'Ghosthunting Maryland' on the Eastern Shore

[Michael J. Varhola]

Have been continuing the book tour for Ghosthunting Maryland and took it into the "Old Line State's" Eastern Shore over the weekend!

The main event was a visit to the wonderful Mystery Loves Company bookstore in Oxford, where I spent about three hours chatting with proprietor Kathy Harig, author Andy Nunez, and radio personality Drake Ferguson of WCEI Radio, who interviewed me for his show "Drake Around Town."

My wife and I continued on to nearby Cambridge and the Mill Street Inn, where I stayed during the summer while working on Ghosthunting Maryland. There, we spent a pleasant evening with proprietors Skip and Jennie Rideout and Skip's brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Bobbie Rideout. Skip also helped me move forward some of the research I had been doing on haunted Christ Church Cemetery, which my friend Chip Cassano and I had investigated during our visit to the town.

The Mystery Loves Company bookstore is located in a great old building that used to be a bank, and the beautiful vault door can still be seen in it. I am thinking it has got to be haunted but the owner, Kathy Harig, is still up in the air about that.

Andy Nunez's books about the weird history of the Eastern Shore were among those I used for source material and leads while working on Ghosthunting Maryland. I am, admitedly, envious of the depth he has been able to devote to his coverage of this very interesting region. Andy is the taller one.

Anyone who has ever heard Drake Ferguson speak knows why he is on the radio. Drake is the taller one.

Kathy Harig runs a wonderful store and is a lot of fun to chat with. She had on some great Halloween regalia the day I visited. Hah! I'm the taller one here (by about an inch, anyway).