The Case of the Mythical Monkeys

Perry Mason #59

by Erle Stanley Gardner

It all begins when Gladys Doyle, secretary to best-selling author Mauvis Meade, loses her way and is obliged to seek shelter overnight in a remote mountain cabin. In the bleak light of the next morning, Gladys finds herself marooned-with a corpse!

Ever a champion of lovely ladies in distress, Perry Mason promptly offers his services. Bute... very shortly thereafter the District Attorney is demanding Mason's arrest on charges of interfering with a murder investigation and suppression of evidence. Furthermore, the only witness who can clear his innocent client is not permitted to take the stand.

If only Miss Meade hadn't seen all, heard all, and told considerably in excess of all about the Los Angeles rackets, perhaps the state would not have literally "thrown the book" at Perry Mason-but they did! And the celebrated lawyer, with his accustomed skill, throws it right back!

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Detective, Thriller, Legal, Audiobook

188 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1959

About the author

Erle 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...

Reviews

[Tim Blackburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It always sounds simple when he explains it,” Della Street said.

Truer words have never been written!! I loved Della's statement at the end of this case. A sultry, tell-all author, a crime syndicate figure, a covert Federal investigation, an ambitious shady operator, and a jilted spouse all combine to get Perry's client charged with murder. Throw in red herrings throughout the adventure and a snarky appearance by Hamilton Burger made this case really fun to read and guess along with Della and Paul Drake. Solid book in the Perry Mason series.

[Jc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sure, Gardner had a "formula" behind his mystery novels; and some critics have emphasized that even in California, courts would NEVER put up with his nonsense. But, so what? -- these are still great "lite" (even if formulaic) mysteries with great characters. Always good, if simple lawyer/detective stories (courtroom versions of "cozies"). I can't resist them. So, three cheers for E.S.G.'s great escapist reads. I had to re-watch the TV (R.Burr) series version of "Mythical Monkeys," and was fascinated how they changed certain details to make it fit the 1-hr. TV format. Both versions work, and reading one and watching the other helps one appreciate how talented (if technically questionable) E.S.G. was. There might be issues with his detail, but damn, I wish I could write like him.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite of the Mason's but I admit my attention was half divided at the beginning.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this one for a book group. It was a pretty good retro time in spite of the sexism and corny jokes.

[Richa · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a long time, a real good, meaty Perry Mason book. I really enjoyed this one. Full of intrigue, glamour, innuendoes, mystery, smart quips... everything you need in a good Mason Murder Mystery.
I was surprised to see that this is the 60th case in the series. I thought, it might have been his earlier cases, since it is kind of interesting.
Usually, it has been my observation, that when an author writes 70-90 books, in the mystery genre especially, there is hardly and novelty during the fag end of the series. The books become tad repetetive. I was pleasantly proven wrong by this book. :)
Looking forward to more Masons.

[Versel Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

For reasons that are not relevant here, I decided to pick up an old Perry Mason book (one I haven't read in over 20 years, maybe 30) and read it again. I chose this book for no particular reason.

Even though you know how it is going to end (hint--Perry's client gets off), it doesn't change the wonderful writing of Gardner whose courtroom scenes are still hundreds of layers above Grisham.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a Perry Mason. A Perry Mason I hadn't read yet. What's not to like!

[Helin Puksand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirjaniku Mauvis Mead saadab oma sekretäri Gladys Doyle'i enda asemel reklaamiagendiga kohtuma ja näitab talle, kuidas mägedest otseteed kasutades ära tulla. Gladys aga pöörab valele teele ja tema auto jääb mudasse kinni. Sekretär leiab mägionni, kus teda võtab vastu tõre noormees. Hommikul ärgates avastab aga Gladys, et kõrvaltoas on laip. Muidugi on peamiseks kahtlusaluseks sekretär, kuid advokaat Perry Mason paneb oma oskused mängu, et tõestada vastupidist.
Ma ei ole Gardneri lugusid varem lugenud, nii et Perry Mason pole mulle varasemast tuttav. Tegemist on sellise rahuliku krimkaga, kuigi mõrtsukas tuli välja praktiliselt lõpus ja vähemalt mina ei osanud seda inimest kahtlustada.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gladys Doyle attends a meeting for her employer and is sent the wrong way on a shortcut. Stranded in bad weather, she spends the night in a cabin and wakes up to find the occupant gone and a dead body in the room.

