The Great Maritime Detective:
The Exploits and Adventures of the
Notorious Peachie Carroll
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by Monica Graham
Nimbus Publishing, Halifax, 2009, $17.95
Peter Owen Carroll, better known as “Peachie,” wore many hats. Born in Pictou, Nova Scotia, he was a bounty hunter, prospector, railway guard, sailor, and the list goes on and on. But his longest-running career was as a police detective.
His shady methods and ambitious ways saw him in and out of the job many times. But there can be no doubt from the facts presented in The Great Maritime Detective that Carroll was a “great detective.” Without the scientific methods available today, he sleuthed some of the toughest crimes of the late nineteenth century, including the New Brunswick murders of Eliza Dutcher and her son, and of police officer Joseph Steadman.
And Peachie was a character. A flamboyant self-promoter, his persona could certainly rival Inspector Poirot or Sherlock Holmes.
Author Monica Graham’s narrative begins a bit dry. But getting past the opening pages is worth the journey, as her book becomes a fun, entertaining read.
— Beverley Tallon (Read bio)
Beverley Tallon is a freelance writer and the former Assistant Editor for Canada's History.