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Perry Mason #78
The Case of the Queenly Contestant
QUEEN...OR KNAVE?
Twenty years ago, Ellen Adair took first prize in a beauty contest. Yet she hides a secret from those glory days. It seems Ellen was involved in an illicit affair with the son of a rich tycoon--a liaison that yielded an illegitimate heir. Now that the father's fortune is up for grabs, Ellen is ready to spill the beans so her son can collect the cash.
But certain other parties--with their eyes on the same multimillion-dollar prize--are out to prove that the so-called "heir" is nothing but a sham. A blackmailing nurse knows the truth, and has the proof. But when she turns up murdered, all eyes turn toward Ellen. Unless Perry Mason can crown the real killer, the queen's throne could turn into a real hot seat...
Twenty years ago, Ellen Adair took first prize in a beauty contest. Yet she hides a secret from those glory days. It seems Ellen was involved in an illicit affair with the son of a rich tycoon--a liaison that yielded an illegitimate heir. Now that the father's fortune is up for grabs, Ellen is ready to spill the beans so her son can collect the cash.
But certain other parties--with their eyes on the same multimillion-dollar prize--are out to prove that the so-called "heir" is nothing but a sham. A blackmailing nurse knows the truth, and has the proof. But when she turns up murdered, all eyes turn toward Ellen. Unless Perry Mason can crown the real killer, the queen's throne could turn into a real hot seat...
182 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
11 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,351 books817 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 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this somewhat dated Perry Mason mystery. I've only read a couple of others in the series but have for the most part enjoyed them. In this one a woman named Ellen Adair approaches Mason because she wants to find out what her rights are regarding privacy. A hometown newspaper is publishing a piece on her because twenty years earlier she had won a beauty contest and had supposedly gone to Hollywood for a screen test. But Ellen doesn't want anything about her to be made public. After going to Hollywood, she disappeared from the public eye and she wants it to remain that way. But is that all there is to the story? Well no. Turns out she had dated a prominent young man who inherited a large company. The man went to Europe after Ellen supposedly became pregnant by him. And now her illegitimate son stands to inherit millions. But did she really have the baby? Or is she involved in a scam to try to get the money? And then someone from her past is murdered and Ellen is the prime suspect...
I thought this was a fun and enjoyable escapade involving the Perry Mason I remember from the old TV series starring Raymond Burr. Della Street and Paul Drake are both there along with Lt. Tragg for the prosecution. This one was published in 1967—before cell phones, microwave ovens, and even air conditioning in some cases. Overall, very nostalgic! I have a few other Mason mysteries on my shelves that I really should try to read sometime soon.
I thought this was a fun and enjoyable escapade involving the Perry Mason I remember from the old TV series starring Raymond Burr. Della Street and Paul Drake are both there along with Lt. Tragg for the prosecution. This one was published in 1967—before cell phones, microwave ovens, and even air conditioning in some cases. Overall, very nostalgic! I have a few other Mason mysteries on my shelves that I really should try to read sometime soon.
June 12, 2017
This was a great entry in the Perry Mason series, one of his best. I'd love to see this one turned into a film, but it would have to be a period piece.
Perry's case this time is with a woman who wants to reveal nothing but asks much, and Perry as always is curious enough to bite. The case really goes in some unexpected directions and it truly had me guessing and surprised repeatedly. The final court scene somehow manages to be riveting while being a fairly straight forward procedure, largely because of the interesting personalities involved. Great stuff, Gardner at his finest.
Faced with lies at every turn, Perry relies not on the usual courtroom stunts he normally pulls, but instead focuses on evidence, logic, and uncovering the story.
Perry's case this time is with a woman who wants to reveal nothing but asks much, and Perry as always is curious enough to bite. The case really goes in some unexpected directions and it truly had me guessing and surprised repeatedly. The final court scene somehow manages to be riveting while being a fairly straight forward procedure, largely because of the interesting personalities involved. Great stuff, Gardner at his finest.