Perry Mason soon finds himself caught up in intrigue and suspense as Gardner skillfully weaves a mystery which is guaranteed to keep readers turning the pages.

[Milt Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one armed gardener did it. OOPS

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#59 in the Perry Mason series. I'm showing my age here, but as I read about the female author and her scandalous book, I couldn't help thinking of Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls (1966); maybe this 1959 mystery was an inspiration. There is a very unusual variation on Mason's usual courtroom climax; but it works and is a suitable conclusion to this complex mystery.

Perry Mason series - Gladys Doyle's luxurious ski weekend, courtesy of her employer, takes a sharp turn for the worse when she heads home on Sunday. Heavy storms force her to seek shelter with a surly stranger in a lonely mountain cabin. Next morning there's a dead man in the bedroom, the mysterious host has disappeared, and poor Gladys's fingerprints are all over the murder weapon. Her desperate plight sends Perry Mason ice-fishing in dangerous waters--for a catch that includes a silk scarf curiously decorated with monkeys, a pristine tea kettle, a bodyguard who takes care of his clients permanently, and a vicious bottom feeder hungry for prey

[Erskine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of Gardner's better efforts in the Perry Mason series. Several of his usual tropes are abandoned in favor of some fresh story telling.

[Rupesh Goenka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Perry mason mystery has everything - sex, sophistication, flair & high courtroom melodrama. INTELLECTUAL & IRRESISTIBLE.

[Tom Donaghey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Mythical Monkeys (P. Mason #59) (1959) by Erle Stanley Gardner. Although this book is currently 66 years past its first publishing date, it continues to be fascinating and fresh. Certainly there are some things that are hallmarks of a past time (rotary dial phones, the need to find a phone booth, having to wait by the phone to capture a message of importance) they also garner the reader’s curiosity when it comes to wondering how anything of importance, let alone all the nonsense that currently thrives in our culture, gets done. The Perry Mason books, as all the novels of any ilk of the time, gives a glimpse back into those days.
And they also provide damn good mysteries, great continuing characters, enough villains, cheats, liars and all around scoundrels to populate hundreds of dark tales of human nature. I am most impressed by the sheer volume of Mr. Gardner’s work. Besides the 80 or so Lawyer Mason stories there is another 40 plus tales with a “legal” setting. The D.A. Calls It Murder flips the Perry Mason model and follows a very similar jurist except this man is the District Attorney.
The Case of the Mythical Monkeys has the usual cast, Mason, Della Street his almost over qualified confidential assistant, and detective par excellent, Paul Drake. With this case we have a grand set-up. Gladys Doyle is personal assistant to a fresh, new, prominent writer whose sole book smashes to the top of the lists with its combination of sex, tell-all (with changed names of course) and sex. It appears the studio that has optioned the film rights wants some publicity for the coming film so a meeting is set between a “studio” writer and the author. A popular ski lodge is the setting. Gladys is sent in lieu of the writer who feels something is dodgy about the situation.
The weekend goes well between the handsome couple schussing their way into each others good graces, but nothing really happens until the Sunday evening drive back down the mountain. Due to some strange circumstances, Gladys is following a “short cut”, makes a wrong turn and gets trapped in a mud hole courtesy of the snow that has turned to a gusher of rain further down the hillside. It is night, she can’t get the car to move and it is getting colder. Becoming a wee bit uneasy, she leaves the car and heads down the mud encrusted roadway, only to discover a cabin a short distance away. The man there seems not to want her around but, seeing her drenched, shivering with cold and nearly off her feet with exhaustion, He invites her in.
That is when the real trouble begins.
Mason is put upon by Gladys to help her straighten out what has happened, but murder is involved, the D.A. is looking at the girl as the killer, and her boss the writer is no where to be found.
It is a twisted tangled case with the Federal government getting involved and almost no hope for Gladys. But of course, Perry, Della and Paul are on the case. Together the four for the defense are not to be stopped.

