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Doug Selby #8
The D.A. Takes a Chance
Erle Stanley Gardner. The D.A. Takes a Chance. London: William Heinemann, [1956]. First UK Edition. Octavo. 244 pages. Publisher's black cloth and dust jacket with 12s/ 6d net price.
- GenresMystery
244 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1948
4 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,367 books821 followersErle Stanley Gardner was an American lawyer and author of detective stories who also published under the pseudonyms A.A. Fair, Kyle Corning, Charles M. Green, Carleton Kendrake, Charles J. Kenny, Les Tillray, and Robert Parr.
Innovative and restless in his nature, he was bored by the routine of legal practice, the only part of which he enjoyed was trial work and the development of trial strategy. In his spare time, he began to write for pulp magazines, which also fostered the early careers of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. He created many different series characters for the pulps, including the ingenious Lester Leith, a "gentleman thief" in the tradition of Raffles, and Ken Corning, a crusading lawyer who was the archetype of his most successful creation, the fictional lawyer and crime-solver Perry Mason, about whom he wrote more than eighty novels. With the success of Perry Mason, he gradually reduced his contributions to the pulp magazines, eventually withdrawing from the medium entirely, except for non-fiction articles on travel, Western history, and forensic science.
See more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erle_Sta...
Innovative and restless in his nature, he was bored by the routine of legal practice, the only part of which he enjoyed was trial work and the development of trial strategy. In his spare time, he began to write for pulp magazines, which also fostered the early careers of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. He created many different series characters for the pulps, including the ingenious Lester Leith, a "gentleman thief" in the tradition of Raffles, and Ken Corning, a crusading lawyer who was the archetype of his most successful creation, the fictional lawyer and crime-solver Perry Mason, about whom he wrote more than eighty novels. With the success of Perry Mason, he gradually reduced his contributions to the pulp magazines, eventually withdrawing from the medium entirely, except for non-fiction articles on travel, Western history, and forensic science.
See more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erle_Sta...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 12, 2017
#8 in the Doug Selby series. This 1948 entry in the short lived counterpart to author Gardner's Perry Mason has Selby regaining his D.A. position after wartime military service. Series fans, as I am, will enjoy accompanying Doug, Sheriff Rex Brandon and faithful reporter Sylvia Martin as they negotiate the puzzle of a murdered party girl and avoid the snares and pitfalls set by nemesis Attorney A.B. Carr.
Political angles pitted against a murder investigation when Doug Selby and upright Sheriff Brandon refuse to be intimidated by criminal lawyer, A. B. Carr, who tries to lead them astray in a party girl's killing. Abetted by newspaperwoman, Sylvia Martin, Selby and Brandon box off Carr, follow their own noses, prevent more deaths, and get the goods on their criminal.
Political angles pitted against a murder investigation when Doug Selby and upright Sheriff Brandon refuse to be intimidated by criminal lawyer, A. B. Carr, who tries to lead them astray in a party girl's killing. Abetted by newspaperwoman, Sylvia Martin, Selby and Brandon box off Carr, follow their own noses, prevent more deaths, and get the goods on their criminal.
May 19, 2020
Major characters:
Jim Melvin, inventor/salesman of a new parking meter
Paula Melvin, his wife
Doris Kane, Paula's mother
Eve Dawson, a.k.a. Eve Hollenberg, aspiring actress
Eleanor "Babe" Harlan, Eve's roommate
Milton Granby
Hudson Parlin, investment broker; owner of the parking meter patent
Alphonse Baker Carr, "Old A.B.C"
Doug Selby, District Attorney
Rex Brandon, Sheriff
Sylvia Martin, reporter for The Clarion
Locale: Madison City, California
Synopsis: Doris Kane gets concerned after her just-married daughter, Paula Melvin, stops responding to her calls and letters. She sets out for Madison City to see what is going on, and finds Paul's house vacant, newspapers piling up on the step. She finds a key in the mailbox, and lets herself in to snoop. The house is dusty, with cigarette butts and empty glasses around, and in one bedroom she finds bloodstains on the bed and in the adjoining bathroom.
Doris appeals to Doug Selby. He and Sheriff Rex Brandon and Doris return to the house - without a warrant - and surprise - everything has been cleaned up.
After a tip, Paula and her husband, Jim Melvin, are found occupying a house in neighboring La Salidas. They invite Doris to stay but don't say anything about why they are in the wrong house.The house comes with a guest - aspiring actress Eve Dawson. Doris enters Eve's room to find her dead, stabbed. Her body also has evidence of a prior gunshot wound.
Review: For once, Doug Selby stays a step ahead of old A.B. Carr. Every time Selby encounters a Carr setup, he immediately recognizes it for what it is. I am even starting to like A.B. a bit now, his presenting a duplicate knife to Selby seems to be with the best intentions; and he and I share several characteristics (doesn't like to go out at night, doesn't drive fast, has a nice home library, etc)!
