Indian Pipes

Martha's Vineyard Mystery #6

by Cynthia Riggs

Victoria Trumbull, ninety-two-year-old native of Martha's Vineyard, is savoring the sea air over Vineyard Sound with her granddaughter, Elizabeth, when she spots a person who seems in trouble near the top of the cliff. Elizabeth goes for help, but it's too late--the man dies before he can be rescued.

The man had been hired as a consultant to see whether a site's soil could support a sewage system for a possible casino. The police call it an accident, but his death is just the first in what becomes a series of baffling murders, involving a Harley Davidson and Indian motorcyclists' rally, tribal disputes, squabbling developers, and deeply buried family secrets.

Victoria, who was named a deputy police officer after she proved how valuable she was to fighting crime on the Island, is on the case, assisted by her Wampanoag friend Dojan Minnowfish. Her official position is giving her the confidence to take risks that horrify police chief Casey O'Neill. But Victoria compensates for her physical limitations by out-thinking the bad guys.

As in her previous books in the series, Cynthia Riggs captures the rich and varied setting of Martha's Vineyard---from colorful Gay Head cliffs to the motorcyclists' campground where Indian pipes blossom and die---in this stunning sixth Victoria Trumbull adventure.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Audiobook, Crime, Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 16, 2006

About the author

Cynthia Riggs, a tall gray-haired and imposing figure, is a 13th generation Islander, the mother of five and daughter of author and poet Dionis Coffin Riggs and school principal and printmaker Sidney N. Riggs.

With a degree in geology, her own remarkable resumé -- writing for the National Geographic Society and Smithsonian (she spent two months in Antarctica), working in public relations for the American Petroleum Institute, operating boat charters (she lived on a 44-foot houseboat for 12 years), running the Chesapeake Bay Ferry Boat Company, and being a rigger at Martha's Vineyard Shipyard. After enrolling six years ago in the Master of Fine Arts creative writing program at Vermont College, Riggs found yet another calling. She has become a successful mystery writer.

All her mysteries take place on the Vineyard, and all draw from local scenes and fictionalized composites of Island characters. She knows them all well, having been a two-time candidate for West Tisbury selectman ("No, I don't think I'll do that again"), a commissioner on the Martha's Vineyard Commission, a member of what is now the Martha's Vineyard Arts Council, and an active Island voice in both politics and human rights causes.

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Trumbull is one of my favorite fictional heroes: She lives in a wonderful house on Martha's Vineyard, has been deputized by the local police department, refuses to be politically correct, and is a poet. Oh, and she's 92 years...young.

As with the other entries in Cynthia Riggs' wonderful series, this mystery evokes a tremendous sense of place and, although Martha's Vineyard is portrayed beautifully as a haven in many respects, we never for a moment believe that it is perfect. Here, in addition to a pair of deaths, we're faced with the local political issues surrounding a casino proposed by the local Wampanoag tribal council and a motorcycle rally in town to raise money for charity. While it is escapist fiction, for sure, it's beautifully written escapist fiction with a heart and a sense of humor. I've been working my way slowly through this series for several years, always fighting the impulse to read one book after another.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

At least, there were only three murders. The actual murderer hardly seems plausible. The events, like a kidnapping, surely aren't forgivable. 92 year old women simply cannot do what Victoria does.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this because I was curious about what type writer Riggs is. I had just heard her story on The Moth radio hour, and was intrigued that she started writing these mysteries at quite an advanced age. She gives us all hope.

I think this would be classified as a "cozy mystery". One description of what cozy mysteries are comes from the Cozy Mystery List (https://cozy-mystery.com/definition-o...

"The cozy mystery usually takes place in a small town or village. The small size of the setting makes it believable that all the suspects know each other. The amateur sleuth is usually a very likeable person who is able to get the community members to talk freely (i.e. gossip) about each other. There is usually at least one very knowledgeable and nosy (and of course, very reliable!) character in the book who is able to fill in all of the blanks, thus enabling the amateur sleuth to solve the case."

