NATCHEZ — A solitary midnight walk Under-the-Hill or through downtown Natchez can send chills up the spine of any Natchezian who has heard a few of the local ghost tales.

But toss in a heap of fiction, a trouble-seeking detective and a series of mystery novels and the tales get taller.

That’s exactly why author Carolyn Haines chose Natchez as the setting for the 11th book in her “Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery” series, “Bones of a Feather.”

Haines said her new book is a nod at the Southern gothic — a subgenre of Southern fiction that relies on supernatural, ironic or unusual events to guide the plot.

In this novel, the Delaney Detective Agency is hired to help twin sisters Monica and Eleanor Levert collect money owed them by an insurance company. A family heirloom ruby necklace has apparently been stolen, and the sisters need the insurance money to continue their lavish lifestyle. The Levert family has never been well received in Natchez, and the sisters receive little to no help locally in solving the mystery. Sarah Booth and best friend, Tinkie, arrive in Natchez ready to crack the case.

Haines said she visits Natchez on pleasure trips once a year or so, and is enchanted by the place and people here. Haines’ character likes Natchez too.

“Sarah Booth loves Natchez and the sense of history there,” Haines said. “Natchez has a lot of past, and some eccentric people. Sarah Booth really likes those eccentrics.”

Haines said landmarks in “Bones of a Feather” are both recognizable and fictional.

“Kings Tavern, Under-the-Hill, the Eola Hotel — those are the easy sights that people will know,” Haines said. “And some places I made up.”

Haines said she invented a fictional bar Under-the-Hill, because she knew there was going to be an altercation in the story of which she didn’t want a local landmark to be the setting.

Sarah Booth has an ever-present partner in the mystery series. Jitty is the ghost of her great-great-grandmother’s nanny.

“Jitty is ultimately Sarah Booth’s subconscious,” Haines said. “I always thought it was cheating to have the supernatural helping (characters), so Jitty gives her the dickens — always riding her, keeping her sorted out and showing her the right way to behave to get a ring on her finger.”

Haines will be in Natchez to launch the book Saturday.

Haines, who is from Lucedale in Southeast Mississippi, now lives just across the state line in Alabama. She said she wants to convey the real aspects of small town, Mississippi life.

In fact, according to Haines’ website, her fans know her as the original Mississippi Delta mystery author.

“I love Mississippi, and I want to show not only the positive, but the real Mississippi,” Haines said. “We have some wonderful and unique little towns. I could spend the rest of my life going from small town to small town, setting a book there.”

Haines was a features writer for newspapers in the region before she began writing fiction. She said features writing was an natural segue into novels.

“I like words, I like language,” Haines said. “With feature writing you can create a moment, an atmosphere, and you make your reader feel it instead of understand it intellectually. Fiction is about emotion, engaging readers and feeling the story.”

A book launch party and signing will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Turning Pages Books and More. Food and drinks will be served.

Storytellers will tell ghost stories, and the public is invited to share their own favorite ghost stories. Following the party, a group will depart the store and take a ghost tour of the spooky sights around town.

Author Dean James, who has just released a new book, “Classified as Murder,” will also be at the launch party.

In James’ book, good-natured librarian Charlie Harris returns home to Athena, Miss., and his cat Diesel. They find themselves entangled in solving murder mysteries.

James will autograph his books as well.

For more information about this event call 601-442-2299.