[Mike Billington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I was a fan of the original Perry Mason television series, I had never read any of author Erle Stanley Gardner´s novels about the iconic attorney.
This year, however, I decided that I would step away from my usual habit of reading current Indie authors almost exclusively and reach back to sample writers from the past such as Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Rex Stout, and Gardner.
I´m glad I did because as much as I enjoyed actor Raymond Burr´s portrayal of Mason, I discovered in this novel that the attorney with the razor-sharp mind is a far richer and much more interesting character than the one who appeared on television.
(This is not a criticism of the television writers who brought Mason to life on the screen. Novels, by their very nature, are generally richer in detail and character development than television programs owing to the fact the author has more room to develop them. That was especially true in the 1950s when most television dramas such as ¨Perry Mason¨ were only 30 minutes long and had commercial breaks thrown in as well. It´s difficult to develop characters beyond a superficial level and also tell a story in that short a time period.)
The plot of this novel centers on the murder of a man who is discovered lying dead in a remote cabin by a young woman who had sought refuge there during a storm. The young woman is the confidential secretary to a female author who has hit the big time with a novel about sex, drug addiction, gangsters, and shady dealings. The author herself was supposed to go to a luxury ski resort to meet with a man representing the movie studio that wants to turn her book into a blockbuster film but sent her secretary instead, allegedly because she just didn´t feel like going. Because of the storm, the young secretary´s car gets stuck in the mud on a dirt road and that forces her to seek a place to spend the night.
From there the plot thickens and Mason comes very close to breaking the law on more than one occasion when he agrees to represent the young woman who finds herself accused of the murder.
Gardner writes in a staccato style and much of the action is more cerebral than action oriented. As a result, readers searching for a shoot-em-up thriller with a dash of sex thrown in that is the hallmark of, for example, novelist Ian Fleming´s James Bond adventures will likely be disappointed. I, however, found Gardner´s narrative style refreshing.
This was my first foray into the Perry Mason novels but I guarantee it won´t be the last because ¨The Case of the Mythical Monkeys¨ is a really excellent read.

[Skjam! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Working as a secretary for scandalous writer Mauvis Meade was a pretty good gig for Gladys Doyle. She didn’t ask too many questions when Mauvis asked her to take a meeting at a ski resort with a Hollywood publicist. Her boss even gave her instructions on a special shortcut to take on the way back!

But it seems Gladys took a wrong turn in the rain and dark, because the car gets stuck in a mudhole. This might be California, but winter is still too cold to wait in the car until dawn without blankets, so Gladys heads to the one cabin she can see with a light on. The handsome man who answers clearly does not want her there, and answers only to “Joe.” He is prevailed upon to let her stay in the spare bedroom, on the condition that she doesn’t bother him while he works.

When Gladys wakes up at dawn, the cabin is cold, Joe is not present, and her car is out of the mudhole. But in the other bedroom is a dead man with a rifle beside him. In the tradition of innocent people who discover a corpse in fiction, Gladys promptly picks up the rifle, leaving her fingerprints on it, before realizing that she needs to get out of there. When she returns to the apartment she shares with Mauvis, Gladys sees that it’s been ransacked. At this point, she remembers the one lawyer in town that might be able to help her–Perry Mason!

Yes, it’s another case for the celebrity defense attorney, his secretary Della Street, and detective Paul Drake. This book has a decently large part for Lieutenant Tragg of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Homicide Division. His plodding but thorough investigative methods mean that he’s often left behind when Mason is playing one of his risky gambits, but the lawyer knows he can rely on Tragg to do a good job making a case.

The monkeys of the title are the “no evil” trio, printed on a scarf left at the scene of the crime. Perry Mason conceals this discovery from the police, which puts him at risk of breaking evidence laws. Or does it?

