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Perry Mason #1
The Case of the Velvet Claws
California lawyer Perry Mason takes on a client, Eva Belter and she's instantly disliked as “all velvet and claws” by his secretary Della Street.
Eva's husband George is behind tabloid editor Frank Locke’s blackmail of Congressman Harrison Burke. The politician and Eva had been together at a restaurant when there was an attempted robbery. It's not long before George takes a bullet to the heart as he's getting out of his bath. There's a forged will too. It benefits his nephew Carl, who is engaged to the daughter of Mrs. Veitch, the Belters’ secretive housekeeper. Is this complicated or what!
At least Eva Belter had brains; she was smart enough to consult Perry Mason.
Eva's husband George is behind tabloid editor Frank Locke’s blackmail of Congressman Harrison Burke. The politician and Eva had been together at a restaurant when there was an attempted robbery. It's not long before George takes a bullet to the heart as he's getting out of his bath. There's a forged will too. It benefits his nephew Carl, who is engaged to the daughter of Mrs. Veitch, the Belters’ secretive housekeeper. Is this complicated or what!
At least Eva Belter had brains; she was smart enough to consult Perry Mason.
215 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1933
613 people are currently reading
6064 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,350 books815 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 - 29 of 526 reviews
October 5, 2020
I’ve been very confused about Perry Mason lately.
I’ve never seen the old TV show with Raymond Burr, but general pop culture awareness has told me that Mason was a defense lawyer whose clients were always innocent, and that he’d get them acquitted by figuring out the true guilty party who Mason would then get to confess on the stand. So I was a little shocked when I watched the new HBO series in which Mason as played by Matthew Rhys wasn’t even a lawyer at the start, but rather a small-time drunken private investigator who gets embroiled in the case of a murdered infant and has to navigate a web of crime and corruption to try and find some shred of justice.
I decided to go to the source to try and figure out what the real skinny is on this Perry Mason guy, and I checked out the book that started it all way back in 1933. What’s the verdict? It seems like Mason was a lot closer to the HBO version.
Mason gets hired by a woman who needs his help to keep her name out of a tabloid newspaper after she and a politically connected male friend who wasn’t her husband have gotten caught up in a situation that could turn into a scandal. Even though the lady is lying about who she is, Perry takes the case, but when he starts digging and finds out who really owns the paper things get messy in a hurry.
What’s really interesting to me is Mason’s role at the start of this. Although he is an attorney he also comes across as a fixer/bag man/detective. His opening move is to try and bribe and bully the editor of the paper into silence, but then he shifts tactics immediately to using the opportunity to track down the owner of the paper. Along the way he does things like bribe hotel phone operators and a cop, he pretty much extorts extra cash out of the male companion who was with the woman to keep his name out of it, he hides from the police at one point, he coaches a person at a crime scene on what part of their story to lie about, and he pretends to be somebody else so that he can accept a legally executed subpoena to that person in order to get information. I’m not an attorney, but I think those kinds of things are generally frowned upon.
The amusing part is that Mason comes across as a real sonofabitch. He’s all bluster and bullying while doing everything he can to dominate every conversation, and most of his conversations with his assistant Della Street and his investigator Paul Drake consists of him barking orders. It doesn’t make him the most likable protagonist, but he is probably what you’d want from your lawyer when your ass was in a crack because his one core belief is that he owes his client his full efforts no matter what they’ve done.
There’s some distinctly dated elements to it with Mason’s attitude towards the women in the story being horrid by today’s standards, and there’s an outright racial slur at one point by one of the characters that nobody seems bothered by.
Despite that and Mason not exactly being a guy who I’d like to hang out with, it’s a pretty solid mystery that has the hard boiled atmosphere of a Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett novel.
I’ve never seen the old TV show with Raymond Burr, but general pop culture awareness has told me that Mason was a defense lawyer whose clients were always innocent, and that he’d get them acquitted by figuring out the true guilty party who Mason would then get to confess on the stand. So I was a little shocked when I watched the new HBO series in which Mason as played by Matthew Rhys wasn’t even a lawyer at the start, but rather a small-time drunken private investigator who gets embroiled in the case of a murdered infant and has to navigate a web of crime and corruption to try and find some shred of justice.
I decided to go to the source to try and figure out what the real skinny is on this Perry Mason guy, and I checked out the book that started it all way back in 1933. What’s the verdict? It seems like Mason was a lot closer to the HBO version.
Mason gets hired by a woman who needs his help to keep her name out of a tabloid newspaper after she and a politically connected male friend who wasn’t her husband have gotten caught up in a situation that could turn into a scandal. Even though the lady is lying about who she is, Perry takes the case, but when he starts digging and finds out who really owns the paper things get messy in a hurry.
What’s really interesting to me is Mason’s role at the start of this. Although he is an attorney he also comes across as a fixer/bag man/detective. His opening move is to try and bribe and bully the editor of the paper into silence, but then he shifts tactics immediately to using the opportunity to track down the owner of the paper. Along the way he does things like bribe hotel phone operators and a cop, he pretty much extorts extra cash out of the male companion who was with the woman to keep his name out of it, he hides from the police at one point, he coaches a person at a crime scene on what part of their story to lie about, and he pretends to be somebody else so that he can accept a legally executed subpoena to that person in order to get information. I’m not an attorney, but I think those kinds of things are generally frowned upon.
The amusing part is that Mason comes across as a real sonofabitch. He’s all bluster and bullying while doing everything he can to dominate every conversation, and most of his conversations with his assistant Della Street and his investigator Paul Drake consists of him barking orders. It doesn’t make him the most likable protagonist, but he is probably what you’d want from your lawyer when your ass was in a crack because his one core belief is that he owes his client his full efforts no matter what they’ve done.
There’s some distinctly dated elements to it with Mason’s attitude towards the women in the story being horrid by today’s standards, and there’s an outright racial slur at one point by one of the characters that nobody seems bothered by.
Despite that and Mason not exactly being a guy who I’d like to hang out with, it’s a pretty solid mystery that has the hard boiled atmosphere of a Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett novel.
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May 30, 2024
"I'm representing my clients. I'm a paid gladiator. I have to go in and fight - that's what my clients hired me for. Anytime I get weak-kneed so I don't have guts enough to wade in and fight, I've unfitted myself to carry on my profession. Anyway, the branch of it that I specialize in. I'm a fighter. I'm hired to fight. Everything I've got in the world, I've got from fighting."
Erle Stanley Gardner wrote over eighty Perry Mason novels. In each of the novels I've read (and listened to the audiobook), Perry Mason emphatically states what he's all about in such language.
The Case of the Velvet Claws, published in 1933, is the first Perry Mason novel. The lawyer Erle Stanley Gardner writes about is a tough, rawboned combatant who thrives on cases that are exciting and dangerous, as he states directly to his secretary Della Street. Case in point: in this novel, out on a street in Los Angeles, the city that serves as the setting for all the novels, Perry Mason decks a huge hunk of a man by slamming his fist into his face and watching as he goes down “like a sack of meal” before turning to his car, getting in, and pushing out into traffic.