Our hero is 92-year-old Victoria Trumbull. She lives on Martha's Vineyard among a small group of neighbors and is known for her sleuthing skill. In this book she actually discovers the body of a neighbor, engineer Jube Burkhardt, about a quarter of the way down a steep cliff. Local authorities believe he misstepped and fell down but the evidence appears to show that he died while climbing up the hill, injured.

Victoria is on the case. There appears to be a motive when she learns about Burkhardt's role in the evaluation of a site for a new casino. The casino plan is opposed by many on the island and favored by some of the more influential citizens.

There are also other possibilities, of course. A motorcycle group is on the island, kicking up some dirt and drawing complaints about noise. And there may be some more personal motives.

With the help of local law enforcement, Victoria draws a line under it. I don't really know the reason for the title: Indian pipes are a plant also known as the corpse plant, so maybe it's more symbolic than anything else, considering these plants do grown in the area.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have listened to all of Cythia Riggs on my mp3 player. I like the narrator- Davinia Porter. She does a great job of providing the different voices necessary to the narration. This story was interesting and I kind of guessed who did it aboout 2/3 of the way through and later on found out that I was correct. But that didn't disappoint me. There were alot of loose ends but they were all tied together nicely and answered at the end. I enjoy stories based on Martha's Vineyard as I've been there and really love the place. It's fun to read about places that actually exist and be able to picture it clearly in your mind.

[Nancyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like all the main characters in this book, & especially enjoy the fact its on "Martha's Vineyard". It kept me interested throughout. I was finally glad to read that Victoria's granddaughter finally got a boyfriend. I wish he had had a bigger role in the book though. And I would enjoy more input from Elizabeth in future books. The only things that bothered me was the fact that Chief Oneil wants to send Victoria to the police academy-that was so far fetched it was ridiculous. And also the fact at 92 she was able to climb up that loft. But all & all it was an enjoyable read.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hey, when they’re good they’re good - and this 6th Victoria Trumbull outing is a tour-de-force for Cynthia Riggs. Lots of plot, interesting characters, action aplenty and a whiz-bang satisfying ending. It don’t get better than that!
The island Indian tribe is split on the question of a gambling casino - should it be a huge land-based complex on Rez property or a floating casino tied up to a dock yet to be built? Feelings run high, but when murder pays a visit, Victoria’s antennae rise and survey the situation. Before long, she’s locked into the issue and on the trail. Great stuff.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one. Victoria is a hoot. As for all the reviewers who think a 92-year-old can't do things, I disagree. I am currently dog-sitting for an 87-year-old who lives alone and is gone for the week because she drove herself over 2 hours to Cape Cod to vacation alone. So I can picture her and know that Victoria is not so far-fetched. I also love the setting and the descriptions of the Cape.

The narrator of these books does a fantastic job.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victoria Trumbull is extremely entertaining, even when in danger. Her confidence was a little shaken in this book, but she returns to her old self after solving the mysteries. Sadly I think this is the last of this series that has been recorded and while I'm sure I'll read them, it won't be the same as the wonderfully appropriate voice of Davina Porter.

[K.V. Martins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think you might need to be from Martha's Vineyard or know the area to really appreciate this book. I found it a bit difficult to place myself in the village where the action takes place. It's a cosy mystery because of the setting. Didn't really connect with 92-year-old "amateur detective," Victoria Trumbull, but a good read nevertheless. I do like older characters as detectives. A bit slow-paced and the dialogue didn't always sound natural to me.

The Indian Pipes title had me confused until I found out it is a plant (and not referring to ceremonial pipes used by the Wampanoag indigenous people in the book). This is book #6 in Rigg's Martha's Vineyard Mysteries), and I might read the previous ones.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

While some in the Native Indian tribe push to bring a casino to the Indian lands on the Island, others are opposing the proposal. A series of killings gets Victoria Trumball, 92 YO island resident, involved in solving the mystery. In the pursuit of justice, Victoria is threatened, kidnapped and almost a victim herself. Good book in the series. The descriptions of Martha’s Vineyard and it’s people are very good!

