by Kathleen Kaska
I’ve been writing lately about the reissuing of my 2nd Sydney Lockhart mystery, Murder at the Luther, set in the small Texas coastal town of Palacios. All my Sydney books are set in historic hotels. Some are exquisite, some glamorous, and some are reported to be haunted. The Luther Hotel in Palacios is best described as unpretentious and comfortably quaint. Every time I check in, I feel like I’ve returned to my grandmother’s home. After our second stay, my husband and I were told we were part of the family and could pick the room we wanted for our Palacios home. It’s not only the hotels and their histories that play an important role in the stories. I also mention local establishments, places of interest, and things to do. Here are some examples of how I wove them into Murder at the Luther.
When my husband and I arrive at the Luther, the first thing I do is drop my bags in our room, grab my binoculars, and head across the street to the beach to see what avian visitors I can spot. Palacios is located in Matagorda County, the Birding Capital of North America. Thousands of birders flock (pardon the pun) to this area of the Texas Coast in the winter to participate in National Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count. The county has been ranked number one in the state and nation for the number of species counted since 1997. It’s a migratory stopover for birds coming in from South America and as far away as the Arctic Circle to feed and either stick around for the winter or continue on their journey. More than half of the 220-plus species documented can be found on the Palacios waterfront and Tres Palacios Bay: shorebirds, wading birds, raptors, songbirds, and ducks. The endangered whooping crane calls the nearby area its winter home.
When I brought Sydney to Palacios, it was only natural she would plan a birding tour—a tour that was foiled because of a murder. Unfortunately, Sydney was arrested for the crime and must prove her innocence. Luckily, she made bail and set out to find the real killer. Her investigation took her to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge to question the refuge’s director, which resulted in a near canoeing disaster on the bay.
In writing the story, I couldn’t leave out the Texas Baptist Encampment, located a few blocks from the Luther Hotel. Established in 1902, it hosts summer camps, weekend retreats, conferences, gatherings, and special events. Several pastel-colored lodges and cabins are available for overnight stays. After Sydney returned from her misfortune in the canoe, she discovered that her annoying cousin, Ruth, who had arrived uninvited, decided to stay in Sydney’s hotel room because the hotel was booked. Sydney solved that problem by getting Ruth a room at the Texas Baptist Encampment, whose accommodations were a bit too rustic for the wealthy Dallas socialite. As if proving herself innocent of murder wasn’t enough, Sydney had to placate her spoiled and demanding cousin. Later in the story, Sydney also uses the encampment to hide a witness.
You’ve never been to Texas if you’ve never been to a honky-tonk. One of my favorites is Dorothy’s Cowboy Corner in Midfield, Texas, about twenty miles north of Palacios. The first time my husband and I visited Dorothy’s, we stopped for lunch on our way to the Luther. The food was down-home good, the beer ice cold, and the music on the jukebox blared George Strait’s “Amarillo by Morning.” After our meal, we made a turnaround on the dance floor. Like many establishments in Matagorda County, it became a regular stopover. Next door to Dorothy’s used to be an old motel that catered to bird hunters. I featured both places in Murder at the Luther but gave them different names. Dorothy’s became Four Corners Bar and the motel, The Bay View Motel. This was where Sydney arranged to meet the daughter of the murder victim to learn more about him. As she was leaving the bar, she saw the crazy Cajun who’d shot at her on the sand dunes the day before, going into one of the motel rooms. Against her better judgment, she snooped around the back just as the owner released his pack of aggressive bird dogs who chased Sydney into a cornfield. Things got worse, but you’ll have to read the book. The scene involved a pitchfork and an angry farmer’s wife.
Halfway between Dorothy’s and Palacios is the old Blessing Hotel. It was established in 1907 to accommodate railroad employees and oilfield workers. The place is famous for its all-you-can-eat daily lunches, which are nothing short of a feast, featuring fried chicken, roast beef, chicken fried steak, fried catfish, liver and onions, pork chops, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, cornbread, home-made rolls, fruit pies, banana pudding, and help-yourself ice cream, oh, and tea or coffee. The first time we dined there, the price was $5.00 a person. It was rumored that Helen, the woman who’d managed the kitchen since the late 60s, won the Texas lottery. She used the money to buy her son a pickup truck, donated to various causes, and continued cooking at the hotel. The Blessing Hotel was the perfect place for the Cajun to hold Cousin Ruth after he kidnapped her. Sydney found Ruth tied and gagged, wearing only her slip and nylons, and angry as a wet cat. Suffering the indignation Ruth could handle, but having her Christian Dior suit and Ferragamo heels thrown away was deplorable. It took all of Sydney’s patience not to leave her cousin to her own demise.
If you ever find yourself on State Highway 35 between Houston and Corpus Christie, plan to spend some time in Matagorda County, where the seafood is fresh, the locals are friendly, and the feathered friends abound. Be sure to stop by the Old Main Bookstore and Coffeeshop in Palacios and pick up a copy of Murder at the Luther.
The Luther Hotel is currently going through major remodeling, but stop and take a look anyway. I’m certain you’ll be back after it reopens.
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Thanks for posting my blog about the Luther Hotel!