Finding Inspiration from History’s Mysteries

Writing historical fiction frequently feels like playing detective as I research events in the past, trying to understand what happened and why, looking for clues in the historical record that help me bring a setting and time period to life for readers. I’m often drawn to lesser-known events in history, and it’s the desire to know more about a subject that drives my novels—that insatiable curiosity that inspires me to spend months and years “living” in the past alongside my characters. Often the axiom that truth is stranger than fiction holds true, and in the case of the subject of my new novel The Cuban Heiress, I found myself thoroughly immersed in a real-life unsolved historical mystery. 

In 1934, the SS Morro Castle—a luxury cruise ship that sailed on a week-long round-trip voyage from New York to Havana—caught fire and was ultimately beached off the coast of New Jersey. The SS Morro Castle was very much defined by the time period during which it sailed. Prior to the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the ship offered a chance for passengers to drink alcohol and escape the realities of life during the Great Depression through on-board parties and festivities that carried on into the early hours of the evening. 

While the economic and political conditions in the United States played an important role in the tenor of life aboard the ship, the tensions and violence surrounding the Cuban Revolution of 1933 also had an impact on the SS Morro Castle. Rumors of smuggling weapons to Cuba abounded as did the rumored transportation of hidden passengers out of Cuba. Guests who disembarked in Havana were encouraged to take guided tours that often sheltered them from the political dangers and unrest of 1930s Havana.

It is with these conditions swirling around the SS Morro Castle—and the addition of two major storm systems effectively trapping the ship—that it sailed on its last voyage from Havana to New York. When tragedy struck and a fire broke out aboard the ship in the early morning hours of September 8, 1934, over one hundred accounted-for passengers and crew perished. Given the rumors that there were frequently passengers sailing on the ship who were not listed on the official manifest, it is likely that the death toll is higher than what was officially reported.  

The circumstances surrounding the fire are shrouded in mystery. What we do know is that hours before the fire broke out aboard the SS Morro Castle, its experienced captain Robert Wilmott mysteriously died. Prior to his death he had been complaining of physical ailments and had allegedly wondered if he had perhaps been poisoned at the hands of one of his crew. While his cause of death was listed by the ship’s doctor as “indigestion,” there are still lingering questions concerning his demise.

Life as a crew member on the SS Morro Castle wasn’t easy; reportedly, staff turnover was high considering many were unhappy with the working conditions on the vessel. The night of the fire, the ship was already in a state of panic without its captain at the helm, with crew morale strained, and worsening weather conditions bearing down on the vessel. Subsequent investigations and theories have examined the likely causes of the captain’s death as well as attempting to decipher the mystery of whether the ship’s fire was accidental in nature, an act of sabotage, or the result of arson. 

While arson appears to be the prevailing theory, the truth is we may never know what happened that fateful night in 1934. In researching the true story of the SS Morro Castle and writing The Cuban Heiress, I was struck by the depth and breadth of the real-life mystery surrounding the ship. When my fictional heroines Catherine and Elena set sail on this unforgettable voyage, I knew they would encounter a fascinating cast of characters on their journey, and that much like the actual cruise, their experience would be shrouded in mystery and danger. 

About The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton:

New York heiress Catherine Dohan seemingly has it all. There’s only one problem. It’s a lie. As soon as the Morro Castle leaves port, Catherine’s past returns with a vengeance and threatens her life. Joining forces with a charismatic jewel thief, Catherine must discover who wants her dead—and why.

Elena Palacio is a dead woman. Or so everyone thinks. After a devastating betrayal left her penniless and on the run, Elena’s journey on the Morro Castle is her last hope. Steeped in secrecy and a burning desire for revenge, her return to Havana is a chance to right the wrong that has been done to her—and her prey is on the ship.

As danger swirls aboard the Morro Castle and their fates intertwine, Elena and Catherine must risk everything to see justice served once and for all.