A couple of characters have tender consciences, which is both good and bad for Perry. And then one of the witnesses has a secret that allows our crafty hero to bend the rules of court procedure considerably, leading to the exposure of the real killer.

This is a good example of the Perry Mason novels, though the set up requires a lot of coincidence to make it work. It also made a pretty good episode of the TV series. Check your library or used bookstore.

[R.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read Perry Mason before but I ended up with a few copies after a library sale and so started this one. I was immediately drawn into the case (and there was a Sherlock Holmes reference that made me laugh out loud)!

I was surprised at how dialogue-driven the writing is, and even more surprised that I actually liked it! I'm typically drawn to more descriptive styles of writing *ahem Hemingway*, but this was very entertaining! We are given only the pertinent details necessary to the current plot, and very little more, relying entirely on conversations to fill in the blanks for us. Now, that may be because I picked up book #59 as my starting point, but I found it super easy to follow. Frankly, this book was altogether enjoyable to read.

I've said before that I've related to female characters in fiction, but it's always just little pieces here and there, like personality traits or internal struggles. However, Della Street is quite possibly my favorite female character of all time now because, as a woman working with only men on a daily basis, I related to her SO MUCH (in this book, this is my first Perry Mason novel). Her constant reminders of "now boys, we need to eat" and her responses to them trying to leave her behind for "safety"... She just pushes them out of the way and walks through the mud in her heels and climbs through the window...pure gold. When she told Mason, "I'd like to remain on speaking terms with my stomach", I lost it. Girl knows her way around the language of "snark" and can handle herself in a room full of men! I was also pretty impressed by how present she was in the story, considering that this series is from the 50s. Hopefully, the whole series includes Della as much as this one did, because she was truly the icing on the cake in this book.

Overall, I have three more Perry Mason novels in my library and I will most likely dive into another one this evening!

Content notice: This book is definitely in line with the "cozy mystery" style, however, the topic does focus on a woman who frequently uses her body to persuade men to her will, and therefore there are some risque comments made throughout the novel (Perry Mason's responses had me laughing so hard, y'all). However, there is no spice or on-page romance of any kind. A few mild curse words dropped, but nothing above PG-13.

[Chazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gladys Doyle answers an ad for “an experienced good-look secretary, hostess and companion, not over twenty-four, not under twenty-two, poised, close-mouthed and diplomatic.” Gladys gets the job, along with her own beautiful corner bedroom in her employer’s penthouse apartment, as it is a twenty-four-hours-a-day job.

Gladys Doyle’s is Mauvis Mean, authoress of the recent best-selling novel, “Chop the Man Down.” It is quite a racy and gritty book about a small town girl surviving in the big city. Seems there are references to some important and dangerous people.

After a month of secretarial duties, screening incoming calls and other similar tasts, Mauvis gives Gladys a job on the local ski slopes. Gladys is to meet with a PR man, from the studio who bought the rights to “Chop the Man Down.” Mauvis doesn’t want to be bothers, so she is sending her personal, confidential secretary.

Mauvis give Gladys money for expenses, her car to use, the use of the apartment she keeps in reserve at the ski lodge and a shortcut from the lodge, back down the hill and back to the city.

All goes well until the return trip home. A storm breaks out making driving and visibility close to impossible. Gladys takes a wrong turn and ends up stranding the car. She finds a cabin nearby and takes shelter. The man who opens the door isn’t very happy about her appearance, but lets her stay. When she wakes up the next morning, the man is gone. Instead, there is another man the cabin — a dead man.

A name Mauvis had mentioned stuck in Gladys’ mind — Perry Mason.

Perry takes the case, but knows it won’t be simple. To win he will have to stay ahead of Lieutenant Tragg, and Tragg is on the move to win.

Another case where Perry seems to pull rabbits out of hats — but this time it is a scarf with three monkeys on it — hear — see — speak.

