nautical room


Salem, Massachusetts, is famous not only for the witchcraft trials of 1692 but also for its rich maritime history. I've decorated this room with many of the items I saved from the days when Salem was a bustling seaport. In the old sea captain's chest, you will find 25 stories to read while you wait for the ships to come in.

Along for the Ride - (December 2007) Hoping to locate his mother, a man consults a psychic who makes a connection with the missing woman by touching one of her belongings.
The Car at the Curb - (October 2007) A wealthy, elderly woman is annoyed by the teenagers who drive past her house, squealing their tires and blasting their music. One car, in particular, frightens her.
Christmaphobia - (January 2008) Psychiatrist Lionel Penn meets a most unusual patient: a man who has an irrational fear of Christmas.
The Christmas Miracle - (November 2007) A brother and sister make their annual Christmas visit to see their mother, who is in a nursing home. The two pray for a miracle: that their mother will come out of her vegetative state.
The Crone's Disease - (April 2008) An elderly peddler agrees to heal the sick children in a New England village if the townspeople will give her a place to live.

ship's figurehead

Death Mask - (March 2008) A woman fears that her sister's body is no longer resting in peace in its mausoleum. She suspects the dead girl's doctor might be involved in its disappearance.
The Dream Catcher - (2008) When a writer moves into a luxury townhouse, his exotic, mysterious neighbor presents him with a handmade dream catcher.
Fatal Ambition - (January 2008) A poor seamstress becomes the mistress of a wealthy French aristocrat, but her happiness is threatened by the impending revolution.
Going Home - (April 2008) After losing his house in a divorce settlement, an unhappy architect begins dreaming of his boyhood home.
The Grandfather Clock - (March 2008) After moving to Williamsburg, Virginia, a woman purchases an antique grandfather's clock that was witness to a dark chapter in history.

ship's wheel

Hang Down Your Head - (February 2008) After the Civil War, a Confederate soldier returns to his home where he must choose between two cousins, both of whom want to marry him.
Hi-Tech Horror - (December 2007) A businessman with an aversion to modern office technology hires a new assistant who wants to update her surroundings.
The Hotelier - (November 2007) After going on a cruise with his wife, a wealthy hotel owner decides to recreate the Titanic for use as a five-star hotel.
Lady With a Fan - (May 2008) When a writer rents a room from an elderly invalid in New England, he meets a mysterious boarder who hides her beauty behind a folding hand fan.
Like Mother, Like Daughter - (December 2007) A widow is troubled when her daughter is faced with choices similar to those she herself faced as a young woman.

navigation tools

The Little Girl in the Hall - (May 2008) A jilted woman's thoughts turn to suicide. But then a strange little girl appears in the hall outside her apartment.
Penny's Needs - (March 2008) A brother is concerned for his teenage sister's well-being when she becomes obsessed with the vampire culture.
The Play's the Thing - (April 2008) The wife of a wealthy writer wants to restore an abandoned theater and put on an unknown play she found in a trunk in the theater's basement.
Poor Murphy - (February 2008) Poor Murphy, a wealthy Irish publican, marries a pretty widow who only wants him for his money.
Reconstructing Jane Doe - (January 2008) When the bones of a murder victim are uncovered, a policeman asks a local artist to recreate facial features on the skull, in hopes of identifying the unknown woman.

ship's chest

The Royal Tomb - (November 2007) Upon the death of his beloved queen, a heartbroken king hires the most skilled craftsmen in the land to construct an elaborate tomb. In so doing, he nearly bankrupts his country.
A Season in Hell - (November 2007) The owner of a major league baseball team gets an interesting offer from the Prince of Darkness.
Sole Survivor - (January 2008) A brigantine that sailed out of New England comes across the wreckage of the Hester. There is one survivor: a beautiful woman who doesn't speak.
Trapped Below - (April 2008) After marrying his pregnant girlfriend, a teenager quits school and joins his father and uncles in a Pennsylvania coal mine. On his first day of work, there is a cave-in.
Virtual History - (May 2008) After retiring from the phone company, a man purchases a personal computer. He then visits a website that promises virtual history.

telescope



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