Sidebar: I developed an interest in the Perry Mason series because Mario Levrero, one of my favorite Latin American authors, was, as noted in his Luminous Novel, a big Erle Stanley Gardner fan. I wanted to see what attracted Mario to the author.
The Perry Mason novels are short and predominantly written in dialogue, making them quick reads. The story always focuses exclusively on the case where Perry Mason, a savvy criminal lawyer, performs a significant amount of the detective work. While Mason utilizes Paul Drake's detective agency, he doesn't hesitate to take risks and push the boundaries of legality to uncover clues and do what needs to be done for his clients.
Here's an example of the way Erle Stanley Gardner describes Mason in the heat of a case, “Back and forth, back and forth he paced, his hands behind his back, his head thrust forward, and slightly bowed. There was something of the appearance of a caged tiger in his manner. He seemed impatient, and yet it was a controlled impatience. A fighter who was cornered, savage, who didn't dare make a false move.”
The Perry Mason series features powerful, wealthy men and alluring, beautiful women. This is America in the '30s, '40s, and '50s. All the main characters are white, and Perry Mason will toss out phrases like “that a girl” when talking to his ever-faithful secretary, Della Street. A reader will also come across the occasional racist remark made not by Perry Mason or Della Street, but by other men and women. We should keep in mind that as a California lawyer, Erle Stanley Gardner defended the impoverished, especially Chinese and Mexican immigrants. This experience led to his founding The Court of Last Resort for those individuals who were imprisoned unfairly or couldn't get a fair trial.
A few more fun facts about the author:
-Erle Stanley Gardner was an avid boxer. Legend has it that Erle was the only person to pass the California Bar Examination with two black eyes. We shouldn't be surprised to find the connection between author as boxer and Perry Mason as a fighter who never gives up.
-When Erle Stanley Gardner saw Raymond Burr's persuasiveness and intensity during auditions for the TV show (Raymond Burr was auditioning for the part of district attorney Hamilton Burger), he cried out, “That's Perry Mason!” As they say, the rest is history.
-In 1949, British novelist Evelyn Waugh called Erle Stanley Gardner the best living American novelist and at the time of his death in 1970, Erle Stanley Gardner was the best-selling American writer of the 20th century.
Allow me to end on a personal note. I've enjoyed the Perry Mason novels primarily for the insights into American culture and society in mid-20th century. We can see how Erle Stanley Gardner gave his readers a shining example of the Great American Hero.
American author Erle Stanley Gardner, 1889-1970
December 22, 2024
5 Stars. It's television in a book! Such a great read - your mind wants to visualize every scene. Even though 'Velvet Claws' is almost a century old, it grabs and holds. No wonder Perry Mason started with such a bang - two and three volumes a year, numerous print runs, movies, the works. This is the first of 82 novels and several shorts. That's not to say #1 doesn't have its flaws. Mason becomes more likeable as the series develops. He even goes to court unlike this one! I'm not sure he needs to smile for clients and opponents, but to staff like the devoted Della Street and the indefatigable private detective Paul Drake? A saintly employer he's not. A young woman named Eva Griffin visits his office; Della takes an immediate dislike and calls her, "velvet and claws." Eva exclaims, "I'm in trouble." Is she ever. Married, she has also been stepping out with Harrison Burke, a Congressman in an election race for the US Senate in California. They were accidentally on the scene at a restaurant when a murder took place. Both want to stay out of 'Spicy Bits,' a gossip rag. It soon escalates to blackmail and more murder. Didn't you say you wanted action? (Au2020/De2024)
January 20, 2020
A good solid mystery, but the formula used in later books with the big courtroom finale is not here. I can't believe I missed reading this one when I was on my Perry Mason binge back in the 1970s and 1980s.
January 5, 2024
In which Perry Mason is introduced to the mystery readers of the world!
Dateline, Los Angeles 1933:
A sultry, slinky blonde (to whom Mason's secretary, a young, attractive and starry-eyed Della Street takes an instant visceral dislike) enters the office and introduces herself as Eva Griffin.
Griffin tells the story of a robbery gone dreadfully wrong at a local hotel. During the course of the investigation of this robbery, police have determined that she had been stepping out with Harrison Burke, a high profile political figure whose career will be devastated if his public becomes aware of his philandering.
Somehow Frank Locke, the editor of a notorious blackmailing scandal sheet called "Spicy Bits", has also become aware of Burke's and Griffin's little tête-à-tête. In spite of Della Street's urgent protestations that Mason should stay away from this potential client who is clearly an accomplished liar with a spectacular aversion for any form of the truth, Eva Griffin engages Mason who has the reputation of "fighting" for his clients.
Mason's job is to ensure that Locke and "Spicy Bits" are persuaded to refrain from publishing the story and destroying Burke's fast-rising political career.
In rather short order, Mason's investigations reveal that Eva Griffin is, in fact, Eva Belter, wife of George Belter, the irascible and filthy rich owner of "Spicy Bits". When George Belter is shot in his study a few nights later, the mystery ratchets into high gear as everyone in sight, Mason included, is counted as a possible suspect in the murder.
THE CASE OF THE VELVET CLAWS, first published in 1933, is of no little historical interest as it served to introduce Perry Mason to the reading public. The franchise, of course, lasts to this day and is most memorable as the fecund ground which birthed Raymond Burr's television portrayal of the gritty lawyer.
The plot is fabulous - a first rate, complex, highly believable mystery with all the requisite clues, twists and turns and red herrings that one would expect from a well-constructed mystery. In this regard, Erle Stanley Gardner does himself proud and competes neck and neck with his more famous colleague, Dame Agatha Christie.
But that characterization and dialogue. My, my, my ... in modern terms, they are so "B-movie", so over-written, so cartoonish and stereotyped, and so trite as to be utterly laughable! Any author that wrote that way today would be rejected by the publishing houses so quickly that they wouldn't even be given the doubtful privilege of receiving a bad review!
Four to five stars for the mystery contrasted with an exceptionally weak one to two stars for the characters and the dialogue average out at a three star mystery that is still worthy of being read because of its historical interest.
Paul Weiss
Dateline, Los Angeles 1933:
A sultry, slinky blonde (to whom Mason's secretary, a young, attractive and starry-eyed Della Street takes an instant visceral dislike) enters the office and introduces herself as Eva Griffin.
Griffin tells the story of a robbery gone dreadfully wrong at a local hotel. During the course of the investigation of this robbery, police have determined that she had been stepping out with Harrison Burke, a high profile political figure whose career will be devastated if his public becomes aware of his philandering.
Somehow Frank Locke, the editor of a notorious blackmailing scandal sheet called "Spicy Bits", has also become aware of Burke's and Griffin's little tête-à-tête. In spite of Della Street's urgent protestations that Mason should stay away from this potential client who is clearly an accomplished liar with a spectacular aversion for any form of the truth, Eva Griffin engages Mason who has the reputation of "fighting" for his clients.