[Crystal Toller · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Victoria Trumbull spots someone in trouble on the cliff while visiting a friend, she sends her granddaughter for help. How this person's death leads to a local Indian tribe and their plans for a casino and the dead person's house burning down and his niece being killed makes for a great story. I did not like the way Victoria put herself in harm's way to capture the killer but a good story even so.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Land on Cape Cod is valuable and when competing groups want to build a casino, along with groups who don't want a casino, land becomes even more valuable and greed comes into play. And when first an inspector who decides whether a given site can support the plumbing system needed by a casino dies, then others are found dead there's no shortage of murderer candidates.

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listen to a book in this series when I have a head cold and need to sleep through the day until I’m recovered and my typical head cold tv options are too interesting to sleep through. 😂 Works like a charm. Actually developing a mild affection for some of the characters, so that’s positive.

[gkbowood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Getting harder to buy into the fantasy of Victoria's physical capabilities, specifically, that long walk in stocking feet. Otherwise I really love this series!

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was ok,but I didn't really care for it.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Victoria Trumbull is 90+ years old, a life-long resident of Martha’s Vineyard and an interesting character. While this is basically a cozy mystery, Victoria is not like most cozy heroines. First off, she is not a young woman who may get involved with the police officials on the case or some other character. Secondly, she doesn’t go off half-cocked to investigate on her own, as so many cozy heroines do. In fact, the local sheriff, a woman, has made Victoria her deputy. Victoria is invaluable in helping the sheriff navigate the history of the island and the familial relationships of the locals. Plus, she’s an astute judge of people and a natural detective.

However, she does set herself up as bait in this book in order to catch the killer. This was probably not the smartest move on her part; especially since it was bit close in this book. I do get tired of some of the political intrigue in this series. In this book, it involves the Native American’s of the island and the possibility of a casino on the island for the tribe. There just seems to be so many shady characters in tribe or in a previous book the town officials, that it gets a bit tiresome at times, but so far it does not detract from the books. I look forward to the next book.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

The building of an Indian Casino in Martha's Vineyard causes many people to get upset and several people to even lose their lives to fuel the greed the project engenders. Victoria Trumbull who is 92 years old and an assistant to the chief of police smells foul play and sets a trap to catch the person responsible for the crimes and nearly loses her own life in the process.

[Arizonagirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Martha's Vineyard series, book #6. Ghost plants. Indian motorcycle pipes. A plan to build a casino on the Indian reservation. A dead uncle. This is the last book in the series that my library has available and I'm not sorry to stop listening to these. I'm not sure if it's the writing or the narrator, but the dialogue seems forced and awkward and I'm not really interested in reading more.

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The protagonist is 92, but pretty lively. It had an interesting set up, but the execution was rather lame. I just thought there was was too much repetition and the culprit was pretty obvious from the start. It was okay, but I doubt I'll read the rest of the series.

[Sandy Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story and the 92 year old protagonist. A bit unrealistic to think that a 92 year old could do the active sleuth work that Victoria was able to do.

The descriptions of the setting really helped me to visualize the story. I will definitely be reading more from this series.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, characters are well-drawn and while this IS fiction, it presents a different side to Martha's Vineyard than what many of us may have in mind when we hear the name. This was the first of the series I've read, I will read others.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mystery was a bit less convoluted than the last. I still like Victoria and the people she knows.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're into mysteries, this might be for you. As I am not a huge mystery reader, I was not pulled into the story as much as I would have liked.

[Olgalijo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this series is pretty much standard fare cozy, I really enjoyed reading about Mrs. Trumbull, as she is the most endearing of main characters.

[Carol Heiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

So-so but I still love the series.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty good story starring Victoria Trumbull. 92 year old lady who lives on Martha's Vineyard solves another strange murder.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrated by the wonderful Davina Porter, this complex tale of graft,corruption and murder solved by a ninety-two year old protagonist is entertaining, and even informative.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victoria Trumbull murder mystery.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

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