Author Jay Lang will be returning to her Valley roots when she visits the Comox library to read from her new novel Dancing Mary, which illuminates Comox folklore.
Based on chilling true events, Dancing Mary unearths the long-buried story of a young K'贸moks First Nation woman-named Mary by early settlers-who was betrayed and murdered by the very man she once trusted. Her spirit, said to appear as a shimmering blue orb, haunted the area for decades.
The last vivid encounter occurred in 1914, when a soldier cycling down Comox Road rode through the ghostly light and described an otherworldly cold that he would never forget. From that moment on, the legend of "Dancing Mary" was born-named for the spectral sway of her ghostly presence.
But Mary's tale is more than just a ghost story.
Interwoven with the haunting is the emotional journey of a grieving father and daughter who return to the Comox Valley to lay to rest the ashes of their beloved wife and mother, lost to suicide in Vancouver. As they confront their own pain, they are pulled into the valley's dark folklore, discovering a connection between past and present that is as healing as it is harrowing.
Blending historical tragedy, supernatural mystery, and human resilience, Dancing Mary is a gripping narrative of danger, loss, and the power of a spirit who refuses to be forgotten. Both a ghost story and a story of healing, it asks: what happens when the dead speak-and who among the living is ready to listen?
The Vancouver Island Regional Library is thrilled to host Lang at the Comox branch on Saturday, July 5 at 2-3 p.m. located at 1720 Beaufort Ave.
Everyone is welcome to drop by and attend this free event. Refreshments provided.
