RARE FIRST EDITION: The Ghost of the Mary Celeste (Hardcover, Historical Fiction) by Valerie Martin

In 1872 the American merchant ship Mary Celeste was found drifting off the coast of Spain. Its cargo was untouched and there were no signs of violence, yet the crew had vanished without a trace and were never seen again.

This mystery unfolds within a rich story set in the literary world of the late nineteenth century. A young and little-known writer, Arthur Conan Doyle, hears of the Mary Celeste while travelling and turns it into a dramatic short story that captures public attention. In America, it sparks debate between a celebrated spiritualist medium, Violet Petra, and a sceptical journalist, Phoebe Grant, determined to expose her. At the same time, the family of the ship’s captain, long tied to the sea and touched by tragedy, holds vital clues to what happened.

These threads come together through letters, diaries, and journeys across calm and stormy waters. In an age fascinated by death and the supernatural, the image of a deserted ship becomes a powerful symbol, part mystery, part inspiration, and part tragic tale of loss and enduring human connection beyond death.