Mason's job is to ensure that Locke and "Spicy Bits" are persuaded to refrain from publishing the story and destroying Burke's fast-rising political career.
In rather short order, Mason's investigations reveal that Eva Griffin is, in fact, Eva Belter, wife of George Belter, the irascible and filthy rich owner of "Spicy Bits". When George Belter is shot in his study a few nights later, the mystery ratchets into high gear as everyone in sight, Mason included, is counted as a possible suspect in the murder.
THE CASE OF THE VELVET CLAWS, first published in 1933, is of no little historical interest as it served to introduce Perry Mason to the reading public. The franchise, of course, lasts to this day and is most memorable as the fecund ground which birthed Raymond Burr's television portrayal of the gritty lawyer.
The plot is fabulous - a first rate, complex, highly believable mystery with all the requisite clues, twists and turns and red herrings that one would expect from a well-constructed mystery. In this regard, Erle Stanley Gardner does himself proud and competes neck and neck with his more famous colleague, Dame Agatha Christie.
But that characterization and dialogue. My, my, my ... in modern terms, they are so "B-movie", so over-written, so cartoonish and stereotyped, and so trite as to be utterly laughable! Any author that wrote that way today would be rejected by the publishing houses so quickly that they wouldn't even be given the doubtful privilege of receiving a bad review!
Four to five stars for the mystery contrasted with an exceptionally weak one to two stars for the characters and the dialogue average out at a three star mystery that is still worthy of being read because of its historical interest.
Paul Weiss
January 16, 2025
Well-written, but not for me. I prefer my hard-boiled stories to have a little more action. This is by no means a bad book, I just wasn't pulled in through all the legal/lawyer talk. It started off as a good mystery and Perry Mason proved his loyalty to his clients in the Third Act, which I really enjoyed, but I'm not sure I'll be diving into other books in this series any time soon. Sorry. But like I said, it was a good book.
August 29, 2025
In 1933, “The Case of the Velvet Claws” introduced the world to Gardner’s hardboiled attorney, Perry Mason, as well as his secretary, Della Street, and his handy detective, Paul Drake. Gardner, a Ventura, California, attorney wrote using two fingered typing. The incredibly popular character ended up starring in 82 novels, the last published in 1973 forty years later, six full length movies, a radio program, and a nine year television series starring Raymond Burr.
Gardner’s Perry Mason, at least at this point in the saga, was his answer to the hardboiled detective and this version of Mason was as quick with his fists as with his wits. “There was about him the attitude of one who is waiting. His face in repose was like the face of a chess player who is studying the board. That face seldom changed expression. Only the eyes changed expression. He gave the impression of being a thinker and a fighter.” This novel, unlike later ones in the series, is bereft of the courtroom scenes Mason later became famous for, particularly his grueling cross-examination.
Mason is not your corporate lawyer in his pinstripe suit. He tells us: “People that come to me don’t come to me because they like the looks of my eyes, or the way my office is furnished, or because they’ve known me at a club. They come to me because they need me. They come to me because they want to hire me for what I can do.”
Della Street is at once different than other secretaries. She is not just another pretty face. She actively involves herself, protective of Mason. Their first client is a woman Della is suspicious of. She doesn’t think the name given is an honest one and wants Mason to be on his guard of this femme fatale with velvet claws. “Della Street was slim of figure, steady of eye; a young woman of approximately twenty-seven, who gave the impression of watching life with keenly appreciative eyes and seeing far below the surface.”
This client: “It was as though she expected men to get up when she came into the room, and to treat her with a deferential recognition of her sex and her position.”
At least initially the case is about the client, Eva Belter, a married woman, who was out with another man, a well-known politician, was snuck out the back way of a club when it was held up and their names kept out of police records. But now a scandal sheet is threatening to blackmail them and she wants their names kept out of it.
Of course, that is just the introduction as Mason soon figures out that, Eva Belter, the woman, is married to the real owner of the scandal sheet. What’s more, after her husband is killed by gunshot coming out of the bath, she elicits Mason’s help before calling the police and swears to Mason that the voice she heard arguing with her husband before the gunshot was Mason’s. Her claws are out and she’ll bring him down if it serves her interests. Della told Mason about meeting the client: “She’s phony, and she’s crooked. She’s one of those well-kept little minxes that would double-cross anybody in order to take care of herself.” At the time, it just appeared that Della was jealous, but it turns out her women’s intuition was right on the mark. Della told him: “the woman’s dangerous. She is just the kind of a little minx who would get you into some sort of a jam and leave you to take it, right on the button.”
Mason though is tough-nosed enough to handle Eva, telling her: “if you go trying that kind of a game on me, I’ll throw you to the wolves. You’ve tried that game once. That’s enough.”
“The Case of the Velvet Claws” is more of a hardboiled mystery than a legal thriller. It is nevertheless a great introduction to Mason and his world.
Gardner’s Perry Mason, at least at this point in the saga, was his answer to the hardboiled detective and this version of Mason was as quick with his fists as with his wits. “There was about him the attitude of one who is waiting. His face in repose was like the face of a chess player who is studying the board. That face seldom changed expression. Only the eyes changed expression. He gave the impression of being a thinker and a fighter.” This novel, unlike later ones in the series, is bereft of the courtroom scenes Mason later became famous for, particularly his grueling cross-examination.
Mason is not your corporate lawyer in his pinstripe suit. He tells us: “People that come to me don’t come to me because they like the looks of my eyes, or the way my office is furnished, or because they’ve known me at a club. They come to me because they need me. They come to me because they want to hire me for what I can do.”
Della Street is at once different than other secretaries. She is not just another pretty face. She actively involves herself, protective of Mason. Their first client is a woman Della is suspicious of. She doesn’t think the name given is an honest one and wants Mason to be on his guard of this femme fatale with velvet claws. “Della Street was slim of figure, steady of eye; a young woman of approximately twenty-seven, who gave the impression of watching life with keenly appreciative eyes and seeing far below the surface.”
This client: “It was as though she expected men to get up when she came into the room, and to treat her with a deferential recognition of her sex and her position.”
At least initially the case is about the client, Eva Belter, a married woman, who was out with another man, a well-known politician, was snuck out the back way of a club when it was held up and their names kept out of police records. But now a scandal sheet is threatening to blackmail them and she wants their names kept out of it.
Of course, that is just the introduction as Mason soon figures out that, Eva Belter, the woman, is married to the real owner of the scandal sheet. What’s more, after her husband is killed by gunshot coming out of the bath, she elicits Mason’s help before calling the police and swears to Mason that the voice she heard arguing with her husband before the gunshot was Mason’s. Her claws are out and she’ll bring him down if it serves her interests. Della told Mason about meeting the client: “She’s phony, and she’s crooked. She’s one of those well-kept little minxes that would double-cross anybody in order to take care of herself.” At the time, it just appeared that Della was jealous, but it turns out her women’s intuition was right on the mark. Della told him: “the woman’s dangerous. She is just the kind of a little minx who would get you into some sort of a jam and leave you to take it, right on the button.”