[Serdar Poirot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glayds Doyle, Mauvis Maede adında meşhur bir yazarın sekreteridir ve onun isteği üzerine bir gün bir gazeteci ile buluşmaya dağlık bir yere gider. Burada bir haftasonu geçirdikten sonra dönüşte yazarın belirttiği yerden döner ama kaza yapar. Bir eve sığınır. Bu evde bir adamla karşılaşır. Gece o evde kalır. Ertesi gün odaya girdiği zaman başka bir adamı ölü bulur. Ölen kişinin Joey adında bir adam olduğu öğrenilir. Gladys Mason'a gelir ve yardım ister. Mason, Della ve Paul ile eve gider ve araştırma yapar. Burada bir atık ve mermi kovanları bulur. Atkı Maede'e aittir. Joey'in karısı ile de görüşürler. Sürekli temizlik yapan kadın elinde eldiven ile karşılar onları. Irlington adlı bir savcı yardımcısı dava açar. Gladys aleyhine baya bir delil var görünür. Evdeki bazı parmak izleri kimseye uymaz. Bu arada Gladys ile beraber kalan adamı da bulamazlar. Ama Mason dava sürecinde öğle arasında bu adamı bulur. Bu adam devlet adına çalışmaktadır ve bir mali suç örgütü ile uğraşmaktadır. Maeve de inceleme altındadır. Ama Joey kim tarafından öldürülmüştür? Maeve neden korkmaktadır? Mason, Hamilton Burger'a rağmen bu işi çözebilecek midir? Keyifle okunan bir roman.

[Amit Bikram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike a few recent Perry Mason books that I have read (mostly written in the 50s and 60s), this book has a plot that continues to thicken right up to the final page, where significant portions of the truth are revealed. This book diverges significantly from the usual courtroom scene, with a location change making for a frantic ending to the case. Overall though, the action is slow for most parts and the plot doesn't throw off a sinister vibe even though it was warranted.

For casual Perry Mason readers, this book (in fact most books written post-1960) wouldn't be rated a must-read (would rate it a could/should read at max). However, long-time Mason fans seeking to read an irregular plot and happy to enjoy a different variant of the usual courtroom action can pick up this book. For those significantly invested in the story and determined to solve the case before it eventually unfolds, this isn't the book.

Confused between 3 and 4 stars, would rate it 3.5, to be honest.

[Greg Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

We know pretty much from the beginning that the accused is an innocent victim, guilty only of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mauvis Niles Meade has written a sensational bodice ripper that may touch a little too closely on autobiography. To avoid an embarrassing interview, she sends her secretary Gladys in her stead, providing directions to a short-cut to help her make a hasty retreat. When the directions disappear, Galdys copies them over from Mauvis' hand drawn map, not noticing that the map takes her in an entirely different direction - into the path of murder and intrigue!

As does the heroine in her "tell-all", Mauvis has associated with men who are perhaps too well connected with the mob. It seems that she might have another tale to tell, on the witness stand. Mason does, of course, get to the bottom of this seedy tale, clearing his own reputation in the process.

[Indu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have probably read all of Perry Mason mysteries by now. They never get old and the pace is really nice. I love the court room drama and though i have tried watching the series on TV I picture Perry Mason in a completely different fashion, that i just can't bear to watch the series. I love the books and i always go back to reading them when i need to read something light and fun. I found this website where you have most of the books online to read for free.
Try them, I am sure you will come away with a great appreciation for Erle Stanley Gardner.
Gladys the secretary, Meade the employer, a remote cabin a dead body a tell tale gun and blood marks on the defendant ....make for an interesting read!!

[Brent Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Perry Mason books, but the last couple haven't quite been up to par, insofar as the plotting goes. Here, Gardner's prosecution (meaning Gardner) fails to offer even a notion of a motive. For me, that was a drag on the entire book. There were a couple of bright moments, including a nice bit of business between Mason, Burger, and Lieutenant Tragg over a piece of evidence.

