 | #063 "Murder Marsh"
Vol. 11, No. 3 Published: 10/01/34 Submitted: 12/15/33 as "Mystery Mansion" Author: Walter Gibson Review date: Aug 03, 2001 |
MURDER MARSH was originally published in the October 1, 1934 issue of The Shadow Magazine. It's an early story, and oooohhh it's a good one! It takes place in a mysterious house in the center of a foggy old marsh. It's the house of Thaddeus Culeth - the smoothest crook in the business - and the dirtiest. He's dead now, and his fortune in ill-gotten gains is hidden somewhere on the premises. Who will find it? Only The Shadow knows!
The entire estate is going to a distant relative - a young fellow named Hector Lundig - who never saw Thaddeus Culeth. Lundig isn't interested in the place, and is anxious for a quick sale to anyone crazy enough to buy the old mansion. Up steps strange old Wildemar Brent. He's a scientist looking for those mysterious marsh lights known as the ignis fatuus. Commonly known as the will-o'-the-wisp, it's a pale, bluish-colored flame that is frequently seen in swampy places. He's convinced that the house on the marsh is the perfect place from which to seek the ignis fatuus.
But before the sale can be completed, Lundig is murdered! Now a search for the next relative in line begins. And in the meantime, Wildemar Brent and his young niece, the beautiful, young Miss Dorothy Brent, continue to live in the house in the swamp. Every night, when the sun goes down, he goes out into the marsh, leaving her alone in the house. He sneaks into the mist, searching through the night fogs for the ignis fatuus. But all the while, someone is searching the house for old Thaddeus Culeth's hidden treasure.
Murder strikes again! Detective Merle Cray is killed while investigating the death of young heir Hector Lundig. Strange footsteps are heard in the house. And strange tappings. Then another murder! This time, faithful old servant Twindell is killed. What's behind the whole thing? Who is seeking the death of the inhabitants of the strange old mansion? Where is the hidden treasure? Why is the main door left unbolted in the middle of the night? How do mysterious figures secretly enter the mansion without detection? When will the next murder occur? These questions are all answered by that master detective, the mysterous cloaked figure who is master of the night, The Shadow!
One of my favorite gadgets appears in this story: those wonderful rubber suction cups which The Shadow attaches to his hands and feet to cling to the brick surface of a building. With their aid, he can climb the sheer outside walls of buildings or cling batlike to the surface of the brick. Any time they appear in a story is worthy of note.
In this story, Clyde Burke appears in a small role. Harry Vincent appears in an even smaller role. Burbank makes a brief appearance, as does Cliff Marsland. The law is not represented. Neither Joe Cardona nor Commissioner Weston appear; similarly government agent Vic Marquette is absent. The only representative of the law might loosely be considered to be the detective Merle Cray. But he's killed by mid-story.
And most strikingly, The Shadow only appears as himself. There is no appearance by Lamont Cranston, Kent Allard, Henry Arnaud, or any of his other well-known disguises. When The Shadow shows up, its in his well-known cloak of black and slouch hat. And when he does, you know that action is impending. There's gonna be some shootin'! There's gonna be some action! And The Shadow's gonna come out on top!