By VANESSA McCRAY
TRAVERSE CITY -- Local true crime author Mardi Link knows how to sniff out mystery from history.
Her new book "Isadore's Secret: Sin, Murder, and Confession in a Northern Michigan Town" tells the story of a nun who disappeared in 1907 from Isadore. Years later in 1918, Sister Mary Janina's bones were unearthed in the church basement. The gruesome murder mystery had a stranglehold on the small, remote Leelanau County community and captivated the nation. Even today, an Internet search of the words "Isadore nun" produces citations from the New York Times. The tale would become the basis for the Broadway play and film "The Runner Stumbles."
Now, it's the subject of Link's latest historical detective effort. She immersed herself in the details of the scandalous story line, which weaves together church and community, passion and murder, secrets and suspicions.
"In our mainly secular society it's hard to imagine how important the church was," Link said.
The author culled through pages of court, library and museum documents and a mountainous collection housed at the University of Notre Dame to piece together the story. She discovered "very intimate and personal" letters and notes written by the main characters. The primary sources breathed authenticity into the work, though Link was less successful at convincing current Isadore residents to speak about the case.
"Why do you want to write about that?" was a common reply to her inquiries, Link said.
But she felt strongly that the nun should not be forgotten.
"This is everyone's history. This is not a story that is owned by anyone," she said.
Some questions surrounding the vanishing nun were eventually answered when her body was uncovered and (spoiler alert) the priest's housekeeper was convicted in the murder. Still, rumors about the case continued to swirl.
Link has experience trying to tease truth from legend. Her previous book "When Evil Came to Good Hart" attempted to unwrap the 1968 mass murder of an entire family at their Lake Michigan cabin. Her publisher The University of Michigan Press asked Link for a second book in the same genre after the release of the Good Hart title. Link settled on the nun's story, which gave her another opportunity to dive into the region's rich history.
"I love knowing about the area," she said.
The book is available at local bookstores, and Link planned a number of signings and discussions to promote it. Upcoming appearances include an Oct. 10 stop at noon at the Cadillac Wexford Public Library and a 7 p.m. Oct. 15 visit at the Peninsula Community Library on Old Mission. For more information, visit Link's Web site at www.mardilink.com.