Mason though is tough-nosed enough to handle Eva, telling her: “if you go trying that kind of a game on me, I’ll throw you to the wolves. You’ve tried that game once. That’s enough.”
“The Case of the Velvet Claws” is more of a hardboiled mystery than a legal thriller. It is nevertheless a great introduction to Mason and his world.
January 24, 2022
Good entertainment.
This is the first book in the well-known series about Perry Mason. I'm sure I've read some of the next books in this series. But my main and, de facto, only problem I have with Gardner's books is that soon after reading them, I completely forget them. This will probably also be the case with this book.
Which does not change the fact that this story was a good entertainment. Perry Mason works well as the main character in a book of this genre. As always in this type of books, it all starts with a beautiful woman asking him for help. And as is often the case, she is not entirely honest with him and brings Mason a lot of trouble.
I like these books, among other things, because even though there are some visible patterns in them or even cliches, the plot is not that simple. There are many twists and turns, some characters lie or have ulterior motives. And the main character must not only find out what happened, but also get out of the troubles he got into. This is also the case here. It is not a very long story, but the author did not spare on interesting and surprising twists. This makes it really good entertainment.
As I said, I'm not sure which Gardner's books I've read, but I will certainly read more. I recommend this book to those who are looking for fun read with some interesting twists.
This is the first book in the well-known series about Perry Mason. I'm sure I've read some of the next books in this series. But my main and, de facto, only problem I have with Gardner's books is that soon after reading them, I completely forget them. This will probably also be the case with this book.
Which does not change the fact that this story was a good entertainment. Perry Mason works well as the main character in a book of this genre. As always in this type of books, it all starts with a beautiful woman asking him for help. And as is often the case, she is not entirely honest with him and brings Mason a lot of trouble.
I like these books, among other things, because even though there are some visible patterns in them or even cliches, the plot is not that simple. There are many twists and turns, some characters lie or have ulterior motives. And the main character must not only find out what happened, but also get out of the troubles he got into. This is also the case here. It is not a very long story, but the author did not spare on interesting and surprising twists. This makes it really good entertainment.
As I said, I'm not sure which Gardner's books I've read, but I will certainly read more. I recommend this book to those who are looking for fun read with some interesting twists.
January 14, 2024
Perry Mason & the Treacherous Client
Review of the Della Street Press Kindle eBook (September 17, 2011) of the William Morrow & Company hardcover original (1933)
I recently enjoyed The Case of the Baited Hook: A Perry Mason Mystery (Perry Mason #16, 1940) from a Kindle Deal of the Day and realized that I had never previously read the classic lawyer-detective series. I now went back to the very first book to see how the origin story was told. It turned out that The Case of the Velvet Claws wasn't an origin story at all as Perry Mason is already running a law practice with Della Street as his secretary and the Paul Drake Detective Agency as his go-to investigators.
Mason takes on the case of Eva Griffin which begins as an effort to avoid blackmail from a scandal sheet. Della Street takes an immediate dislike to the client and warns Mason off, but Mason perseveres regardless. Street's instinct proves correct as when a murder occurs further into the story, Griffin threatens to report that Mason himself may have been the killer. Despite the treachery of the client, Mason still works to solve the case and save her from a murder accusation and conviction.
On the Berengaria Ease of Solving Scale® this was a fairly easy solve, a 2 out of 10, as the most likely culprit proves to be the villain in the end. That was after all the confusion of the client's apparent involvement had been explained away by Mason.
I'll probably still pick up a few further Perry Masons when I'm looking for a read in a light hard-boiled vein. Gardner is definitely reliable for that. None of the writing approaches the poetic metaphors of Raymond Chandler though, so it isn't quite top drawer.
The spine and front cover the original 1933 William Morrow & Company hardcover. Image sourced from Wikipedia by Facsimile Dustjackets LLC — William Morrow & Co. first edition, Fair use, Link.
Soundtrack
The Opening and Closing Themes for the original Perry Mason TV series were composed by Fred Steiner and you can hear them at this YouTube clip. The composition was actually called Park Avenue Beat and you can read about it further at Wikipedia.
Trivia and Links
Make a note about the website of Facsimile Dust Jackets LLC in case you ever have an older plain volume in your home library which you'd like to display on your shelves with the equivalent of its original dust jacket. I've used them in the past so can definitely recommend the high quality of their work. The price is relatively high considering it is only the dust cover and not the book itself, but in the case of a well-loved older volume you likely won't begrudge the price.
The Case of the Velvet Claws was adapted as a movie in 1936 which starred Warren William in his 4th and final appearance as the lawyer/detective. The major change from the novel is that Perry Mason is married to his secretary Della Street. You can see a trailer for the film on YouTube here.
The Case of the Velvet Claws was adapted for television in the original Perry Mason TV series (1957-1966) which starred Raymond Burr as the lawyer/detective. The adaptation was broadcast as Season 6 Episode 22 in 1963.
Review of the Della Street Press Kindle eBook (September 17, 2011) of the William Morrow & Company hardcover original (1933)
“People that come to me don’t come to me because they like the looks of my eyes, or the way my office is furnished, or because they’ve known me at a club. They come to me because they need me. They come to me because they want to hire me for what I can do.”
She looked up at him then. “Just what is it that you do, Mr. Mason?” she asked.
He snapped out two words at her. “I fight!”
She nodded vigorously. “That’s exactly what I want you to do for me.”
I recently enjoyed The Case of the Baited Hook: A Perry Mason Mystery (Perry Mason #16, 1940) from a Kindle Deal of the Day and realized that I had never previously read the classic lawyer-detective series. I now went back to the very first book to see how the origin story was told. It turned out that The Case of the Velvet Claws wasn't an origin story at all as Perry Mason is already running a law practice with Della Street as his secretary and the Paul Drake Detective Agency as his go-to investigators.
Mason takes on the case of Eva Griffin which begins as an effort to avoid blackmail from a scandal sheet. Della Street takes an immediate dislike to the client and warns Mason off, but Mason perseveres regardless. Street's instinct proves correct as when a murder occurs further into the story, Griffin threatens to report that Mason himself may have been the killer. Despite the treachery of the client, Mason still works to solve the case and save her from a murder accusation and conviction.
On the Berengaria Ease of Solving Scale® this was a fairly easy solve, a 2 out of 10, as the most likely culprit proves to be the villain in the end. That was after all the confusion of the client's apparent involvement had been explained away by Mason.
I'll probably still pick up a few further Perry Masons when I'm looking for a read in a light hard-boiled vein. Gardner is definitely reliable for that. None of the writing approaches the poetic metaphors of Raymond Chandler though, so it isn't quite top drawer.
The spine and front cover the original 1933 William Morrow & Company hardcover. Image sourced from Wikipedia by Facsimile Dustjackets LLC — William Morrow & Co. first edition, Fair use, Link.
Soundtrack
The Opening and Closing Themes for the original Perry Mason TV series were composed by Fred Steiner and you can hear them at this YouTube clip. The composition was actually called Park Avenue Beat and you can read about it further at Wikipedia.
