The Tule Marsh Murder

by Nancy Barr Mavity, Nancy Barr Mavity

Crime reporter Peter Piper solves his first case in this classic mystery inspired by a real investigation.


James Aloysius Piper, mostly known as Peter, is relentless when pursuing a story for his newspaper, the Herald. So when a woman’s body is found burned beyond recognition in the marsh near El Cerrito, he is even more eager than the local authorities to uncover her identity and find out what happened to her. Helping to solve the case is clinical psychologist Dr. Cavanaugh, who uses cutting-edge forensic techniques to glean crucial information from a few strands of the woman’s hair that escaped the flames.



After Cavanaugh’s discoveries tie the corpse to Sheila O’Shay, the missing wife of millionaire Don Ellsworth, it’s up to Peter Piper to use all of his craft and charm as a reporter to coax out any secrets the couple may have been hiding.



The Tule Marsh Murder was inspired by a real case that had captivated the San Francisco Bay Area public a few years earlier, and Dr. Cavanaugh is based on the pioneering forensic criminalist Edward Oscar Heinrich who became known as “America’s Sherlock Holmes.” Though Nancy Barr Mavity may not be remembered as vividly as her contemporaries, such as Mary Roberts Rinehart and Ellery Queen, her mystery novels were groundbreaking in their use of science in the detection of crime, with psychology and forensics frequently providing key clues to the solutions.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Classics, 20th Century, Mystery Thriller

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1929

Reviews

[tortoise dreams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Introduction, focused on the biography of the author, Nancy Barr Mavity (any Dr. Who fans?), was as interesting as the novel itself and well worth reading. Today Mavity is practically unknown and this is a valuable entry in Otto Penzler's American Mystery Classics series, bringing another lost author back to life. Mavity was a noted and accomplished newspaper journalist with a lengthy career in the Bay area, and this is the first of her six mysteries featuring reporter James "Peter" Piper. Piper sees himself as a hardbitten newspaperman, but is kind of "aw shucks" in his manner and a soppy mess in his romance. The mystery is a portrait of a sociopathic murderer with a twist ending in which much is revealed that the reader didn't know before. No spoiler, but this novel has something in common with Poirot's 1926 adventure. I enjoyed taking a time machine back to 1929 while reading this and would happily read more of Mavity's mysteries. [3★]

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read this book, I could hear my grandparents talking throughout it. This was their time. In this book we are introduced to a few characters that will continue into the 2nd book. It felt like the story spun in place at times but by the end it made sense. There are some really great characters involved in the story and the victim's demise would have found her at some point.

But the interesting part was reviewing how she affected people to such an intense degree. Also some really thoughtful reflections on humans and how they tick and also how people perceive the justice system.

Luckily Piper is just the man for finding out the truth. Nice story, c. 1929, and certainly reflects the hardships of the time. Not an easy author to find so if you do, get that book.

[Hans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Barr Mavity was recommended by a friend, Randal Brandt, when he learned about the reading challenge that I was doing (e.g. only reading books by female authors for 6 months). Randy shared a blog post he wrote, based off of research for a panel at Left Coast Crime 2015: Nancy Mavity Barr. She was a phenomenal woman.

The book is a fun read, which allows the reader to fall into the language of the past. Both word meanings and common word selection has changed a lot since 1929. The story feels like you are tossed in the middle of a 1930s movie--romance, drama, and stock characters. There are hilarious outbursts from the main character, reporter "Peter" Piper. The last portion is a less breezy and more didactic, though it is still a fun read.

If, through the magic of Inter-Library Loan, I can get my hands on other volumes, I certainly will read more of Nancy Barr Mavity's works.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing murder mystery that is less about the murder or the victim, and more about the psychology of murder and early forensic techniques. Told through the lens of Peter Piper, an ace reporter for the Herald newspaper, we follow a missing person's case that quickly turns into a homicide investigation. The police are essentially absent from the whole proceeding, which while in some way is inexplicable, at least it avoids the typical trope of the bumbling police detective. This is not without its flaws though, as their absence is a smear against them by default, as the case is run in absentia by the reporter and the forensic psychologist (or alienist as they were known then) who is also working on the case. I found the first third of the book a bit slow and tough to dig into, but it picked up momentum as it, and I thought the twist ending was quite innovative and different, especially given the book was written in the 1930s. A book I would definitely recommend for anyone interested in Golden Age mysteries.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine, a vintage mystery that held my interest. I wasn't blown away and dying to read more by this author but if I stumble across another book of hers then I will pick it up and read it.