I have found my best way of reading any ESG yarn is to read it start to finish in one or two sittings. Once the action begins, it has a certain momentum; and if I set it aside a few days the momentum fades.
Overall, this was a great Selby - perhaps the best thus far. I didn't miss Inez Stapleton a bit.
Jim Melvin, inventor/salesman of a new parking meter
Paula Melvin, his wife
Doris Kane, Paula's mother
Eve Dawson, a.k.a. Eve Hollenberg, aspiring actress
Eleanor "Babe" Harlan, Eve's roommate
Milton Granby
Hudson Parlin, investment broker; owner of the parking meter patent
Alphonse Baker Carr, "Old A.B.C"
Doug Selby, District Attorney
Rex Brandon, Sheriff
Sylvia Martin, reporter for The Clarion
Locale: Madison City, California
Synopsis: Doris Kane gets concerned after her just-married daughter, Paula Melvin, stops responding to her calls and letters. She sets out for Madison City to see what is going on, and finds Paul's house vacant, newspapers piling up on the step. She finds a key in the mailbox, and lets herself in to snoop. The house is dusty, with cigarette butts and empty glasses around, and in one bedroom she finds bloodstains on the bed and in the adjoining bathroom.
Doris appeals to Doug Selby. He and Sheriff Rex Brandon and Doris return to the house - without a warrant - and surprise - everything has been cleaned up.
After a tip, Paula and her husband, Jim Melvin, are found occupying a house in neighboring La Salidas. They invite Doris to stay but don't say anything about why they are in the wrong house.The house comes with a guest - aspiring actress Eve Dawson. Doris enters Eve's room to find her dead, stabbed. Her body also has evidence of a prior gunshot wound.
Review: For once, Doug Selby stays a step ahead of old A.B. Carr. Every time Selby encounters a Carr setup, he immediately recognizes it for what it is. I am even starting to like A.B. a bit now, his presenting a duplicate knife to Selby seems to be with the best intentions; and he and I share several characteristics (doesn't like to go out at night, doesn't drive fast, has a nice home library, etc)!
I have found my best way of reading any ESG yarn is to read it start to finish in one or two sittings. Once the action begins, it has a certain momentum; and if I set it aside a few days the momentum fades.
Overall, this was a great Selby - perhaps the best thus far. I didn't miss Inez Stapleton a bit.
August 31, 2024
Doris Kane, kızı Paula ve damadı Jim Melvin'i ziyaret için Madison City'ye gelir ama evde bulamaz. Komşuya sorduğunda haberi olmadığını, zaten evden bir süre önce silah sesi geldiğini duyar. Eve girer ve kanlı havlular görür. Doug Selby ve Rex Brandon'a haber verince tekrar eve gelirler ama her şey yerli yerindedir. Jim'in patronu Hudson Parlin ve bir Hollywood yıldızı olan Eleanor Harlin de o gün Jim'in partisine katılmıştır. Doris en sonunda kızını bulur. Evde Eva Dawson adında bir kız daha vardır ve gece ölü bulunur. Partide vurulan kız da budur. Selby, Brandon ve Slyvia Martin ile olayı araştırmaya başlar. Eva'nın annesini bulur. Ama şüpheliler A. B. Carr'ın müvekkilidir. Evde bir gözlük kabı bulunur. Ayrıca ölüm aleti olan bıçağı Carr bulup getirir. Harlin'in evinden çıkan bıçak olduğu anlaşılır. Çünkü Carr verdiğinde dokunmadığı halde Brandon'un parmak izi çıkmıştır bıçakta. Bu arada Harlin, Doris ve Paula yedikleri çikolatadan dolayı uyumuştur. Doktor hepsinin hayatını kurtarır. Harlin, Carr'ın evinde gizli bir düzenek ile konuşmaları kaydettiğini söyler sarhoşken. Selby de Carr'ın evine gider. Ona hikayeyi anlatır. Eva'yı bıçaklayanın Harlin olduğunu söyler. Tutuklama emri olduğunu da ekler. Carr kızı görmediğini söyler ama evinde çıkar. Kayıtları da dinleyince emekli olmayı kabul eder. Peki katil kimdir? Çikolatalara uyuşturucuyu kim koymuştur? Gözlük kabı kime aittir? Bu zengin adamı Doug yakalayabilecek midir? Carr ve Harlin kefaletle serbest kalınca ne yapacaktır? Keyifle soluksuz okunan bir roman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2026
The D.A. Takes a Chance (1948) by Erle Stanley Gardner is the eighth book in the Doug Selby series, following a District Attorney who defies intense political pressure to solve the murder of Eve Dawson, a party girl killed after a wild, high-profile gathering. Despite efforts to frame her death as suicide, Selby and Sheriff Brandon uncover a conspiracy, culminating in a dramatic showdown where Selby uncovers evidence to dismantle the criminal activities of "A.B. Carr".