Faced with lies at every turn, Perry relies not on the usual courtroom stunts he normally pulls, but instead focuses on evidence, logic, and uncovering the story.
August 23, 2019
I got one of the most beaten-up books 📖 ever for $1.50 + S&H so I glued & pressed it back into serviceability. This was a late-life ESG & his devolvement into formulaity showed. Still, it was the type of thing that drew me like a moth to a flame in watching PM reruns as a kid with my late maternal grandmother. A fascination with the books 📚 grew out of it & while I was sometimes in over my head with them as a kid, now it was a quick nostalgic journey!
November 28, 2016
Another case with a lying client. In this one, Mason didn't want to be in it. One of the cases in which the prosecution gave Mason the lucky break.
I found this narrative a bit repetetive... Mason and Tragg keep repeating their theories unnecessarily. Looks like this book was written to meet deadlines.
I found this narrative a bit repetetive... Mason and Tragg keep repeating their theories unnecessarily. Looks like this book was written to meet deadlines.
February 6, 2017
Typical fun read with Perry Mason and his sidekick Della Street. No spoilers!
A woman with a regal baring comes to Mason to retain him. She tells him that the newspaper for her local town wants to find her whereabouts and she at all costs wants to remain anonymous.
Twenty years ago she left her small town after winning a beauty contest and headed for Hollywood. Life did not go as planned and for reasons she's not willing to divulge even to her lawyer she is desperate to keep the newspaper and the townsfolk from knowing her whereabouts.
Mason must find out her secret. He must also find out why the local newspaper wants to discover what happened to her. Is it really just idle curiosity over a local or is there a more sinister reason?
The fact that two Private Investigators from the town are shadowing Mason make him believe the latter.
The story moved at a good pace, kept my attention and piqued my curiosity. Gardner knows how to structure a plot line without any unnecessary events or conversation that would congest the overall arch.
Not a deep or profound story, Gardner's no Dostoevsky but he's enjoyable to read the same way eating a handful of Hershey Kisses tastes great. Just don't make an exclusive diet of it. Perfect for a weekend curl up.
A woman with a regal baring comes to Mason to retain him. She tells him that the newspaper for her local town wants to find her whereabouts and she at all costs wants to remain anonymous.
Twenty years ago she left her small town after winning a beauty contest and headed for Hollywood. Life did not go as planned and for reasons she's not willing to divulge even to her lawyer she is desperate to keep the newspaper and the townsfolk from knowing her whereabouts.
Mason must find out her secret. He must also find out why the local newspaper wants to discover what happened to her. Is it really just idle curiosity over a local or is there a more sinister reason?
The fact that two Private Investigators from the town are shadowing Mason make him believe the latter.
The story moved at a good pace, kept my attention and piqued my curiosity. Gardner knows how to structure a plot line without any unnecessary events or conversation that would congest the overall arch.
Not a deep or profound story, Gardner's no Dostoevsky but he's enjoyable to read the same way eating a handful of Hershey Kisses tastes great. Just don't make an exclusive diet of it. Perfect for a weekend curl up.
December 17, 2014
I enjoyed this entry to the series. Perry is faced with a liar for a client, and the resolution of the case was quite interesting.
September 9, 2024
Erle Stanley Gardner in general and his Perry Mason stories in particular tend to not wrap things up nicely at the end—we get what Perry Mason needs and manages to bring out at court; anything else is irrelevant.
Which doesn’t change the fact that this is classic Perry Mason with a fascinating mystery and interesting characters, from the “queenly contestant” to the various law enforcement involve with the investigation and the trial—in this case, an arraignment.
But the biggest mystery, the one that engaged Mason’s (and my) curiosity, was never technically resolved. The on-off client deliberately did things to make it look like she was guilty—as if she were protecting someone else she thought was guilty; if so, she was wrong. But this never came up and so was never explained. Her behavior remains a mystery at the end, at least by the standards of most mystery novels. Gardner doesn’t do wrap-ups, so that resolution is left to us.