I am not a fan of romances in my mystery novel so the love at first sight between the dashing young reporter and the beautiful adoptive daughter of the world-renowned psychiatrist fell flat to me. The reporter constantly comparing her to the child Alice in Wonderland I found creepy not beautiful.

I think my favorite parts of the book were first the 1920s NYC setting and second, all the discussions about therapy and psychology. Both so dated and also so entertaining! Also an entire trial from arrest to verdict in a matter of weeks is always good for a chuckle.

I didn't guess the twist in the end which is always nice. However, the author wrote it in such a way that no reader would be able to, which strikes me as unfair.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Rick Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Peter Piper #1 (of 6). The full series is:
The Tule Marsh Murder (1929)
The Body on the Floor (1929)
The Other Bullet (1930)
The Case of the Missing Sandals (1930)
The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging (1932)
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 to Orme to be discovered!

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.

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 inhabintants 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. I have two, only four to go! (Update - found them all!)

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of this author, Nancy Barr Mavity, before I came across this book recently at a local bookstore. She was a journalist in the San Francisco Bay area of California who first published this mystery in 1929. The story begins when a millionaire named Don Ellsworth consults Dr. Cavanaugh, a retired psychiatrist, to help him find his wife, Sheila O'Shay Ellsworth, who has gone missing. Not long after, a dead, burnt female body is discovered in the Tule Marsh. A reporter for the local Herald newspaper, James Aloysius "Peter" Piper, is assigned by his boss, Jimmy Sears, the Herald's city editor to cover the investigation. The body turns out to be Sheila's of course. In the story, Peter Piper is a main investigator. He meets Dr Cavanaugh's adopted daughter Barbara who knows things she refuses to tell Peter. He also works with Dr. Cavanaugh and Inspector Camberwell of the police. He interviews, among others, Mrs. Nellie Kane who had been Sheila's stage manager when she had been a theater star before she married Don Ellsworth, but she also refuses to tell him stuff she knows, but she had been the first to notify the police of Sheila being missing - Don the millionaire disliked the publicity that would come from reporting that. Peter comes across a guy named David Orme who has a mysterious past, who has suffered bouts of amnesia. And so, the story progresses to its twist of an ending.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't often read classic mystery, but I found this one intriguing. 1929 remnants of a body are found in the marsh and the invesitgation begins. This is a procedural, but the emphasis is on the journalist and his keen thinking along with a court approved expert witness. The author was a journalist first and then a crime writer. Her hands-on knowledge of both the court system and the newsroom enhanced the narrative. I enjoyed comparing the court protocol of then and now---not a lot of difference. The behavior of the journalists and investigators was far more invasive than anything that is allowed today. A fun read.

[Boston64329 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The perfect crime is solved but the murderer will never be know. I guessed who the real murderer was just as the trial was ending but it was only a guess without foundation which was provided in the last few chapters. It is interesting reading novels from previous generations. The relationships and roles of men and women are so different from today. We are better off for it and have a ways to go.

[Pharmacdon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A newspaper guy is our mystery solver. He trying to stay ahead of the newspapers to get the next big scoop. It becomes obvious to who the murderer is, I had my suspicions after the first chapter or two. Some parts become bogged down with unrealistic dialogue, but an interesting read with a reporter as the center of the investigation.

[Susie James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered a paperback reissue of Nancy Barr Mavity's "The Tule Marsh Murder" last week at the Winona, Miss., library and did enjoy the old-time newspaper writer's story, featuring "Peter" Piper, who in her scheme is a newspaper reporter.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i not know if any others , of nancy books have been replublished , they should be, as this book was a good read.