Trivia and Links
Make a note about the website of Facsimile Dust Jackets LLC in case you ever have an older plain volume in your home library which you'd like to display on your shelves with the equivalent of its original dust jacket. I've used them in the past so can definitely recommend the high quality of their work. The price is relatively high considering it is only the dust cover and not the book itself, but in the case of a well-loved older volume you likely won't begrudge the price.
The Case of the Velvet Claws was adapted as a movie in 1936 which starred Warren William in his 4th and final appearance as the lawyer/detective. The major change from the novel is that Perry Mason is married to his secretary Della Street. You can see a trailer for the film on YouTube here.
The Case of the Velvet Claws was adapted for television in the original Perry Mason TV series (1957-1966) which starred Raymond Burr as the lawyer/detective. The adaptation was broadcast as Season 6 Episode 22 in 1963.
January 21, 2011
This is definitely the first of Gardner's Perry Mason novels, since at the end it refers to his next client as a "sulky girl" (see my review of "The Case Of The Sulky Girl"), and his writing is that of a beginning novelist. The story was good although readers under 35 may be puzzled by phrases such as "nix on that hooey" or actions like starting a car by stepping on the starter (this book was written in 1933 and is set in that period). At this beginning point of the series we are told that Della Street, Mason's secretary, has been working for him for five years so he has been in practice as a lawyer at least that long. And evidently Gardner develops the character of Mason more fully as a good guy as the series progressed because in this one Mason does the following: breaks traffic laws, basically blackmails a potential client for a fee, tells a person to lie to the police, hits and knocks down a (bad) guy on a public sidewalk (in front of witnesses, mind you), and pays a police investigator for information, and that's all in just the first 100 pages! (Not to mention he smokes like a locomotive). All in all, a good mystery with an ending I had not figured out in advance.
August 23, 2016
Perry Mason is a gruff, unafraid, confident and cunning man, with a few principles of his own. I was able to decipher this because he was the protagonist of the book. But for all the other characters (except for maybe Della Street, the assistant), I couldn't figure out what kind of people they were, because the focus was on the story, and minimal character development. In a way this was good too, because we want to enjoy the mystery and who gives two figs about how the characters were. But in the long run, when you look at the characters and they look more 'people' than 'characters', it helps attaching to the story. (I think this is the difference between other crime writers and Agatha Christie.)
On the other hand, the plot was too good, the writing was good enough, and finally the protagonist was not a detective (professional or amateur), but a lawyer, which was a change for the good.
On the other hand, the plot was too good, the writing was good enough, and finally the protagonist was not a detective (professional or amateur), but a lawyer, which was a change for the good.
April 23, 2017
The first Perry Mason and this Perry is a tough guy. I recently read a short story in The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps by ESG. It predated this book by a short time. The hero was an attorney named Ken Corning and he had a female secretary whose name I can't recall right now,but both are the characters that reappear in Velvet Claws renamed Perry Mason and Della Street.
The book was highly entertaining. There are several clever plot twists and I didn't guess the guilty party before the mystery was revealed. This book differs from later Mason in that there is no courtroom scene where Perry's cross examination provides the revelations necessary to solve the case, although Perry in effect cross exams a few people in the course of investigating the case. One wonders why someone would allow themselves to be cross examined voluntarily while not in court and perhaps that is one of the reasons ESG later made the courtroom the scene of much of the dialogue.
I'll continue with this series, in chronological order when availabilty allows. Years ago I read many Perry Mason novels and still have 6 or 7 paperbacks laying around in a cardboard box that I will raid now and again.
The book was highly entertaining. There are several clever plot twists and I didn't guess the guilty party before the mystery was revealed. This book differs from later Mason in that there is no courtroom scene where Perry's cross examination provides the revelations necessary to solve the case, although Perry in effect cross exams a few people in the course of investigating the case. One wonders why someone would allow themselves to be cross examined voluntarily while not in court and perhaps that is one of the reasons ESG later made the courtroom the scene of much of the dialogue.
I'll continue with this series, in chronological order when availabilty allows. Years ago I read many Perry Mason novels and still have 6 or 7 paperbacks laying around in a cardboard box that I will raid now and again.
July 22, 2018
Bear in mind I’m not judging the series, but rather the first in the series of Perry Mason.
Rather than going over any aspects of the plot, I’ll just go over my impressions.
I was pretty disappointed with this first entry into the Perry Mason series. If you are reading and a fan of the show, go in knowing that the TV Mason and the novel Mason are vastly and completely different.
One of the biggest problems in The Case of the Velvet Claws is Perry Mason himself. Mason’s projects himself to be a “fighter” for his clients, but to say his methods are questionable would be a gross and vast understatement. In fact, I’d say in this book that his tactics are on par or worse than the “bad” guys he is going after, and in today’s world would probably land him a stint in jail. Mason is really projected as a really unlikable person. Some of his ways of ��protecting” his client include borderline assault, bribing individuals for information, manipulating people, and planting evidence to protect his own interests, and other such unsavory shenanigans. Besides this, he is depicted as an angry bulldog and bully throughout, and varies little off this course, rendering his character very blah and one dimensional, more caricature than character. Each time he is called out on using unscrupulous means by other characters, he goes into this sermon about doing everything he can for his client, which feels like a rehearsed speech.
You have to really feel for Della Street, his faithful secretary, who does everything for Mason and clearly has better instincts than Mason about his client.
Aside from Mason, I also found the dialogue and character interactions unimpressive. Most of the word exchanges were pretty unoriginal. They consist of a lot of arguing and bickering back and forth between Mason and character(s): a lot of yelling, people trying to talk over each other, threatening violence, or other such theatrics repeated throughout and becoming indistinguishable. Being that the crux of the book relies on dialogue rather than plot description, this made for a less than stellar aspect to the book. Not very creative at all.
Lastly, the plot becomes a convoluted mess by the end of the book, and quite ridiculous, with Mason going on several wild goosechases, and having everything explained away to us in Scooby Doo like fashion in the finale with the snap of a finger.
I’m assuming things get better from here and that Gardner was working out the kinks of this series and where it would go, but I’m not sure I have much inspiration to move forward and read the next one, The Case of the Sulky Girl. Maybe someone could suggest a book from the series that was better than this one, or maybe a favorite from this series that you enjoyed.
Rather than going over any aspects of the plot, I’ll just go over my impressions.
I was pretty disappointed with this first entry into the Perry Mason series. If you are reading and a fan of the show, go in knowing that the TV Mason and the novel Mason are vastly and completely different.
One of the biggest problems in The Case of the Velvet Claws is Perry Mason himself. Mason’s projects himself to be a “fighter” for his clients, but to say his methods are questionable would be a gross and vast understatement. In fact, I’d say in this book that his tactics are on par or worse than the “bad” guys he is going after, and in today’s world would probably land him a stint in jail. Mason is really projected as a really unlikable person. Some of his ways of ��protecting” his client include borderline assault, bribing individuals for information, manipulating people, and planting evidence to protect his own interests, and other such unsavory shenanigans. Besides this, he is depicted as an angry bulldog and bully throughout, and varies little off this course, rendering his character very blah and one dimensional, more caricature than character. Each time he is called out on using unscrupulous means by other characters, he goes into this sermon about doing everything he can for his client, which feels like a rehearsed speech.