Key Details:
Plot: Hollywood party girl Eve Dawson is killed during a party attended by prominent politicians.
Conflict: Political figures attempt to hush up the case and influence the D.A..
Characters: Doug Selby (D.A.), Sheriff Rex Brandon, A.B. Carr (antagonist), Sylvia Martin (reporter).
Outcome: Selby breaks through the cover-up, finding the murderer and exposing the conspiracy.
The novel is known for its high-speed plot and focus on political corruption, marking one of Selby's most challenging cases.
Key Details:
Plot: Hollywood party girl Eve Dawson is killed during a party attended by prominent politicians.
Conflict: Political figures attempt to hush up the case and influence the D.A..
Characters: Doug Selby (D.A.), Sheriff Rex Brandon, A.B. Carr (antagonist), Sylvia Martin (reporter).
Outcome: Selby breaks through the cover-up, finding the murderer and exposing the conspiracy.
The novel is known for its high-speed plot and focus on political corruption, marking one of Selby's most challenging cases.
May 10, 2022
Nejvtipnější na tomhle příběhu byl závěr, kdy se A.B.C. honem v Mexiku či kde oženil s vyděračkou/vražedkyní, jen aby nemohli jeden proti druhému svědčit u soudu: sice uniknul soudu, ale dostal se do chomoutu. Navíc v Madison City si už ani neškrtne, díky Doughovi Selbymu. Jinak celý příběh protkává rudá linka politikaření, lidské hlouposti a závisti, jaká je u politiků hodně častá. Zatímco u příběhu DA kreslí kruh měl Selby stále jaksi navrch, tentokrát to dokonce chvíli vypadalo, že půjde všechno do kytek a Selby s šerifem od válu. Závěr však byl naprosto dokonalý, když Selby použil zlozvyk Carrův zvyk všechno nahrávat proti němu samotnému. Na to, jak je to stará detektivka, tak byla čtivá a napínavá.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2018
The ambience is that of 'Old California', of the pre-sixties small town variety. I would guess San Bernadino or Riverside county during the interbellum, the reader being informed that Los Angeles is a two hour drive. The plot isn't too bad; the characters are not very convincing. Not one of Gardner's best.
January 5, 2023
I might be in the minority but I actually like the Doug Selby books better than Perry Mason (and I love Perry Mason). This one does not disappoint. I only wish this series was longer.
August 25, 2016
Doug Selby investigates a death that everybody is proclaiming as suicide.
When Eve Dawson is found dead, everyone tries portray it as suicide, a doctor even gives a history of suicidal tendencies. But Doug Selby thinks otherwise and starts investigation. Immediately a lot of political pressure is brought on, this time direct pressure unlike previous novels, and yet Selby prevails.
The pace is good, keeps you on toes, guessing. What I liked about this book it that it did not boil my blood with opponents' bragging, which is good, because until this book, wherever that happened, it was not balanced with the glory. We are never given a good description of the glory when Selby prevails, so that left me with a feeling of incompleteness. But this book does not do that, whatever slandering is done, did not anger me. As a matter of fact we are given a whole page of glory, although its punctured a bit on the very next page. :)
Nevertheless, there is one good chapter towards the end where Selby faces ABC. It was an awesome read, finally ABC gets what Brandon wanted for so long! You can get the idea what it is if you have been reading the series so far, I wont write it here, but I guess you'd enjoy that chapter as well.
All in all, a good mystery, end might fall just a little short of the expectation, but I think this is one of the best books of the series.
When Eve Dawson is found dead, everyone tries portray it as suicide, a doctor even gives a history of suicidal tendencies. But Doug Selby thinks otherwise and starts investigation. Immediately a lot of political pressure is brought on, this time direct pressure unlike previous novels, and yet Selby prevails.
The pace is good, keeps you on toes, guessing. What I liked about this book it that it did not boil my blood with opponents' bragging, which is good, because until this book, wherever that happened, it was not balanced with the glory. We are never given a good description of the glory when Selby prevails, so that left me with a feeling of incompleteness. But this book does not do that, whatever slandering is done, did not anger me. As a matter of fact we are given a whole page of glory, although its punctured a bit on the very next page. :)
Nevertheless, there is one good chapter towards the end where Selby faces ABC. It was an awesome read, finally ABC gets what Brandon wanted for so long! You can get the idea what it is if you have been reading the series so far, I wont write it here, but I guess you'd enjoy that chapter as well.
All in all, a good mystery, end might fall just a little short of the expectation, but I think this is one of the best books of the series.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews