Three-Decker Murder in a Nutshell: A Nutshell Murder Mystery

by Frances McNamara

In November 1919 a woman is found dead. Police assume she fell from the back porch of a three-decker in East Boston. At the funeral home, they discover she was shot. Medical examiner Magrath is furious at newly hired police detective Peter Attwood for the mistake. Since the police strike in September, experienced Irish detectives like McNally have been blackballed and inexperienced men like the Harvard student have been hired. Frances Glessner Lee is determined to help both Magrath and young Peter who is grandson to her widowed friend. Lives of Boston Brahmins and Irish clash as they hunt for the truth.

This is the second in a series of fictional stories roughly based on the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Over twenty miniature crime scenes were used from the 1940s to the present to train police detectives. Set in the 1920s, these stories imagine Frances Glessner Lee working with Dr. George Magrath to learn about “legal medicine” as forensic science was known at the time. Working with Magrath provided the foundation for the miniatures for which Frances Glessner Lee has become known as the “Mother of Forensic Science.”

243 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2024

About the author

Frances McNamara grew up in Boston, where her father served as Police Commissioner for ten years. She has degrees from Mount Holyoke and Simmons Colleges, and formerly worked as a librarian at the University of Chicago. When not working or writing she can be found sailing on the Charles River in Boston or beaching on Cape Cod.

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Reviews

[JB Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t typically read this genre so I may not be the best reviewer but the further I got into this book the more I enjoyed it. I wasn’t able to figure out how the book would end until about 25 pages from the end which is unusual for me. I enjoyed the historical aspect and learning more about Boston and crime scene investigation in 1919. The places and even some people were familiar to me. The characters were well drawn and the plot interesting. I found the beginning slow which is why I gave it 3 stars instead of 4. I reserve 5 star rating for my absolute favorite books so three stars is a solid enjoyable read for me.