Saturday, November 27, 2021

The Fate of Jane McKenzie by Nancy Barr Mavity (1933)

 

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About the author: Nancy Barr Mavity (1890 - 1959) is the author of a series of six mystery novels about crime reporter James Aloysius "Peter" PiperNancy Barr Mavity taught philosophy at Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut. She was a newspaper woman. She was a feature writer of the Oakland Tribune. In this capacity, she was the first woman to spend a night in Folsom State Prison, where she had gone to cover the pardon hearing of Warren K Billings. She lectured extensively and contributed to magazines. (from a Wikipedia article). You can read about her history here

This is Peter Piper #6 (of 6). The full series is:
Major characters:
  • Peter Piper, star reporter for The Herald
  • Jimmy Sears, city editor for The Herald
  • Willie Hames, police reporter for The Herald
  • Andrews, photographer for The Herald
  • Jane McKenzie, missing philanthropist
  • Verity McKenzie, her daughter
  • Betty Mason, her other daughter
  • Warren Mason, Betty's husband
  • Julia Craig, Jane's niece
  • Harold Crashaw, the McKenzie's golf instructor/landscaper
  • Douglas Howard, mystery novelist
  • Jerry O'Sullivan, bootlegger (this is prohibition times)
  • Bill Herrin, bootlegger
  • Jake "Hayseed" Maguire, 17-year old detective correspondence school graduate
  • Professor Allen, an eccentric
Locale: San Francisco

Synopsis: Peter Piper, star reporter for The Herald, is assigned to cover a solar eclipse at a prime viewpoint, the mountaintop estate of wealthy philanthropist Jane McKenzie. A crowd gathers. The eclipse is brief and in the exodus afterward, Piper's car bumps into Verity McKenzie on his way down the mountain. She is uninjured, and invites him into her home so he can phone in his story. While there, the family becomes concerned that Jane cannot be located.

With Jane still missing, a massive search begins on the mountain, with the McKenzie's golf instructor, Harold Crashaw, in charge. The McKenzies own the whole mountain, and there are a couple others living on and around it as well: Bill Herrin, who operates an illegal still along with his gangster buddy Jerry O'Sullivan, and mystery writer Douglas Howard. Eccentric Professor Allen is, frankly, hoping Jane is dead and left him money in her will for an observatory.

Peter becomes friends with 17-year old Jake "Hayseed" Maguire, an enthusiastic fan, and graduate of a correspondence school detective course. Jake turns out to be a valuable ally and assists Peter in filing reports for the paper and running down clues in his own makeshift laboratory. A ransom note arrives, demanding $1000 - but not for the return of Jane, but just information revealing her whereabouts. Jake makes the discovery that turns a missing person case into a murder case.


Review: One thing I always appreciate is when the characters are clearly introduced up front, and so it is here as Mavity lists out the family clearly the first time Peter Piper encounters them. 

A most excellent character is Jake "Hayseed" Maguire, sort of a Hardy Boys figure transplanted into the story. His enthusiasm and initiative are quite believable, as he even teaches Peter a thing of two from his correspondence school detective course.

I did get a chuckle out of a couple of incidents written such that Peter avoids violating postal laws. First, the ransom note - which is actually a ransom postcard(!) - so Peter can read it without opening an envelope. Second, a newspaper delivery to Douglas Howard - which Peter has been waiting for - is left balancing on top of the mailbox by the mailman - so Peter need not open the mailbox to look at it!

I have enjoyed all six Peter Piper titles, and each one I have considered the best. It is sad to realize there are no more. Thanks to Nancy Barr Mavity for the enjoyment of feeling The Herald building shake as the presses begin to rumble!

Be sure to visit The Mystillery for my mystery reading challenges!





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