Murder in the Making by Herman Petersen, 1940

 

This is Doc Miller #1 (of 4). Doc Miller, the country coroner, is the series detective and local Ben Wayne is the narrator.

About the author: Herman Petersen (1893-1973) sold his first story, “ The Seven Gilded Balls, ” to Black Mask in 1922. He worked for Utica (NY) newspapers and was the postmaster for Poolville, New York. All his mysteries were set in this area.   

The Toronto Star, 1957

Bibliography (full length titles):

• 1940 Murder in the Making (Doc Miller #1)
• 1942 Murder R.F.D. (Doc Miller #2)
• 1943 Old Bones (Doc Miller #3)
• 1943 The D.A.'s Daughter (Hank Wilbur)
• 1945 Country Chronicle (autobiography)
• 1948 Night on Castle Hill (serial)
• 1950 The Covered Bridge (historical novel)
• 1950 The Road (romance)
• 1957 The House in the Wilderness (Doc Miller #4, published as a serial)

Major characters: 

• Ben Wayne, narrator
• Doc Miller, coroner
• Paul Burns, District Attorney
• Marian Chainor
• Carleton Chainor, her brother
• Clarice, Carleon's fiancée
• Warren Glenn
• Sylvia "Delphy" Delpho, Warren's girlfriend
• Gary Tane, a flyer
• Mrs. Hudson, Chainor's housekeeper
• Willie Wales, her simple son

Synopsis: It is October. Our narrator Ben Wayne is returning from a long day of bird hunting, and decides to cross the Chainor land (posted No Trespassing). It is the home of Marian Chainor and her younger, no-good idler son Carleton; and the home is known as "Dark House". Ben is caught by Marian, who drags him in to the authorities to press charges. After Ben is fined, he kindly gives her a ride home, Marian has a change of heart and seeks to pay his fine for him. Ben is not impressed.

Ben meets up with Gary Tane, an airplane enthusiast, who invites him to the pub. At the pub Ben meets Carleton and his fiancée, Clarice. He also meets red-headed Warren Glenn and his girlfriend, Sylvia "Delphy" Delpho. He learns of the impending marriage of Carleton and Clarice.

Ben is visiting Doc Miller when the doc gets a call of a death at the Chainors. They arrive to find a house party in progress, and the victim Carleton, dead from a hit to the head. The Chainors have a curio cabinet of Indian artifacts, and a rock-headed hammer is missing. All the principals are confined to the house by the authorities, but in spite of this another death occurs right away.

Review: In this story we have Paul Burns, a novice D.A. who has no experience in murder cases, and relies on Doc Miller to tell him what to do. The pub scene is done well and serves to introduce most of the characters to the reader. Much of the middle of the story consists of Burns, Miller, and Wayne exchanging theories and arguing. 

The investigative process is certainly not according to established procedure, with civilian narrator Wayne doing most of the work; and Marion taking the law into her own hands at the finale. 

It is interesting to watch the cold relationship between Wayne and Marion gradually thaw out to a somewhat romantic ending. We will learn in the next book, Murder R.F.D., that they have married in the interim and taken up residence in Dark House.

Overall, a good start to the four-book Doc Miller series, although a bit long and overexplained at times. The following books are much improved.