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Perry Mason #21
The Case of the Careless Kitten: A Perry Mason Mystery
Helen Kendal's woes begin when she receives a phone call from her vanished uncle Franklin, long presumed dead, who urges her to make contact with criminal defense attorney Perry Mason; soon after, she finds herself the main suspect in the murder of an unfamiliar man. Her kitten has just survived a poisoning attempt, as has her aunt Matilda, the woman who always maintained that Franklin was alive in spite of his disappearance.
Lucky that Helen took her uncle's advice and contacted Perry Mason—he immediately takes her as a client. But while it’s clear that all the occurrences are connected, and that their connection will prove her innocence, the links in the case are too obscure to be recognized even by the attorney’s brilliantly deductive mind. