The Bellamy Trial by Frances Noyes Hart, 1927

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About the author: Frances Newbold Noyes Hart (1890 – 1943) was an American writer whose short stories were published in Scribner's magazine, the Saturday Evening Post, and the Ladies' Home Journal. During World War I, she served as a translator with the Navy and as a canteen worker in France. Hart became famous for Pulitzer Prize-winning The Bellamy Trial, which was serialized in the Saturday Evening Post, published in book form, and later dramatized. (wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Madeleine Bellamy, the victim
• Stephen Bellamy, her husband
• Susan Thorne Ives, Stephen's lover
• Patrick Ives, Susan's husband
• Anthony Carver, judge
• Daniel Farr, prosecutor
• Dudley Lambert, defense attorney

Locale: near New York City

Synopsis: We are at the opening of the murder trial of Susan Ives and Stephen Bellamy, both accused in the murder of Stephen's wife Madeleine Bellamy. We see the action through the eyes of two unnamed reporters: a young, inexperienced woman and an older, veteran crime reporter.

Once the jury is seated, the prosecutor Daniel Farr makes a long opening statement. A parade of witnesses establishes the fact that Stephen's wife Madeleine had gone to the Thorne estate's garden cottage in the night for a tryst with Patrick Ives and wound up stabbed to death. Both of their spouses are the prime suspects.  

Review: I immediately liked two things about this book. First, at the front is a comprehensive schedule of the trial, with all the characters identified. I referred to this page constantly. Second, the story is told from the point of view of a young newspaper writer who is covering her first trial, and is seated next to a veteran reporter who is filling her in on the background of the crime and court procedure. Neither one is named, which helps keep the focus on the trial. The procedural explanations given by the veteran reporter serve to inform the reader of what is happening.

The story is rigidly structured, each chapter comprises one day of the trial. 

Everything proceeds in a somber, quiet manner until witness Luigi Orsini takes the stand, and provides a welcome comic relief in his Chico Marx-like response to questions. This serves as an "intermission" of sorts.

Finally we hear a verdict. But that is not the end, as a few surprises await, which are not listed in the "program".

You will enjoy this book, especially if:

• you read the Perry Mason books of Erle Stanley Gardner, and can't wait until the courtroom scene, this book is for you - it is all courtroom scene.
• you enjoy the hard-to-find books by Nancy Barr Mavity, which feature courtroom trials as seen by newspaper reporters. 

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" Piper. Nancy 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:

1. The Tule Marsh Murder (1929)
2. The Body on the Floor (1929)
3. The Other Bullet (1930)
4. The Case of the Missing Sandals (1930)
5. The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging (1932)
6. The Fate of Jane McKenzie (1933)

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!

The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging by Nancy Barr Mavity (1932)

 

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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" Piper. Nancy 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 #5 (of 6). The full series is:

1. The Tule Marsh Murder (1929)
2. The Body on the Floor (1929)
3. The Other Bullet (1930)
4. The Case of the Missing Sandals (1930)
5. The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging (1932)
6. The Fate of Jane McKenzie (1933)

Major characters:

• Peter Piper, reporter for The Herald
• Gabriel Jeffries, philanthropist, found stabbed
• Christina Cameron Jeffries, his wife, a concert pianist
• Sing Wing, his servant/cook, "the man who didn't mind hanging"
• Mrs. Helen Dozier, his housekeeper
• Elissa Berryman, amateur actress
• Everett Berryman, her husband, president of Berryman Flour Mills
• James West, rent collector
• Sam Hardwicke, attorney
• Fon Ng Chee, millionaire importer
• Captain Hammersmith, captain of police detectives
• Bert Graham, District Attorney
• Joseph Hayward, county coroner

Locale: San Francisco

Synopsis: Philanthropist Gabriel Jeffries is found stabbed to death in his home, and the police quickly arrest his manservant/cook, Sing Wing, on finding some circumstantial evidence of his presence in the murder room. Newspaper reporter Peter Piper feels it is a rush to judgement, and approaches a leader in the Chinese community, millionaire Fon Ng Chee, to see what can be done to defend Wing. Chee hires attorney Sam Hardwicke.

Piper and Hardwicke visit Wing in jail, and find he is calmly resigned to whatever is before him, saying he doesn't mind hanging if that is his fate. 

Piper interviews Jeffries' wife, Christina Cameron, a renowned concert pianist - and she is distant and aloof, not caring much about her husband's murder. Jeffries had visitors the night of the murder: Elissa Berryman, an actress hoping to get Jeffries to support her theatre; and her husband Everett Berryman, who was against the whole idea. Jeffries' rent collector, James West, was also in.

Wing is brought up to an inquest led by coroner Joseph Hayward who is unable to keep proceedings under control. The inquest turns into a media circus and quickly devolves into chaos. Wing is bound over for trial, and Piper pins his hopes on identifying a mystery woman who is interested in the case.

Review: I love a chaotic courtroom scene and the inquest - which occupies the middle third of the book - is a doozy, far beyond Erle Stanley Gardner's worst nightmares. Wing is tarted up in a stereotypical Chinese costume, and sits observing silently as proceedings quickly fall apart. Witnesses Elissa Berryman will only talk about herself, Christina Cameron faints dead away, and James West gets hysterical on the stand. The press table reporters are passing notes around and heckling (making 'meow' sounds when a lady witness makes a 'catty' remark), while society ladies in the audience jockey for best position to be in the photos. An excerpt:

Somewhere among the spectators a woman screamed, releasing the intolerable tension. But no one noticed. For one moment Christina Cameron had stood, erect and terrible. The next, with no preliminary sign, she had fallen to the floor. The reporters leaped from their seats, stampeding for the door. They stumbled over the clerk, vainly trying to stem the engulfing tide in his quest for water. The voice of the coroner clucked agitatedly behind them, first pleading for order, and then, in view of the empty, overturned chairs at the press table, announced an adjournment until two o'clock. The reporters rushed into the hall, clamoring for telephones.

Not only do we get the inquest, but we get the trial also, later on. An excellent book complete with lots of uncontrolled anarchy in the courtroom and the usual always-frantic newspaper crew racing against a deadline. This was the best Mavity so far - and I have one more to go!

Note: For other mysteries which feature a concert pianist who has suffered a hand injury and is unable to play again, see Five Passengers From Lisbon by Mignon Eberhart (1946) and Deep Lay the Dead by Frederick C. Davis (1942).

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

 

The Case of the Missing Sandals by Nancy Barr Mavity (1930)

 

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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" Piper. Nancy 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 #4 (of 6). The full series is:

1. The Tule Marsh Murder (1929)
2. The Body on the Floor (1929)
3. The Other Bullet (1930)
4. The Case of the Missing Sandals (1930)
5. The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging (1932)
6. The Fate of Jane McKenzie (1933)

Major characters:

• Peter Piper, reporter for The Herald
• Jimmy Sears, city editor for The Herald
• Willie Hames, police reporter for The Herald
• "Luna", a witch, real name ----?- Anthony
• Merrill Anthony, her husband
• Earl Vincent, who wrote love letters to Luna
• Ruth Morgan, Vincent's girlfriend
• Albert Jackson, the blind watchman
• Lewis Tanner, who lost $20k
• Mrs. Tanner, a cult member
• Oscar Miller, a cult member
• Mrs. Russell and her son, Charlie Russell; cult members
• Mr. Carey, a cult member
• Inspector Oleson of the police
• Hubert Graham, District Attorney

Locale: San Francisco and environs

Synopsis: Reporter Peter Piper gets wind of a witchcraft cult, the "Luna Colony" in the hills outside San Francisco. It sounds shaky - District Attorney Hubert Graham tells piper that a Lewis Tanner has lost $20k when his wife turned his money over to Luna, the cult leader. Piper sets out to investigate for a feature - or exposé - story. He finds a fenced compound of individual cottages guarded by watchman Albert Jackson, who is blind. He is admitted and meets and interviews Luna, a beauty who claims to be a witch. She favors wearing a tiara with a crescent moon, filmy black negligee-like gowns, and high heel sandals.

The next day, Piper gets a report of a death at the compound. Luna is dead. She was found in her cabin, stabbed and shot. In her arms are a bundle of love letters written by Earl Vincent, who supposedly has a girlfriend Ruth Morgan too. Piper prowls around and find a bank book in the name of Mr. & Mrs. Merrill Anthony - suggesting that Luna is really Mrs. Anthony. He is also puzzled that she is still wearing her black gown, but her sandals are nowhere to be found. Of more immediate importance - Earl Vincent is nowhere to be found, and he is the #1 suspect. Piper sets off on a lead to locate Vincent on a ship before the police find him.

On a parallel trail, efforts are made to find Merrill Anthony. He avoids publicity and is just a shadow. He and Luna are found to be knee-deep in a dope smuggling ring. Finally he is found, and soon after is shot - a suicide or another murder? Meanwhile, Lewis Tanner, the innocent bystander bilked of his $20k, is found dead after apparently being run over by a train.

Review: 

Another Peter Piper with great scenes of the chaotic newsroom and the tensions between the reporter (Piper) and his editor (Jimmy Sears). 

A puzzle as I was reading: at the 3/4 point through the book, the missing sandals of the title seem to have been dropped. They were mentioned briefly at the beginning but largely forgotten after that, until they reappear at the very end as a trap set for the murderer.

There are some interesting out-of-the-ordinary characters and it is pleasant to see they are treated with unusual respect and acceptance for 1930:

• Albert Jackson - a watchman who is Black and blind. It seemed odd to have a watchman who is blind, but it is explained how is able to do so. Jackson becomes a key character in helping Piper find the murderer.
• Charlie Russell - a young man with an unnamed disability, but the description suggests Down Syndrome (this disability was not so named in 1930).
• Frances Hodgson, a woman who presents as a man, has masculine clothing and manner, and uses the name Frank.

This is #4 of 6 Peter Pipers, and I am fortunate in having found all six. Two more to read!

Looking for my mystery reading challenges? Visit The Mystillery

The Other Bullet by Nancy Barr Mavity (1930)

 

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About the author:  Nancy Barr Mavity (1890 - 1959) is the author of a series of mystery novels about crime reporter James Aloysius "Peter" Piper. Nancy 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 #3 (of 6). The full series is:

1. The Tule Marsh Murder (1929)
2. The Body on the Floor (1929)
3. The Other Bullet (1930)
4. The Case of the Missing Sandals (1930)
5. The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging (1932)
6. The Fate of Jane McKenzie (1933)

Major characters:

• Peter Piper, reporter for The Herald
• Barbara Piper, his wife
• Jimmy Sears, city editor for The Herald
• Jake Carter, hotel keeper
• Don Mortison, ranch manager, the victim
• Max Everett, construction manager
• Aline Everett, his stylish wife
• Mrs. Coak, ranch housekeeper
• Julio, ranch herder/gardener
• Marjorie, Aline's sister
• Bill Simpson, sheriff
• Emile Kurtner, criminologist
• Jerome de la Montanya
• David de la Montanya
• Cousin Maria de la Montanya

Locale: Hangtown, California - ranch country

Synopsis: Reporter Peter Piper and his wife Barbara are on vacation in California's ranch country, staying in a quiet hotel run by Jake Carter. No sooner have they arrived, when Mrs. Coak, housekeeper from a nearby ranch, staggers in to report a murder. Piper and Carter go to the scene to find Don Mortison, the ranch manager, shot dead in his cabin. Stylish, high-maintenance Aline Everett immediately confesses that she shot him, in revenge for his affair with her sister Marjorie. The only hitch is that he was shot twice, by two different guns, and she is adamant she only shot him once. Who made the second shot? Was he killed by the first shot or the second? Sheriff Bill Simpson arrives and immediately jails all the players, including Aline's husband, Max Everett, citing Max's motive is that Mortison was having an affair with Aline (two sisters? oh, wow!)

Aline, having confessed to one of the shots, is brought up for trial on the murder charge, and acquitted.

Peter Piper suspects the authorities are going to let the case drop, and, like O.J., vows to find the real killer. He learns an emerald ring had been stolen from the murder room, and tracks it down with the help of his newspaper friends. This leads him to the de la Montanya family, and a cozy meeting with matriarch Cousin Maria; who provides the full story.

Review: This book consists of three distinct sections. 

1. The murder and interviews of all concerned
2. The courtroom trial of Aline Everett
3. Peter Piper's search for the emerald ring, and finding the de la Montanyas

The murder setup reminded me of an Erle Stanley Gardner switcheroo - a man shot with two bullets, but who and which one killed him? I was surprised when the courtroom scene (traditionally toward the end of a novel) came in less than halfway through. Once that was over, I was pleased to find the story move into the chaotic newsroom scenes typical of the Peter Piper stories. 

Piper traces the chain of possession of the emerald ring, and the chain has way too many links. It got a bit tedious as he followed all the intermediate links - these could have reduced without affecting the story. Finally the chain gets to the de la Montanyas, and Cousin Maria is a charmer, reminiscent of Miss Jane Marple. 

These stories require a bit of suspension of disbelief, as reporter Piper gets pretty free rein in the investigation - privy to all police secrets and even being allowed to take evidence away, such as the murder gun - to make his own comparison shots. But that's part of the fun.

This is #3 of 6 Peter Pipers, and I am fortunate in having found all six. Three more to go!

Looking for my mystery reading challenges? Visit The Mystillery

The Tule Marsh Murder by Nancy Barr Mavity (1929)

 

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About the author:  Nancy Barr Mavity (1890 - 1959) is the author of a series of mystery novels about crime reporter James Aloysius "Peter" Piper. Nancy 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 #1 (of 6). The full series is:

1. The Tule Marsh Murder (1929)
2. The Body on the Floor (1929)
3. The Other Bullet (1930)
4. The Case of the Missing Sandals (1930)
5. The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging (1932)
6. The Fate of Jane McKenzie (1933)

Major characters:

• Sheila O'Shay - missing actress
• Mrs. Nellie Kane - Sheila's stage mother and housekeeper
• Don Ellsworth - Sheila's husband
• Ethyl, the Ellsworth maid, a detective story fan
• Dr. Cavanaugh, psychiatrist and amateur detective
• Barbara Cavanaugh, Dr. Cavanaugh's adopted daughter
• David Orme, a wanderer ; a.k.a. Daniel Osgood
• Captain Camberwell, police ID expert
• James Aloysius "Peter" Piper, crime reporter for The Herald
• Jimmy Sears, City Editor for The Herald

Locale: not stated

Synopsis: Millionaire Don Ellsworth consults Dr. Cavanaugh - psychiatrist and amateur detective - to find his missing wife, actress Sheila O'Shay. Ellsworth had not even reported her missing to the police, that was done by her dresser (stage mother) Mrs. Nellie Kane. 

James Aloysius "Peter" Piper, crime reporter, is assigned to cover the story. Peter becomes enchanted by Dr. Cavanaugh's adopted daughter, Barbara Cavanaugh. He finds that Don Ellsworth had been engaged to Barbara, before dropping her to marry Sheila O'Shay.

A body is found in the hills above the tule marsh, burned beyond recognition following a grass fire. Dr. Cavanaugh examines an unburned bit of skin/hair and finds it a match to Sheila O'Shay. Peter finds that Ellsworth only married her to avoid a breach-of-contract suit; and suspicion is he murdered Sheila in order to get back together with Barbara.

Peter finds the Ellsworth maid, Ethyl, is a fan of detective stories. Peter assumes the clothing and mannerisms of Sherlock Holmes to impress and interview Ethyl. It pays off, he finds there was a visitor to Sheila before she disappeared. Peter and Dr. Cavanaugh search Sheila's room and find a threatening note signed by David Orme. 

Peter learns Orme is missing the tips of two fingers, and traces him to a nearby auto campground. He interviews Orme, who is using an assumed name of Daniel Osgood. He finds him rather simple and agreeable, and turns him in to the sheriff. But there is more than meets the eye in Orme.

Review: This is the first of six Peter Piper stories. We are introduced to the controlled chaos of a daily newspaper, perfectly rendered as Mavity was a news reporter herself. She knows her way around a courtroom, as Randal S. Brant writes: 

In one case, Mavity used a ladder to climb through the window of a vacated jury deliberation room in order to gather up the contents of the wastebasket, writing a story for the next morning’s edition on exactly how many ballots the jury had taken and what the votes were.

An amusing episode is Piper's interview of the maid Ethyl. After learning she is a fan of detective stories, he assumes the dress and manner of Sherlock Holmes and sends her a mysterious note inviting her to meet. This leads to discovery of a vital clue.

The description of the auto campground and its inhabitants is a bleak reminder of depression days, and reminded me of the camping scenes in The Grapes of Wrath. 

The courtroom scene is even better than an Erle Stanley Gardner. A highlight is the "Q+A Twins", two newspaper stenographers assigned to cover the proceedings. They sit side by side, one recording only the questions to witnesses, the other only recording the answers!

This is an enjoyable, fast-paced story and has started me on the search for the remaining titles in the series. (Update - found them all!)

The Body on the Floor by Nancy Barr Mavity (1929)

 

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About the author: Nancy Barr Mavity (1890 - 1959) is the author of a series of mystery novels about crime reporter James Aloysius "Peter" Piper. Nancy 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).

This is Peter Piper #2 (of 6). The full series is:

1. The Tule Marsh Murder (1929)
2. The Body on the Floor (1929)
3. The Other Bullet (1930)
4. The Case of the Missing Sandals (1930)
5. The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging (1932)
6. The Fate of Jane McKenzie (1933)

Major characters:

• Natalie Cole, a.k.a (incorrectly) Mrs. Asbury - the body on the floor
• Clarkson L. Cole, her estranged husband, the "Tire king of Detroit"
• --- Asbury, her estranged lover, a forest ranger, then a trucker and bootlegger
• Allison Cole, her daughter
• Elsie Cole Lawrence, her other daughter
• John Lawrence, Elsie's husband
• Edythe Grainge, telephone operator
• Edward Comstock, elderly legatee
• Winifred Newell, Asbury's secretary and lover
• Peter Piper, reporter for The Herald
• Barbara Piper, his wife
• Emil Kurtner, expert witness #1
• Chester Mason, expert witness #2
• Jerry Dean, cub correspondent for The Herald
• Sheriff F. M. Rondel

Locale: not stated

Synopsis:

Following an item submitted by cub correspondent Jerry Dean; Peter Piper, ace reporter for The Herald, is assigned to cover a woman's death under mysterious circumstances, having been killed with a shotgun - but was it murder or suicide? The woman, known locally as Mrs. Asbury, was actually Natalie Cole - estranged from her husband Clarkson L. Cole. She had been living with young, attractive --- Asbury as husband and wife, although not married. Recently they, too, became estranged when he took up with his secretary, Winifred Newell. She wanted him back, but he was more attracted to a string of young ladies more his age.

Her daughter, Allison Cole, had found the body and was in the process of falling apart. Jerry Dean takes her under his wing until Peter's wife, Barbara Piper, arrives to comfort her.

As Piper and sheriff F. M. Rondel try to determine if it is murder, it is found that she had made a will the day before, leaving her rance to elderly indigent neighbor Edward Comstock. The situation escalates at the inquest, when two expert witnesses, Emil Kurtner and Chester Mason, offer two totally contradictory versions of events.

Review:

This fast-paced story is set in the frenzy of a 1920's newspaper office, complete with chaotic press rooms, shouting editors, race-against-time telephoned reports, and star reporters taking notes on folded pieces of newsprint. The author knows her subject, being a newspaper reporter herself; and brings the excitement of reporting to the reader.

Oh, her use of words! Listen to this gloomy passage as the townspeople arrive at the inquest! What a scene:

The crowd had poured slowly, steadily into the dark interior of the undertaking parlors in a viscous, flowing mass. The porch still overflowed with those who had found no room inside, coagulating at the windows and doors, clotted on the steps.

There are two outstanding characters:

• Edythe Grainge, the wallflower telephone operator who sees her role as an inquest witness as her big break, and 
  
  
• Edward Comstock, with his philosophies about life, death, and morals. He reminds me of ex-preacher Jim Casy (as played by John Carradine) in The Grapes of Wrath.  

The middle portion of the book drags a bit with various theories being hashed out, but that is common to most mysteries. A crime scene map is provided (p. 33). This book is the second about Peter Piper, the first being The Tule Marsh Murder.