As fans of Ellen Hunter's murder series set in the Cape Fear region know well, dead bodies can be found in the most inconvenient places, like in the old cistern at the Bellamy Mansion. "The Cape Fear is the perfect location to combine mystery, romance and intrigue. Your rich local settings create an interesting background for all types of storytelling" says Ms Hunter about her latest book, Murder at the Bellamy Mansion.Ms. Hunter, who lives in Greensboro, will introduce her new book at a book signing at the mansion on Thursday, July 16th at 7:00 p.m. In addition to Ms. Hunter, who will be signing her books, other readers will read excerpts from the book as guests move through rooms within the mansion.

Hunter's young sleuth Ashley Wilkes, a preservationist, is involved in a restoration project in the Bellamy Mansion when the mystery opens. As the plot unfolds, legal ramifications from the Civil War and murder bring deception and conspiracy to one of Wilmington's most beloved landmarks. Ms. Hunter has carefully plotted her story around the history of the mansion which she notes "was challenging to be true to reality in a fictional work. So many people in Wilmington are familiar with the Bellamy Mansion history I knew I had to be correct in every detail, even as I invented my story."

Murder at the Bellamy Mansion is the 8th book in Ms. Hunter's popular series. All of her books will be available at the July 16th book signing and afterward at the Bellamy Mansion Carriage House gift shop. "This series is very popular with our out of town visitors as well as people who come into the shop from the community. Her rich descriptions of events and places in the Cape Fear are woven throughout her tales- the Azalea Festival, the Ghost Walk, Wrightsville Beach, the Intracoastal Waterway. We are delighted that Ms. Hunter chose to set her newest story at the Bellamy Mansion, because preservation, even with a fictional murder involved, is at the heart of her mysteries" says Beverly Ayscue, Executive Director of the Bellamy Mansion Museum.

For more information visit www.bellamymansion.org