“It’s a dinner party, and death is on the menu, as they say … Except nobody wants a part of this main course — well nobody sane, that is.” —Raemi Ray, author of the “Martha’s Vineyard Murders” series
It’s true that I have been reporting on some pretty dark subjects recently, but this time of year just brings it out in me. The grayer skies, bone-chilling wind, and earlier darkness combine to amp up our imagination. So it is no shock that there are so many authors associated with the Vineyard who write mystery novels. There is plenty of inspiration to be found inside the Martha’s Vineyard Museum’s Research Library — it’s filled with meticulously inventoried, labeled, and ready-to-be-shared books written by and about people on our mysterious little Island. Some are fact, some fiction. But all have an inextricable link to the Vineyard.
Raemi Ray is the author of the “Martha’s Vineyard Murders” series, half of which were published in 2024, with the remaining three coming in the spring of 2025. She takes inspiration from her travels to the Island, around the world, as well as from local and national headlines. Most of her books are based on real life (kinda sorta). Just wait until you meet her on Friday, Nov. 22, at 5 pm at the museum, and find out what has brought her to this moment in her writing career. She is a fascinating human with a gripping style you will very likely be drawn in by. Get your tickets for this before it sells out. You won’t regret it.
The museum has other programming to entertain, celebrate, and inform this month, including “Veterans Among Us” on Monday, Nov. 25, at 5 pm. It’s a talk with Island veterans led by fellow vets Tom Bennett, associate executive director at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services — who is coming up on 55 years serving the community at MVCS — and Bob Tankard, veterans outreach coordinator for MVCS and winner of the Art Buchwald Award 2024 for Outstanding Community Service. Those who have served will share their branch of service, their duty (MOS), impactful events they experienced while in the service, and what their experiences taught them about life. There are depths to discover about our veterans, as well as how we can support them.
“The Art of Quahog Maintenance” is on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 5 pm with Wampanoag elder Donald Widdiss. Donald will speak with us about quahog shell significance, artistic expression as a spiritual practice, cultural preservation and continuity, connection to ancestors and place, and art as a reflection of history and understanding. You will get to see the wampum belt created specifically for the museum by Donald Widdiss, and featured in the exhibition “Generations: A Legacy of Art and Culture,” which is a contemporary piece that honors this traditional craft, while also expressing the artist’s unique perspective and cultural connection. This is a deep dive into understanding the root of his creativity.
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 5 pm, settle in for “The Beauty of Sea Salt” with Heidi Feldman, owner of Down Island Farm Foods, M.V. Sea Salt, and New England Salt Works. Heidi and her husband, Curtis Friedman, devote themselves to local and renewable resources, fresh food that is produced sustainably, and reviving the tradition of making sea salt on Martha’s Vineyard. There are so many cool things to learn about the process of making sea salt and the ways it can be beneficial to our health. As a companion to our “Secret Life of Seaweed Exhibition,” you will have an opportunity to spend a little time in the exhibit at the end, and sample some of their sea salt. The beauty of sea salt is everlasting, and this experience may very well coax you into appreciating it more.
Lastly, please come to the museum and visit our First Light Cafe (now under the wing of Gina Stanley, owner of the ArtCliff).
Visit mvmuseum.org for more information about upcoming exhibitions and events. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday year-round, 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is free to members; admission for nonmembers is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $5 for children 7 to 17, and free for children 6 and under. Islander rates are available.
