the book showcased key New England coastal hallmarks: early sunsets, family secrets, peculiar architecture, and the somber gloom and glint of the Northern Eastern seaboard. I also savored Melville's depictions of New Bedford - closest to my hometown (Wareham, Massachusetts) – in the opening chapters of Moby Dick, where Ishmael's frosty night descriptions on the South Coast perfectly captured the peculiar dreariness of the region.
All these elements found their way into my newest novel, The House on Buzzards Bay. It weaves together the stories of a group of college friends returning to a family house. As one of them goes missing, and a bewildering woman appears in his stead, the narrative fractures, and the walls seem to close in on them. In an effort to create the proper ambiance of barely restrained dread and unspoken desire, I drew inspiration from my favorite mysteries and thrillers along the same shoreline, intermingled with works enveloped in bawdy neighborly escapades, which, if you ask me, are as crucial to a coastal vacation story as the sea itself.
Join me now as I present a slightly peculiar (but oh-so-lovely) vision of Massachusetts as reflected in my beloved novels:
Richard Russo, Chances Are****
When it comes to my favorite, coastally-inspired Massachusetts stories, Russo's 2009 novel That Old Cape Magic holds a special place in MY heart. However, Chances Are offers a unique perspective: a mystery that drives the plot forward while shining a light on Russo's heartfelt appreciation for humanity's complexities and absurdities. This engaging novel follows three old college friends reuniting on Martha's Vineyard, mourning their lost youth and also a woman who disappeared decades earlier. The Vietnam War, in particular, the draft's intricacies, plays a significant role in the story. The island backdrop serves as a picturesque backdrop for their introspective journey.
Stephen L. Carter, The Emperor of Ocean Park****
In Carter's 1993 novel, the story unfolds through the eyes of Talcott Garland, a Yale Law professor grappling with scandal and regret following his father's demise. Judge Oliver Garland, the patriarch of the Garland clan, was once poised for a seat on the Supreme Court but saw his dreams dashed when he was snubbed on the cusp of an appointment. Amidst the shifting sands of family politics and conspiracy, the story moves to the family's Martha's Vineyard Summer retreat. Carter paints a vivid scene, intertwining rarefied African-American power circles, community bonds, and elegant prose.
Robert Harris, The Ghost****
This is perhaps the most straightforward mystery on the list, yet there's always something more to it, a hint of depth just beneath the surface, that captivates me in Harris's work. The Ghost is a political thriller set on Martha's Vineyard, revolving around a ghostwriter hired to pen the memoirs of a British Prime Minister whose reputation is crumbling due to his dismissive handling of rendition requests from American counterparts. If that sounds familiar, you've likely seen the Roman Polanski adaptation, The Ghost Writer, starring Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan. The Vineyard setting in Harris's novel is as lively and foreboding as ever, albeit not quite as picturesque as the film's filming locations.
Alice Hoffman, Here on Earth****
Hoffman is best known for Practical Magic, which made headlines when it was adapted into a film featuring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. However, Here on Earth resonated with me thanks to its gothic setting: a blend of claustrophobia and open, windswept landscapes, akin to the Moors in Wuthering Heights. This tale serves as a modern reinterpretation of the Bronte classic, with the Marshes standing in for the Moors, resulting in a chilling tale that has become my vision of coastal Massachusetts.
Denis Johnson, Resuscitation of a Hanged Man****
Johnson's offering is, admittedly, a bit different from the others. At first glance, it may simply seem like a detective novel. But it's Denis Johnson, after all. And if you've read Johnson, you know that his stories aren't simply stories. This novel follows a detective named Leonard English, adrift in Provincetown, Massachusetts, after a suicide attempt, and desperate to find a sense of religious enlightenment. Despite his struggles with depression and self-doubt, Johnson delivers an unsettling yet hauntingly beautiful narrative that showcases the pursuit of God or simply fortune's fools in the eccentric town, where reality blends with the surreal.
John Updike, Couples****
Updike's quintessential novel exploring the lives and relationships of a group of couples in a small coastal town north of Boston may have defined a generation. Far from the traditional coastal vistas of sunsets and serenity, Couples delves deep into the taboo world of infidelity, resulting in a provocative and unforgettable read that encapsulates the essence of a promiscuous and dissatisfied era. The dismantling of relationships mirrors the erosion of the coastal community, as both are headed towards ruin.
Mary McCarthy, A Charmed Life****
Mccarthy's 1955 novel, often overlooked today, set the stage for a slew of bedhopping novels in the years to come. Its New Leeds coastal town, a place where everyone aspires to be artistic, but no one manages to create outstanding art, serves as a backdrop for everyday lives that veer from the ordinary to tragic. The narrative follows the hopes, dreams, and fears of its residents, culminating in a series of life-altering event that leaves the town scarred in memorable ways.
John Cheever, The Wapshot Chronicle****
Cheever's novel, a best-seller and National Book Award winner when it was first published, could very well be said to have launched his literary career. While he is more widely known for his short stories today, The Wapshot Chronicle follows multiple generations of an eccentric New England family residing in a river port town, complete with similar decrepit charm. Cheever's characters are plagued by internal conflicts and desperation, providing a rich tableau of New England melancholy.
While some may argue that exploring the seedier aspects of life on the coast strays far from the "literary mystery" path, I see a common thread running through the stories of McCarthy, Updike, Johnson, Russo, and Carter, and even Cheever's work, hinting at the appearance of the inexplicable, lurking just on the horizon. Each of these novels offers a unique glimpse into the Maine coast, both dreamlike and beautiful, yet capable of unveiling hidden depths and mysteries that captivate and intrigue.
Dwyer Murphy is the author of the novel, The House on Buzzards Bay, now available from Viking Books.
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- To delve into additional New England coastal mysteries, read Richard Russo's Chances Are which revolves around old college friends reuniting on Martha's Vineyard, uncovering a mystery from their past.
- Stephen L. Carter's The Emperor of Ocean Park is another novel set in Massachusetts, focusing on a Yale law professor caught in family politics and scandal, with an intriguing plot unfolding on a family's Martha's Vineyard Summer retreat.
- For a political thriller set on Martha's Vineyard, Robert Harris's The Ghost offers a suspenseful read, as a ghostwriter writes the memoirs of a British Prime Minister embroiled in scandal.
- Alice Hoffman's Here on Earth creates a gothic atmosphere with its modern retelling of Wuthering Heights, set in a Massachusetts coastal town with a haunting blend of beauty and despair.
- In Denis Johnson's Resuscitation of a Hanged Man, a detective's quest for spiritual enlightenment unfolds in Provincetown, Massachusetts, revealing the town's eccentricities and the surreal nature of the human experience.
