author
Perry Newberry
1870–1938
A lively early-20th-century writer who moved easily between journalism, fiction, and the stage, he also became a colorful civic figure in Carmel-by-the-Sea. His work ranges from adventure stories to mysteries, with a strong connection to California literary life.
1 Audiobook
The Million-Dollar Suitcase
by Alice MacGowan, Perry Newberry
About the author
Born in Union City, Michigan, on October 16, 1870, Perry Harmon Newberry was an American journalist, writer, actor, and producer. After newspaper work in Chicago and San Francisco, he settled in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, in 1910, where he became deeply involved in the town's artistic community.
In Carmel, he worked at the Forest Theater as an actor and producer and helped create large outdoor historical pageants. He also served the town in public life, including a term as mayor, which reflects how closely his literary and theatrical work was tied to the community around him.
As an author, Newberry wrote children's stories, adventure fiction, and mysteries, and he is especially remembered for books such as Castaway Island and Black Boulder Claim. He also collaborated with writer Alice MacGowan on mystery fiction. Newberry died on December 6, 1938.