Of interest, I noticed in this book, written after the TV series began, that Gardner seemed to morph the literary Tragg into the Ray Collins image. Previously, Tragg was described as a tall, strong, middle-aged man ... through 50+ novels. I would have put in in his late 30s or early 40s. Here, Gardner had him "shuffle into the room", which definitely sounds like the movement of Ray Collins portrayal. LOL

[Syrdarya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Mauvis Meade decides not to go for a weekend meeting at a ski resort with a reporter and sends her secretary, Gladys Doyle, instead. Everything goes really well until Gladys drives home, and her car becomes stuck because of the mud in the forest. She walks to a cabin, seeking help, and encounters a surly man who reluctantly allows her to stay the night. To her shock, in the morning she discovers a dead body in the house, and she's the main suspect.

This is one of my favorite Perry Mason novels so far. In this one, all the characters seemed to be holding things back from Mason (apart from Della and probably Paul Drake), and he had to piece together the truth to help Gladys. Mauvis's ego made the novel even more fun to read than usual.

[Charles Pehlivanian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't really find fault with any of the Perry Mason titles. They are tightly-plotted, well-written gems. Some are awfully well-written. Gardner is the kind of writer who says "Della, let's go to the DA with this". The next sentence: "Good morning," stated Perry as he crossed the threshold of Hamilton's office door. No mention of the car ride, the elevator ride - not necessary. Buildup only when needed. These are quick, effortless reads, most of the plot carried by dialogue. And the plots - this one was no exception. Let's be honest, I guess the antagonist in about one of 5 of these or Ellery Queen's books. This one I did. Nice leadup. I think I'll read 20 more.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed all the Masons I've read, this was a solid one as well. Mason is having to represent a young woman who is the secretary of a best selling novelist, her book is controversial, full of sex and crime. His client was sent in her employer's stead to a meeting at a ski lodge with a publicist. On her returning she took a short cut and blundered into a murder that she eventually was held for. Mason of course investigates with his normal vigor and puts the pieces together in a courtroom showdown.

Highly recommended, was well written like anything Gardner does. Also the conclusion was a nice surprise, though honest in that you are given the clues, I just happened to fail at deciphering them.

[Len Knighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beverly Garland - Wife of Steve Douglas, played by Fred McMurray on the TV show MY THREE SONS;
Norman Fell - Played Mr. Roper on THREE’S COMPANY and THE ROPERS;
Louise Fletcher - Academy Award winner for her performance as Nurse Ratched in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST.

These actors all had prominent roles in the television production of this Perry Mason case, starring Raymond Burr. It is one of my favorites and I envisioned all the principals as I read the book. Yes, it was a bit different from the program, but the basics were the same. The legal technicalities bog down the reading but I enjoyed the book.

Four stars waning.

[John Bunyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

By now Gardner knows that the courtroom action is very important to the popularity of the series so it dominated the last half of the novel. The formula is Perry static with a preliminary hearing the prosecution wants to limit and the Perry Mason pulling the solution out of Burger’s ass.
Burger gets really slammed by the judge in this one.
The resolution typically requires a long explanation at the end. It must be have been tough for Gardner to come up with new scenarios but he does it.
The real problem with this one is that the murderer was obvious as soon as they appeared. But there is a lot more to the mystery that made this one complicated.

[Ashwin Dongre · Rating 4 out of 5]

So was Gladys Doyle purposefully led to be trapped in a murder? Or was it just a coincidence? Or was it a part of a bigger plan? This is yet another novel, in which almost all the characters are equally probable murderer, they all have a grey character. And you almost miss the real clue pointing to the real murderer (I did not, ;p ). The story become quite entangled and confusing, none of the incidences match to make the whole picture. Towards the end you do start getting a glimmer of the picture, before Mason puts light on it all.

Do read it, its quite nJoyable.

[Suvarna Reddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complicated yet logically simple.

Oh! I love Perry mason's way of solving murder mysteries. Earl Stanley Gardner depicts the court room scenes so well. Initially he seems to complicate all facts and characters but finally, it's just pure and simple logic. But hatsoff to the author for such real-life like novels. The twist in this story of the unsuspected Mrs.Manly finally evolving as the murderer is the highlight of the novel.