Leland Curtis is a renowned photographer, known for giving an eerie liveliness to his post-mortem portraits when he is approached by a couple seeking to memorialize their young daughter following her tragic passing. Things however take a turn when that deceased daughter also reaches out to Curtis, with a message for her father as well.

Thus begins the journey penned by Elizabeth Dearmore, a local author with a penchant for the morbid and mysterious, as she explores the spectral side of the Civil War and the haunting art of post-mortem photography in her debut novel, “Capturing the Dead.”

The story is set against the somber backdrop of post-Civil War America, drawing from the rich historical canvas of the 1870s–a time when photography began to play a pivotal role in remembrance as well as crime solving.

Dearmore weaves a narrative that is as much about the science of early forensics as it is about the unresolved echoes of the departed, with the seasoned war photographer using his camera lens to blur the line between life and death. The novel further ties the protagonist’s photographic talent to the emerging field of criminology, as he partners with a coroner to uncover the stories of those no longer here to tell them.

“Capturing the Dead” is not just a haunting journey through the shadows of the past but a reflection on the other tangible difficulties of that time.

Dearmore’s inspiration for the book stemmed from her own fascination with “memento mori” photography. In this Victorian-era practice, which gained popularity in the U.S. during a particularly bloody point in our nation’s history, the dead were commemorated in chillingly lifelike poses, often alongside members of their families.

“I’ve never seen a horror movie or a book that tackled this subject. It started as a short story, but evolved into something more complex,” Dearmore shared, flipping through several post-mortem photographs she had gathered in her research.

When asked about some of her literary influences and favorite works, Dearmore mentioned Dennis Lenahe (Mystic River, Shutter Island), and true crime legend Ann Rule, and said that Charlotte Bronté’s “Jane Eyre” was her favorite book of all time.

Interested Okmulgee residents and visitors are invited to meet Elizabeth Dearmore and learn more about her novel as she will be hosting a book signing event for “Capturing the Dead” at the Okmulgee Public Library on May 2 (needs time).

Don’t miss your chance to get a signed copy and perhaps share a few ghost stories of your own.