Normally, that’s a refreshing difference. Here, however, Perry Mason continued his involvement in the case purely out of his own curiosity, and we don’t know whether his curiosity has been satisfied any better than our own.
Which doesn’t change the fact that this is classic Perry Mason with a fascinating mystery and interesting characters, from the “queenly contestant” to the various law enforcement involve with the investigation and the trial—in this case, an arraignment.
But the biggest mystery, the one that engaged Mason’s (and my) curiosity, was never technically resolved. The on-off client deliberately did things to make it look like she was guilty—as if she were protecting someone else she thought was guilty; if so, she was wrong. But this never came up and so was never explained. Her behavior remains a mystery at the end, at least by the standards of most mystery novels. Gardner doesn’t do wrap-ups, so that resolution is left to us.
Normally, that’s a refreshing difference. Here, however, Perry Mason continued his involvement in the case purely out of his own curiosity, and we don’t know whether his curiosity has been satisfied any better than our own.
March 21, 2018
I've been reading Gardner's Perry Mason books for many years. Those who are used to really fine mystery writers (in the literary sense) may find Gardner's writing style a bit dry, and the dialog a bit unrealistic. Nonetheless, I still love the general setting: the characters of Perry, Della, Paul, Lt. Tragg, and Hamilton Berger. That, and the ingenious plots, are why I read Perry Mason.
On the whole, the ones written by about 1953 are the best. This is one of the very last, from 1967.
A good looking, "queenly" middle aged woman, Ellen Adair, comes into Mason's office saying she was the winner of a beauty contest 20 years earlier. She lived in the midwest and won a trip to Hollywood where she was given a screen test, but nothing much came of it all -- except an illegitimate child. Long story short, she did not return to her small city in the midwest but was able to stay on in the Los Angeles area. She now has a good career.
The problem is that her hometown has grown into a larger city, and a newspaper there is running a series of articles about intriguing unexplained things from the past. Someone wants to know, what ever happened to Ellen who won the beauty contest? Ellen is terrified of having her present location and life discussed. She is evasive to Perry about just what she is afraid of. She never brings up the obvious question, what happened to the baby?
Perry agrees to help and calls the managing editor of the newspaper. Perry convinces him to drop the story. That seems to be the end of it. But no! Soon a detective and a "trouble shooter" show up, then a lawyer. Turns out the father of the child inherited a lot of money, $2 million, but just died. His half-brothers want to make sure there is no other heir so they can have all the money. They have heard that there may be a child now 19 years old. They have a witness who says Ellen made up the pregnancy, it was just a story.
It gets complicated, with a nurse and an old friend of Ellen's trying to get in on the action. One of them is shot dead, and, as any long-term fan of the Perry Mason novels can guess, Ellen is arrested and Perry is in the thick of it. Oddly, the fatal bullet can't be found.
Is Ellen really telling the truth? Was she pregnant and gave birth to a son nineteen years earlier? Or is she a clever hoaxer trying to cash in on $2 million?
Characters who we meet:
Ellen Adair, whose original last name was Calvert, the queenly contestant.
Jarmen Dayton, detective.
Stephen Garland, trouble shooter. But is he a square shooter?
Maxine Edfield, old friend of Ellen's from the midwest. Has a definite opinion.
Duncan Lovett, shrewd lawyer for the half-brothers.
Wight Baird, nineteen year old young man who may be heir to a fortune - unless he's part of a hoax.
Agnes Burlington, nurse who helped Ellen twenty years earlier and who has a great memory.
Jessie Alva, operative for the Drake Detective Agency.
There is a courtroom scene, but there is no hard-hitting cross-examination. No Hamilton Burger. Moderate use of Paul, Della, and Lt. Tragg. Like most of the late novels, there is little if any embellishment of scenes or characters.
The resolution comes suddenly. Part of the explanation is very clever, worthy of Erle Stanley Gardner thirty years earlier. But another part, which I guessed early on, is rather hokey.
Recurring themes: young man is neer-do-well. Young woman wins beauty contest and gets trip west, as in The Lucky Legs. Gun and bullet confusion.
It is somewhat similar to the Careless Kitten and to Ross Macdonald's The Galton Case.
Hole: How did Agnes Burlington find Ellen Adair about five years before the main action takes place?
On the whole, the ones written by about 1953 are the best. This is one of the very last, from 1967.
A good looking, "queenly" middle aged woman, Ellen Adair, comes into Mason's office saying she was the winner of a beauty contest 20 years earlier. She lived in the midwest and won a trip to Hollywood where she was given a screen test, but nothing much came of it all -- except an illegitimate child. Long story short, she did not return to her small city in the midwest but was able to stay on in the Los Angeles area. She now has a good career.
The problem is that her hometown has grown into a larger city, and a newspaper there is running a series of articles about intriguing unexplained things from the past. Someone wants to know, what ever happened to Ellen who won the beauty contest? Ellen is terrified of having her present location and life discussed. She is evasive to Perry about just what she is afraid of. She never brings up the obvious question, what happened to the baby?
Perry agrees to help and calls the managing editor of the newspaper. Perry convinces him to drop the story. That seems to be the end of it. But no! Soon a detective and a "trouble shooter" show up, then a lawyer. Turns out the father of the child inherited a lot of money, $2 million, but just died. His half-brothers want to make sure there is no other heir so they can have all the money. They have heard that there may be a child now 19 years old. They have a witness who says Ellen made up the pregnancy, it was just a story.
It gets complicated, with a nurse and an old friend of Ellen's trying to get in on the action. One of them is shot dead, and, as any long-term fan of the Perry Mason novels can guess, Ellen is arrested and Perry is in the thick of it. Oddly, the fatal bullet can't be found.
Is Ellen really telling the truth? Was she pregnant and gave birth to a son nineteen years earlier? Or is she a clever hoaxer trying to cash in on $2 million?
Characters who we meet:
Ellen Adair, whose original last name was Calvert, the queenly contestant.
Jarmen Dayton, detective.
Stephen Garland, trouble shooter. But is he a square shooter?
Maxine Edfield, old friend of Ellen's from the midwest. Has a definite opinion.
Duncan Lovett, shrewd lawyer for the half-brothers.
Wight Baird, nineteen year old young man who may be heir to a fortune - unless he's part of a hoax.
Agnes Burlington, nurse who helped Ellen twenty years earlier and who has a great memory.
Jessie Alva, operative for the Drake Detective Agency.
There is a courtroom scene, but there is no hard-hitting cross-examination. No Hamilton Burger. Moderate use of Paul, Della, and Lt. Tragg. Like most of the late novels, there is little if any embellishment of scenes or characters.
The resolution comes suddenly. Part of the explanation is very clever, worthy of Erle Stanley Gardner thirty years earlier. But another part, which I guessed early on, is rather hokey.
Recurring themes: young man is neer-do-well. Young woman wins beauty contest and gets trip west, as in The Lucky Legs. Gun and bullet confusion.
It is somewhat similar to the Careless Kitten and to Ross Macdonald's The Galton Case.
Hole: How did Agnes Burlington find Ellen Adair about five years before the main action takes place?
September 15, 2022
Perry Mason mysteries operate in three acts. The first act is a story unto itself, with a beginning, middle, and end — with Mason going to court, getting a suit dropped or in this case, getting fired by his client. The calm after this false ending is when the client goes off alone and comes back a murder suspect. If you’re a client and decide to meet up with your antagonist late at night, you might as well bring a card that reads “Congratulations, you’re dead.”
From the moment the body is discovered, the second act operates to compound whatever trouble the client (and their attorney) is in. There at the scene of the crime? Check. Owner of a gun which can’t be accounted for at the time of the murder? Check and check. Does the client lie or omit key information that blows up Mason’s plans to stave off disaster? You betcha. The third act’s magic trick doesn’t work if Mason’s case isn’t clad in a straight jacket and chained at the bottom of a dunk tank. But in the waning pages, the trick is turned, the prisoner is free and good as new. This case is no exception.
The things that make the difference between a good Perry Mason mystery and a great one is how convincing the magic act is and how self-congratulatory the ending gets. After a terrific build up for 170 pages, it’s a bit off putting for Perry Mason to just come up with a wild hunch that ends up being exactly what happened. It’s also strange when the judge, police, and other antagonists conveniently step aside so Mason can call the turn at all. Lastly, when the case is won having riches poured onto Mason and/or the client and/or Mason sit in a restaurant gloating how easy a mystery it was to figure out “if you think about it” undermines the messy realness the rest of the story took so long to establish.
This mystery, though entertaining from start to finish manages to squander it’s extraordinary setup tidying up the final pages that’s as much a result of bad police work as it is about Perry Mason being a clairvoyant.
From the moment the body is discovered, the second act operates to compound whatever trouble the client (and their attorney) is in. There at the scene of the crime? Check. Owner of a gun which can’t be accounted for at the time of the murder? Check and check. Does the client lie or omit key information that blows up Mason’s plans to stave off disaster? You betcha. The third act’s magic trick doesn’t work if Mason’s case isn’t clad in a straight jacket and chained at the bottom of a dunk tank. But in the waning pages, the trick is turned, the prisoner is free and good as new. This case is no exception.
The things that make the difference between a good Perry Mason mystery and a great one is how convincing the magic act is and how self-congratulatory the ending gets. After a terrific build up for 170 pages, it’s a bit off putting for Perry Mason to just come up with a wild hunch that ends up being exactly what happened. It’s also strange when the judge, police, and other antagonists conveniently step aside so Mason can call the turn at all. Lastly, when the case is won having riches poured onto Mason and/or the client and/or Mason sit in a restaurant gloating how easy a mystery it was to figure out “if you think about it” undermines the messy realness the rest of the story took so long to establish.
This mystery, though entertaining from start to finish manages to squander it’s extraordinary setup tidying up the final pages that’s as much a result of bad police work as it is about Perry Mason being a clairvoyant.
January 7, 2024
Ellen Adair adında bir kadın Mason'a gelir ve ondan kişinin gizliliği ile ilgili yardım ister. 20 sene önce yaşadığı kasabada güzellik kraliçesi seçilmiştir. Ve oranın gazetesi bu anıları canlandırmak ister. Mason onları arayarak yazıyı engeller. Ama işler daha yeni başlamıştır. Dayman adında bir dedektif ve Garland adında bir sorun çözücü peşine takılır. Mason Drake ile görüşerek Ellen'a benzeyen bir kadını oymuş gibi davranması için tutar. Ellen, kasabadan Harmon adında bir zengin çocuktan hamile kaldıktan sonra ayrılmıştır. 1000 dolar para almasına rağmen çocuğu doğurur ama yanında çalıştığı aile ona anne babası gibi davranır. Harmon'un gemisi yakın zamanda kaza yapmıştır ve onun da öldüğü düşünülür. Wight adındaki bu çocuk varis görünmektedir. Eğer bu olursa 2 milyon dolarlık bir servete konacaktır. Harmon'un diğer akrabaları Garland ve Dayman'ı tutmuştur. Kadın dedektifim yanına gelen ve Ellen'in arkadaşı olduğunu söyleyen bir kadın Mason tarafından rezil edilir. Agnes adında bir hemşire Wight'in doğumunda bulunmuştur. Hem Baird ailesine hem de Ellen'a şantaj yapmıştır. Mason onunla konuşmaya gider ama öldürülmüş bir halde bulur. Tragg'e haber verirler. Mason Ellen'in daha önce bu eve geldiğini anlar. Soruşturma başlar. Dillon adındaki savcı idam için çok zorlar ama ölüme sebep olan mermi bulunamamıştır. Acaba pencere açıkken çıkmış olabilir mi? Mason nasıl bir teori sunacaktır? Tragg'e kimden şüphelendiğini söyleyecekti? Bundan sonra neler olacaktır? Harmon'dan haber gelecek midir? Silahı olan ve kullanabilecek kim vardır? Keyifle okunan bir roman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2023
Tựa tiếng Việt: Vụ án hoa hậu áo tắm
In 4000 cuốn khổ khổ 13*19
Xuất bản năm 1990
3,9* Mình rất thích Series Luật sư Perry Mason. Dù không có cảnh hành động hay những cú twist căng não nhưng chứa đựng những pha đấu trí căng thẳng giữa luật sư và cảnh sát, giữa luật sư và thân chủ của họ ! Và mình viết không nhầm đâu, đúng là giữa luật sư và thân chủ vì không phải thân chủ nào cũng nói ra sự thật. Rơi vào tình huống như vậy nhưng Mason vẫn bản lĩnh vượt qua khó khăn, tìm cách hay nhất để thân chủ mình có được công lý. Hiếm có một luật sư có tâm và luôn bên cạnh bảo vệ thân chủ của mình như Mason. Mong là bộ này được NXB nào để ý và làm lại thì quá tuyệt vời!
In 4000 cuốn khổ khổ 13*19
Xuất bản năm 1990
3,9* Mình rất thích Series Luật sư Perry Mason. Dù không có cảnh hành động hay những cú twist căng não nhưng chứa đựng những pha đấu trí căng thẳng giữa luật sư và cảnh sát, giữa luật sư và thân chủ của họ ! Và mình viết không nhầm đâu, đúng là giữa luật sư và thân chủ vì không phải thân chủ nào cũng nói ra sự thật. Rơi vào tình huống như vậy nhưng Mason vẫn bản lĩnh vượt qua khó khăn, tìm cách hay nhất để thân chủ mình có được công lý. Hiếm có một luật sư có tâm và luôn bên cạnh bảo vệ thân chủ của mình như Mason. Mong là bộ này được NXB nào để ý và làm lại thì quá tuyệt vời!
July 14, 2022
Great Perry Mason story somewhat ruined by typos - Kindle version!
First of all, well written, great plot, moves along at a brisk pace, interesting characters.
It is a Perry Mason story so, as a fan, I cannot fault it.
Unfortunately, there are numerous typos throughout and on virtually every page you have "Q-contestant" followed by a number, or an actual number appearing randomly in the middle of the page, as well as numerous extraneous hard returns! However, when I tried to report these issues I was unable to find a current Kindle entry on Amazon!
First of all, well written, great plot, moves along at a brisk pace, interesting characters.
It is a Perry Mason story so, as a fan, I cannot fault it.
Unfortunately, there are numerous typos throughout and on virtually every page you have "Q-contestant" followed by a number, or an actual number appearing randomly in the middle of the page, as well as numerous extraneous hard returns! However, when I tried to report these issues I was unable to find a current Kindle entry on Amazon!
June 1, 2021
A woman with a troubled past asks Perry Mason to put the brakes on a newspaper report on a "Where Are They Now?" piece, which may uncover a secret she'd prefer remains hidden. In the course of his case, blackmail and murder inevitably follow and her life is now on the line.
An interesting plot from Gardner, with a solid sense of drama and a dark sense of humour pervades the text, especially in the interactions of the ensemble of characters.
An interesting plot from Gardner, with a solid sense of drama and a dark sense of humour pervades the text, especially in the interactions of the ensemble of characters.
March 23, 2024
Part of a normal plot is that Mason's clients lie to him and it takes time to get the whole truth out. This is another one but a bit more complex. There are lots of characters in this so you may not guess who-done-it. It could have had a bit more direction there, but this is a series at a certain length of story and a specific type of plot and courtroom drama. Easy to read.
September 29, 2024
This is my first Perry Mason novel. Gardner's writing has a very distinctive style, with most of the plot coming through the dialogue -- a sparse, staccato dialogue that works very well in the courtroom scenes. Mason is a delight, Della is a competent mid-century working woman, and the story is mostly well-plotted -- except for the ending. The ending is ridiculous.
October 31, 2018
This was my 72 out of the 85 Perry Mason books I have read. I really enjoyed the story but as usual his new client, the ex beauty queen Ellen Adair, tells lies that Perry must wade through to defend his client and try to get her off the murder rap.
May 6, 2020
One of the last Perry Mason novels, certainly not up to the standards of the early decades, but still...it's Perry Mason!
May 20, 2024
This is the best Perry Mason novel I have read yet. It is full of twists and great, snappy dialogue. This a great jumping in point for anyone who has never read one of the Perry Mason novels.
June 1, 2024
Pretty standard. The 1960s books, following the success of the TV series are not as interesting to me.
Or maybe I’ve read too many, or Gardner wrote too many.
Or maybe I’ve read too many, or Gardner wrote too many.
September 16, 2024
This was one of the few cases that Perry almost lost! It is a great mystery!
July 14, 2023
Perry, Della & Paul are the ultimate trio
April 18, 2021
More twists and turns than a roller coaster at Six Flags, the final third of the book (the courtroom scenes) was really good, and I still didn't figure out ahead of time who committed the crime. Note that the forensic details probably raised eyebrows in the 1960's (but are nothing compared to today's over-the-top graphic content) and does contain several instances of mild profanity.
October 11, 2025
This Perry Mason book didn't follow his usual formula at all, even though things did start to look grim for his client, of course. We had the normal courtroom scenes where Mason twisted the DA's case into knots, but not the standard conclusion. It's a good read. It's my habit to follow a Perry Mason readd by viewing the TV episode made from the novel. Unfortujnately, this novel was published after the TV series went out of production, so no episode for this book.
August 19, 2025
Ellen Adair seeks Perry Mason’s legal advice regarding her privacy rights. Two decades prior, Ellen had won a beauty contest in a Midwestern city. The award consisted of a complimentary trip to Hollywood for a screen test with one of the big motion picture studios. Following her Hollywood failure, she vanished from the public view and had a baby from an illicit affair with the scion of a wealthy magnate. Now, years later, the former beauty queen is the subject of an article published in her hometown newspaper. She hires Perry to put an end to the newspaper story in order to maintain her anonymity. Perry calls the newspaper's managing editor and persuades him to kill the story. Later, when it's discovered that her illegitimate son might inherit a $2 million fortune, Ellen once more turns to Perry for his help in substantiating her claim. A nurse from the hospital where she gave birth knew the truth and was blackmailing her. She is murdered. Ellen is arrested for the crime. Perry represents her. This instalment pales in comparison to some of the other books in the series. The complex storyline has a lackluster climax. The repetition of Ellen’s life story several times hampers the narrative. INEFFECTIVE EFFORT.
January 30, 2015
#78 in the Perry Mason series. A small town newspaper's "where are they 20 years later?" feature threatens to expose the whereabouts of former beauty contest winner Ellen Adair. Ellen hires Perry to stop the newspapers inquiries but when it transpires that her illegitimate son may be entitled to a $2 million inheritance she changes her tune and wants Perry to support her claim. The son was given up at birth but the attending nurse is in a position to support her claim (and has been blackmailing her to keep her secret). When Perry, secretary Della Street and his client visit the nurse to get a statement, they find her body. As would be expected Perry's client is arrested and tried for murder.
Perry Mason series - Perry Mason is asked by Ellen Adair to deal with the privacy invasion of a local newspaper now threatening to exhume her whereabouts--she had won a beauty contest but disappeared shortly thereafter to have an illegitimate baby. His client is not altogether honest with him and circumstantial evidence accumulates against her when a two million dollar will is also exposed.
Perry Mason series - Perry Mason is asked by Ellen Adair to deal with the privacy invasion of a local newspaper now threatening to exhume her whereabouts--she had won a beauty contest but disappeared shortly thereafter to have an illegitimate baby. His client is not altogether honest with him and circumstantial evidence accumulates against her when a two million dollar will is also exposed.
July 8, 2016
When Lt. Tragg first came on the scene many novels ago, I thought it was good to have a police officer that was smart and fair, unlike the previous Sgt. Holcomb. Unfortunately, his portrayal has been somewhat inconsistent. Most of the time, like here, he's affable and pleasant, willing to listen to and help Perry Mason in the interest of justice. There have been a few instances where he becomes difficult, more to serve the story, I think, than anything else. I really, really like the fair, just and open-minded Tragg we see here though. He's even able to admit when he screws up, something Holcomb would never, ever have done.
In this book, the style returns to a more courtroom focused story. The murder happens before we reach the halfway point of the story. Mason is also able to find a clue that the police had missed, which he has done before. The defendant proves to be one of the most difficult clients Mason has had though.
In this book, the style returns to a more courtroom focused story. The murder happens before we reach the halfway point of the story. Mason is also able to find a clue that the police had missed, which he has done before. The defendant proves to be one of the most difficult clients Mason has had though.
October 24, 2010
This is another interesting case to be solved by Perry Mason. In this one, a beautiful woman with a queenly and stately air consults him to help keep her whereabouts hidden. The woman refuses to give Perry much information but Perry helps her. In the meantime, he discovers that she was once in love with a man whose father owned the largest company in her city. She became pregnant and the son is sent abroad in hopes that the romance with be thwarted. It is and she disappears, taking another name and never returning to her hometown or keeping in touch with her parents. Of course, there is a murder of which the young woman is subsequently accused of committing. It's up to Perry to discover the truth. Did she commit the murder? Did her son commit the murder? If neither did, who is responsible?
February 23, 2015
The book was published in 1967, so one can suspect (without further evidence to the contrary) that he was writing of contemporary times, but the book reads dated. The illegitimate son of Ellen Adair (Perry's client) is supposed to be a young bon vivant, yet you could easily picture him driving a roadster and going to the tea house with Nancy Drew and her boyish chums. In fact, when he is hiding the fact from Perry that he has a young woman in his house, I thought the "reveal" would be that he was gay. Erle Stanley wasn't pushing "that" envelope.
Perry Mason blows up several times at the contradictory information his client is giving him, to the point he wants to drop her as a client. In the end, fade to happiness and all is well, which seemed like a rushed conclusion to a woman who perpetually lies. Very odd. I think Gardner's better days were behind him at this point.
Perry Mason blows up several times at the contradictory information his client is giving him, to the point he wants to drop her as a client. In the end, fade to happiness and all is well, which seemed like a rushed conclusion to a woman who perpetually lies. Very odd. I think Gardner's better days were behind him at this point.
October 5, 2018
This Perry Mason entry has a number of flaws. One is the conclusion, which is mighty far flung. Frustrating to learn Gardner's wrap-up after going through endless dialogue that repeats itself. Before this i read a Reginald Hill Dalzeil and Pascoe novel where Hill rarely repeats what is going on and the clues are often presented cushioned in other information. After that the repetition of what is going on is more than irritating in such a slim novel.
Besides the usual cast there are only a few extra characters that are pretty standard for a mystery. Setting is written in a flimsy way which works counter to the book.
Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 4 out of 10 points.
Besides the usual cast there are only a few extra characters that are pretty standard for a mystery. Setting is written in a flimsy way which works counter to the book.
Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 4 out of 10 points.
August 5, 2007
Every Perry Mason book is pretty much exactly the same. Perry is always looking for people to put their cards on the table- and then start flipping them over. His client will try and get things settled in his own mind. Paul Drake, his personal private detective, will always shoot strait from the hip. What makes the books interesting is the plot- ingenious, clever and well-laid out so you can keep things strait in your mind. Perry will always do a grand-stand at the last minute, but in this book he proves why he has never lost a case.
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