You have to really feel for Della Street, his faithful secretary, who does everything for Mason and clearly has better instincts than Mason about his client.
Aside from Mason, I also found the dialogue and character interactions unimpressive. Most of the word exchanges were pretty unoriginal. They consist of a lot of arguing and bickering back and forth between Mason and character(s): a lot of yelling, people trying to talk over each other, threatening violence, or other such theatrics repeated throughout and becoming indistinguishable. Being that the crux of the book relies on dialogue rather than plot description, this made for a less than stellar aspect to the book. Not very creative at all.
Lastly, the plot becomes a convoluted mess by the end of the book, and quite ridiculous, with Mason going on several wild goosechases, and having everything explained away to us in Scooby Doo like fashion in the finale with the snap of a finger.
I’m assuming things get better from here and that Gardner was working out the kinks of this series and where it would go, but I’m not sure I have much inspiration to move forward and read the next one, The Case of the Sulky Girl. Maybe someone could suggest a book from the series that was better than this one, or maybe a favorite from this series that you enjoyed.
June 24, 2021
"Perry Mason, avvocato. Ricordatevi questo nome. Lo sentirete di nuovo. Sta per diventare famoso."
La prima apparizione dell'avvocato Perry Mason si ha proprio in questo romanzo. Con lui ci saranno la fedele segretaria Della Street e l'aiutante investigatore Paul Drake che ritroveremo in tutti i romanzi successivi. Ho faticato non poco per trovarlo, ma ne sono felice perché, pur avendo letto diversi episodi su uno degli avvocati più famosi della letteratura gialla, non ne conoscevo le origini. La storia narrata è intrigante, così come lo è la donna che si reca da Mason per essere difesa da alcuni ricattatori. Mi sono lambiccata il cervello per comprendere a cosa si riferisse Gardner per "le zampe di velluto" del titolo, ebbene per comprendere, sono dovuta arrivare alla risoluzione del caso.
Un buon poliziesco.
La prima apparizione dell'avvocato Perry Mason si ha proprio in questo romanzo. Con lui ci saranno la fedele segretaria Della Street e l'aiutante investigatore Paul Drake che ritroveremo in tutti i romanzi successivi. Ho faticato non poco per trovarlo, ma ne sono felice perché, pur avendo letto diversi episodi su uno degli avvocati più famosi della letteratura gialla, non ne conoscevo le origini. La storia narrata è intrigante, così come lo è la donna che si reca da Mason per essere difesa da alcuni ricattatori. Mi sono lambiccata il cervello per comprendere a cosa si riferisse Gardner per "le zampe di velluto" del titolo, ebbene per comprendere, sono dovuta arrivare alla risoluzione del caso.
Un buon poliziesco.
December 14, 2015
When I was young growing up in a small town, my source for books was either the pocket-book rack at the grocery store or the one at the drug store. I favored the grocery store, cause it was a longer walk to the other store, even if they had the better sci-fi selection. I mean sometimes they would have as many as ten or twelve I could select from. Of course I couldn't spend the time I wanted to thinking about making choices, cause the pharmacist would wander over after about ten minutes and say, 'Can I help you find something?", with an inflection in his voice that said, 'you need to buy something or get your ass out of here.'
Well I liked those racks, you could spin them around and on one side you would have science fiction books, on another westerns and on another mysteries. However the mystery rack was mostly off limits to me. The problem was the covers which almost always featured some poor screaming girl displaying more of her wares than my Mom cared for me to see. So, I'd cautiously take a peek while spinning the rack around, wondering if any of those girls could take a hankerin' to a lost and forlorn, penniless sixth grader. But being a realist, even at that young age, I knew that both the books and the girls were something I would have to just aspire to rather than possess.
Why the long story? Cause this is the first Perry Mason book I've read and I thought maybe you needed some background as to why. Anyway it's over so you can relax now and I'll talk more about the book.
First, this was not the Perry Mason I was expecting based on multiple viewings of the Perry Mason show, growing up. Let me list some of the differences for you so you don't have to go through the same sort of literary shock I experienced.
This Perry Mason is not at all like paternal or sentimental. He is your standard, take no prisoners, hard boiled pulp detective - hence the garish covers.
This guy is not in it for truth, honesty and justice. Cash will suffice and plenty of it, thank you very much. And, he will make that point very clear to you, so's to avoid any possible misunderstanding.
He is blunt, rude, arrogant and cold yet his employees love him, especially Della Street - (Don't ask me, I can't figure it out.)
His ethics are well ...Lawyerly and lets just leave it at that.
He and Della Street kiss on the lips. I always thought he was like her Uncle or something.
Anyway other than the last part I referred to, this is a good book and a solid mystery. So ..If you like chewing gum and talkin' tough, or you used to like wearing white t-shirts, pegged jeans and penny loafers, or you liked guys like that, or of if you are like me, and just curious what went on behind those garish covers, then this book is for you.
Well I liked those racks, you could spin them around and on one side you would have science fiction books, on another westerns and on another mysteries. However the mystery rack was mostly off limits to me. The problem was the covers which almost always featured some poor screaming girl displaying more of her wares than my Mom cared for me to see. So, I'd cautiously take a peek while spinning the rack around, wondering if any of those girls could take a hankerin' to a lost and forlorn, penniless sixth grader. But being a realist, even at that young age, I knew that both the books and the girls were something I would have to just aspire to rather than possess.
Why the long story? Cause this is the first Perry Mason book I've read and I thought maybe you needed some background as to why. Anyway it's over so you can relax now and I'll talk more about the book.
First, this was not the Perry Mason I was expecting based on multiple viewings of the Perry Mason show, growing up. Let me list some of the differences for you so you don't have to go through the same sort of literary shock I experienced.
This Perry Mason is not at all like paternal or sentimental. He is your standard, take no prisoners, hard boiled pulp detective - hence the garish covers.
This guy is not in it for truth, honesty and justice. Cash will suffice and plenty of it, thank you very much. And, he will make that point very clear to you, so's to avoid any possible misunderstanding.
He is blunt, rude, arrogant and cold yet his employees love him, especially Della Street - (Don't ask me, I can't figure it out.)
His ethics are well ...Lawyerly and lets just leave it at that.
He and Della Street kiss on the lips. I always thought he was like her Uncle or something.
Anyway other than the last part I referred to, this is a good book and a solid mystery. So ..If you like chewing gum and talkin' tough, or you used to like wearing white t-shirts, pegged jeans and penny loafers, or you liked guys like that, or of if you are like me, and just curious what went on behind those garish covers, then this book is for you.
August 9, 2023
After a lifetime of black-n-white Perry Masons at noon, as a kid, as a mother, and then caring for my aged mother - and loving them . . . .I just figured I needed to give some attention to the author of the actual character.
I was in for a shock. Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry is not at all the Raymond Burr I expected him to be. Neither were Della or Paul. And the story line itself is much more Maltese Falcony. Noiry, more people touching combatively and roaring around, rather than the sedate, thoughtful moves in a reverent courtroom that I was used to seeing our on TV set. (Does anyone have a TV set anymore?)
Where in Erle's writing I did find what I expected was in his descriptions of Southern California, especially Los Angeles. Ah. Palm trees, city streets spread with asphalt for all those people in cars, and that cool breeze over hot surfaces, with just a twist of sand. And the hats. All the men in hats. My grandpa wore a hat every moment that was important.
I had started this read with a suspicion that I might just try and read the entire series.
Nah. I'm giving my nod to ESG here, and am watching the New Perry Mason episodes - I like those, with Matthew Rhys, even though he's more ESG than Raymond B.
I was in for a shock. Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry is not at all the Raymond Burr I expected him to be. Neither were Della or Paul. And the story line itself is much more Maltese Falcony. Noiry, more people touching combatively and roaring around, rather than the sedate, thoughtful moves in a reverent courtroom that I was used to seeing our on TV set. (Does anyone have a TV set anymore?)
Where in Erle's writing I did find what I expected was in his descriptions of Southern California, especially Los Angeles. Ah. Palm trees, city streets spread with asphalt for all those people in cars, and that cool breeze over hot surfaces, with just a twist of sand. And the hats. All the men in hats. My grandpa wore a hat every moment that was important.
I had started this read with a suspicion that I might just try and read the entire series.
Nah. I'm giving my nod to ESG here, and am watching the New Perry Mason episodes - I like those, with Matthew Rhys, even though he's more ESG than Raymond B.
April 6, 2014
Very much enjoyed this book. One glaring error that a good copy editor should have picked up. It didn't affect the story at all, but took me out of the moment.
I've read other Perry Mason's, but a long time ago. I'm definitely going to seek more of them out!
I've read other Perry Mason's, but a long time ago. I'm definitely going to seek more of them out!
January 19, 2020
When a self-absorbed woman named “Eva Griffin” comes to Perry Mason claiming her powerful husband is blackmailing her, Perry’s intrepid secretary Della Street doesn’t trust her. That’s our first clue that neither should we. Later, when Eva overhears her husband arguing with a man just before being shot, she claims it was Perry’s voice she heard arguing with the murdered man. A trustworthy client she is not! But in true Perry Mason style, he vows to fight for his client no matter the cost.
This is the very first Perry Mason novel, originally published in 1933. The Perry Mason series consists of over 80 novels and is currently the number 3 all-time best-selling fiction series, following only “Harry Potter” and R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps”. I thought it about time I sampled one.
Before reading this book, I knew very little about Perry Mason and have never seen the TV series starring Raymond Burr. As an attorney who takes on clients in trouble, he works diligently to gather all relevant facts using his own considerable powers of observation and intellect as well as hiring private detective Paul Drake to work on his behalf. While later books will include dramatic courtroom scenes, this first book does not but instead follows a more traditional detective novel format, albeit with some nice plot twists thrown in.
To be honest, I was somewhat surprised at the character of Perry Mason. He has no qualms about bending and even breaking the law as long as it leads to helping his client. He will lie about what evidence he has in order to trick somebody into revealing more than they should. He will intercept personal mail and even a legal summons, read it and then use it to trap people into confessions. In fact, a large part of his technique, at least in this first novel, is to set up elaborate false situations to trick people into telling him what they know. But because he is a lawyer, he knows just what he can get away with and he deftly pulls out the legal buzz words to impress the right people at the right time.
Overall, I enjoyed this book even more than I thought I would. The plot was nicely complex with several surprising twists, but it was fairly easy to keep track of who’s who and follow Perry’s thought process as he went. Looking forward to reading more of this series as well as sampling Gardner's other work.
This is the very first Perry Mason novel, originally published in 1933. The Perry Mason series consists of over 80 novels and is currently the number 3 all-time best-selling fiction series, following only “Harry Potter” and R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps”. I thought it about time I sampled one.
Before reading this book, I knew very little about Perry Mason and have never seen the TV series starring Raymond Burr. As an attorney who takes on clients in trouble, he works diligently to gather all relevant facts using his own considerable powers of observation and intellect as well as hiring private detective Paul Drake to work on his behalf. While later books will include dramatic courtroom scenes, this first book does not but instead follows a more traditional detective novel format, albeit with some nice plot twists thrown in.
To be honest, I was somewhat surprised at the character of Perry Mason. He has no qualms about bending and even breaking the law as long as it leads to helping his client. He will lie about what evidence he has in order to trick somebody into revealing more than they should. He will intercept personal mail and even a legal summons, read it and then use it to trap people into confessions. In fact, a large part of his technique, at least in this first novel, is to set up elaborate false situations to trick people into telling him what they know. But because he is a lawyer, he knows just what he can get away with and he deftly pulls out the legal buzz words to impress the right people at the right time.
Overall, I enjoyed this book even more than I thought I would. The plot was nicely complex with several surprising twists, but it was fairly easy to keep track of who’s who and follow Perry’s thought process as he went. Looking forward to reading more of this series as well as sampling Gardner's other work.
August 18, 2024
This was the first of about 150 Perry Mason books, written in 1933. It's a bit unusual in that there are no courthouse scenes, just Mason acting more as a detective than lawyer. I believe its purpose was mainly to introduce him and a few major characters to the public.
Back when I was a wee lad, this was one of my early favorite series, after the Hardy Boys, of course. I decided to try reading one or two in more modern times, to see how they hold up. It was interesting to read about those old-time customs and all, but I thought the story was a bit lacking. I think maybe it was because Perry Mason seemed a little dumb, at times. But maybe back then, things were different.
He made up a story for his client to tell the police on the spot, rather than telling the truth. This seems a bit risky to me, not to mention illegal. I would think it would be better to advise her not to answer any questions at all without his presence, especially since his client had already lied to him on a number of occasions. His secretary, Della Street, seemed smarter than him in some ways, and gave his good advice which he proceeded to ignore.
But I'll still check out some later books to see how things developed.
Back when I was a wee lad, this was one of my early favorite series, after the Hardy Boys, of course. I decided to try reading one or two in more modern times, to see how they hold up. It was interesting to read about those old-time customs and all, but I thought the story was a bit lacking. I think maybe it was because Perry Mason seemed a little dumb, at times. But maybe back then, things were different.
He made up a story for his client to tell the police on the spot, rather than telling the truth. This seems a bit risky to me, not to mention illegal. I would think it would be better to advise her not to answer any questions at all without his presence, especially since his client had already lied to him on a number of occasions. His secretary, Della Street, seemed smarter than him in some ways, and gave his good advice which he proceeded to ignore.
But I'll still check out some later books to see how things developed.
August 19, 2025
The mystery begins when Eva Griffin, a beautiful young woman visits Perry Mason in his office. Eva reveals that she was at an inn where an attempted robbery occurred. She was seen there with a well-known political candidate; Harrison Burke despite being married to someone else. She enlists Perry's assistance in negotiating a payoff to Spicy Bits, a scandal magazine that might publish the story and jeopardize her marriage. Shortly after, Mason discovers that his client’s real name is Eva Belter and that her husband, George Belter owns Spicy Bits, the gossip tabloid which profits through blackmail. Later, George is found dead and Eva is arrested for the crime. Mason defends her even though Eva repeatedly lies to him and tries to frame him for the murder. Mason employs dubious methods such as bribery and deceit to uncover the truth.
"The Case of the Velvet Claws" is the first novel in the Mason series. This short narrative’s captivating plotline includes blackmail and betrayal, is fast paced, action-packed and features unexpected twists that keep the readers hooked. While it lacks the courtroom drama seen in later instalments, it still delivers solid entertainment. I LIKED IT.
"The Case of the Velvet Claws" is the first novel in the Mason series. This short narrative’s captivating plotline includes blackmail and betrayal, is fast paced, action-packed and features unexpected twists that keep the readers hooked. While it lacks the courtroom drama seen in later instalments, it still delivers solid entertainment. I LIKED IT.
July 12, 2012
Well, so, I've never read (as opposed to have seen) Perry Mason before, so I decided to start at the beginning. And it seemed to be fairly pedestrian and tootling towards a somewhat obvious (with admittedly a few twists and turns) conclusion, but there are forty some pages left. When all of a sudden. . .
Da da daaaaaa da DUMP! Holey moley, where did that come from? Da da daaaaaaa da DUMP! Wowzers, never saw that one coming!
Sign me up, boys. I think I have a new series to make my way through.
Da da daaaaaa da DUMP! Holey moley, where did that come from? Da da daaaaaaa da DUMP! Wowzers, never saw that one coming!
Sign me up, boys. I think I have a new series to make my way through.
August 15, 2015
This book was so amazing!!! *_*
October 13, 2019
I really enjoyed this. Perry Mason reminded me more of a detective in the book form than I figured. It has the classic feel to it as well with the hard-boiled twists.
June 14, 2020
Perfect book to walk to. Strong cadence and rhythm, smoky and sultry, twists and turns to keep me walking longer in order to prolong my exercise time.
October 24, 2025
As a little girl I used to watch the b&w Perry Mason shows. The shows were good and the mom and I had a little time to ourselves. So when we had a mystery challenge at GR Dewey's Readathon, I
Immediately thought of the .
I was slightly disappointed. After listening to the audiobook. I recognize the elements of crime mystery noir and see the humor in the personality of the detective Perry Mason. I will rate the audiobook 3⭐, but I am not wanting to read the full novels. I may listen to audiobooks made of the radio shows, but not the full novels.
If I have an opportunity to watch the old b&w shows, I will watch a few also that I try to catch memory or two.
Edit. After discussing this novel with a buddy reader, I have decoded to try the second book in the series. It will likely be for a mystery read next October.
Immediately thought of the .
I was slightly disappointed. After listening to the audiobook. I recognize the elements of crime mystery noir and see the humor in the personality of the detective Perry Mason. I will rate the audiobook 3⭐, but I am not wanting to read the full novels. I may listen to audiobooks made of the radio shows, but not the full novels.
If I have an opportunity to watch the old b&w shows, I will watch a few also that I try to catch memory or two.
Edit. After discussing this novel with a buddy reader, I have decoded to try the second book in the series. It will likely be for a mystery read next October.
November 15, 2025
This was my first ESG, and apparently one of his first published books as well — at least the first under his own name. It was not at all what I had expected. A hard-boiled detective, except cast as a lawyer, it is certainly derivative of the hard-boiled style, and there are hints at the beginning of a certain lack of confidence in the writing. And it is formula at times. Mason, for example, often has recourse in this book to the bluff, planting false evidence, or making false statements, in order to fool his opponent into a confession — a device that apparently goes back to Poe. But the story proves to be so devilishly clever in its plotting, that one soon forgets any initial weaknesses.
September 17, 2023
Gardner’s first Perry Mason novel surprised me because nothing takes place in a courtroom. Also, Mason behaves just like a hard-boiled detective, although he displays a sharp acumen of the law, and is deeply honor bound to be a faithful representative to his client, a gorgeous and very shifty wife of a soon-to-be-dead rich husband. Murder and suspicious wills are nothing new in the mystery genre, so Gardner mashes up some interesting subplots and twists that I didn’t see coming. Paul Drake and Della Street are here and Mason is clearly romantically involved with Della, something that was not alluded to on TV. Gardner was one of the best writers of the 20th century, and although his popularity has waned, I have never read anything by him that was less that great, this one included.
January 30, 2023
This was my first Perry Mason novel. As a kid I remember watching the various tv shows. I'm not surprised that the book was much better. I enjoyed it alot. The only thing I have is a minor complaint is the use of his full name. Perry Mason said this or did this. I found that kinda annoying. The story was good and well paced I will definitely keep this series in my rotation.
June 13, 2020
Blackmail, lies, deceit, and death; The first book to feature the perennial lawyer/detective Perry Mason has it all.
Written in 1933, the story holds up remarkably well with devious dames and troublesome tabloids out to extort and exploit Mason's wealthy client. On face value, Mason sees this case as a quick fix; confront the blackmailer, keep the wealthy out of the tabloids, and get his well earned cash once the case is closed - only, the world doesn't turn quite that easy, and before long Mason is neck deep in conspiracy and murder!
It's hard to believe this is the first book in the long running series. The characters in Della Street (Mason's sassy and classy secretary), Mason himself, and Paul Drake (the detective who assists Mason with his cases) are well developed and read like they've been investigating and solving mysteries for years; their chemistry is apparent throughout.
The case itself is quite clever and I loved the constant twists and turns. Not once did I feel like I knew what was going to happen or who was going to bite the bullet.
Whilst billed as a legal/crime thriller, these books are pure pulp with a touch more intellect; a damn near perfect combination for fun in fiction.
Written in 1933, the story holds up remarkably well with devious dames and troublesome tabloids out to extort and exploit Mason's wealthy client. On face value, Mason sees this case as a quick fix; confront the blackmailer, keep the wealthy out of the tabloids, and get his well earned cash once the case is closed - only, the world doesn't turn quite that easy, and before long Mason is neck deep in conspiracy and murder!
It's hard to believe this is the first book in the long running series. The characters in Della Street (Mason's sassy and classy secretary), Mason himself, and Paul Drake (the detective who assists Mason with his cases) are well developed and read like they've been investigating and solving mysteries for years; their chemistry is apparent throughout.
The case itself is quite clever and I loved the constant twists and turns. Not once did I feel like I knew what was going to happen or who was going to bite the bullet.
Whilst billed as a legal/crime thriller, these books are pure pulp with a touch more intellect; a damn near perfect combination for fun in fiction.
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