I’m so excited about Terrie’s new book, Murder, She Wrote Death on the Emerald Isle. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, I invited her to the blog today. Read on to learn about the special relationship with Ulster that Terrie shared with Angela Lansbury.
Welcome, Terrie!
Hi Everyone!
I am so happy that Keenan Powell invited me to spend a few minutes here at Miss Demeanors to tell you about Jessica Fletcher’s latest adventure in book fifty-six of the Murder, She Wrote series: Murder, She Wrote Death on the Emerald Isle.
Several years ago I fulfilled a long held desire when I visited Ireland, the land of my ancestors, with my children and my grandchildren. It was not my first trip to Ireland but it quickly became my favorite because the grandchildren allowed me to see things through fresh eyes.
When the opportunity came for me to write a Murder, She Wrote book in which Jessica goes to visit Ireland, I remembered the younger grandchildren were captivated by the interactive displays at the Titanic Museum. What better place for Jessica Fletcher to attend a fancy reception?
Some of the older children were feeling especially grown up while they had tea and biscuits in a quaint tea room and then enjoyed the midday sun as they sat on the wall overlooking the beach at Ballycastle, a sweet town that sits on the northeastern most coastal tip of Ireland. From that peaceful spot we could see Rathlin Island and Fair Head, a headland that rises more than 600 feet out of the water and allows for stunning views. I knew it would be a grand site for Jessica to stop for a nice cuppa and perhaps take a short walk along the waterside.
Every single member of our family still talks about the perfect day we had when we visited the World Heritage Site known as Giant’s Causeway, tens of thousands of basalt columns caused by volcanic activity fifty or so million years ago. The columns line the Irish coast and jut out into the North Channel. The beauty and the mystery of Giant’s Causeway is enhanced by the legend that the Irish Giant Finn MacCool (Fionn Mac Cumhaill) built the Causeway to reach Scotland so that he could respond to Scottish Giant Benandonner’s challenge to a fight between the two. That particular story has several different endings, all of which includes one giant or the other tearing up many of the columns that connected Scotland and Ireland.
I know the communities sound lovely and quite inviting, but you might still be wondering, why it was exactly Jessica Fletcher visited this northeast corner of the island of Ireland in Murder, She Wrote Death on the Emerald Isle.
The practical answer is that Jessica has never visited any part of Ireland in the fifty-five books that precede this one. But perhaps all we need to know is that Angela Lansbury’s mother, Moyna Macgill, was born in Belfast.
Terrie Farley Moran is thrilled to be co-author, along with Jessica Fletcher, of the long running Murder, She Wrote series. Murder, She Wrote Killing in a Koi Pond and Murder, She Wrote Debonair in Death, Murder, She Wrote Killer on the Court and the recently released Murder, She Wrote Death on the Emerald Isle. Terrie has also written the beachside Read ‘Em and Eat cozy mystery series, and is co-author of Laura Childs’ New Orleans scrapbooking mysteries. Her short stories have been published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Mystery Weekly Magazine and numerous anthologies. Terrie is a recipient of both the Agatha and the Derringer awards. Find her online at www.terriefarleymoran.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/terriefarleymoran/
To read an excerpt from Murder, She Wrote Death on the Emerald Isle, click here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/669194/murder-she-wrote-death-on-the-emerald-isle-by-jessica-fletcher-and-terrie-farley-moran/9780593333686/
Thanks so much for joining us, Terrie!
Hi Everyone I am delighted to be here to talk about the home of my ancestors, and Angela Lansbury’s so close to St. Patrick’s Day.
My daughter told me that if you can prove a great grandparent was born there, you can get citizenship after living there for 5 years. Only problem is cost of living!
And now I really want to go back to Ireland! I traveled there in 2019 fir the first time and was there for Easter. It was absolutely beautiful. Your descriptions make me want to hop on a plane and go again! Thanks for joining us today
If time and money allowed, I would visit Ireland at least once a year! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post.
Welcome, Terrie. I spent several weeks in Ireland in 1968 and loved it. I’m sure it’s much different now but it sounds like you also had a wonderful trip with your family. Being able to use your experiences in Death on the Emerald Isle is like the cherry on top of a sundae.
I hear the have highways now! You can actually drive from Dublin to Galway in a couple of hours. Crazy! It took my 8 hours to get across circa 2002.
What a great way to translate your trip into a story for Jessica, Terrie. Congratulations on the new book, too. I’ve just added this area to my Ireland wish list!
Marni, I am so glad. Northern Ireland is really a tourist dream. Beautiful countryside, and so much history.
So fun I am glad you are writing about Ireland I would love to visit. Thank you for this review.
Deborah, The entire island of Ireland is a gorgeous and welcoming place.
Terrie, I really enjoyhed this because probably the most treasured trip memory I have is of going to Scotland, land of my ancestors, with two of my grown children. Their presence made all the difference in the experience, as you say about your trip. I keep thinking I want to write a novel set in Scotland, but it’s a far reach for me. So many stories to tell, so little time!
Oh Judy, you are so right. There is nothing quite like visiting the ancestral lands with your children! And I know what you mean we there is so little time tow rite all I want to write or to read all I want to read. Maybe a Scottish short story is in your future.
I LOVED Northern Ireland and all the sights. The Titanic exhibit is one of the most impressive museums in the world, IMHO. And how lovely to visit with your family. Best of luck with the terrific book! Thanks so much for visiting Miss Demeanors.
hi Connie, I agree. Northern Ireland is wonderful. I have been there several times. The first time there were Union Jacks flying all over the place and British Soldiers with machine guns high in poles along the streets of Belfast (and other places). Now it is a tourist paradise and I hope it remains so. Brexit has been a difficult issue since the Republic is part of the EU and Northern Ireland is not. So far everyone has agreed NOT to put up a border. I will say that like the residents of Scotland, the residents of Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU but were outvoted by Britain.
Thank you so much for your post, Terrie. I went to Ireland a long time ago, in the winter. I remember the inn gave us steak and kidney pies to put by our feet to warm us up. Remember how beautiful it all was.
Hi Susan, return if you can! The Irish love company.
Marni, I am so glad. Northern Ireland is really a tourist dream. Beautiful countryside, and so much history.
Hi, Terrie. Thanks for joining us today. Your trip with the grandchildren sounds great. Isn’t it interesting how they help rekindle your enthusiasm?
Hi Sharon, my grandkids rekindle my enthusiasm for everything. Plus, I started saving for this trip before any of them were born because, although all the grandparents have some Irish, I am the only one of all the grandparents who has total Irish ancestry, I kind of figured it was my responsibility to introduce them to the country where so many of their ancestors resided. I was so happy that they all loved it. In fact oldest granddaughter is in school in France but she is heading to Belfast for St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
Terrie, your visit to us is so timely and welcome. The Giant’s Causeway took my breath away. Beautiful yet somehow somber. Maybe that’s most of Ireland to me. I’m looking forward to your story set there. I love how books can take me back to a place I love and Ireland, home of my ancestors, is my number one destination.
C. Michele Dorsey, thank you so much for your kind words. I agree that Giant’s Causeway is an amazing place. I also think that is true of all of Ireland. Books are indeed a great way to travel!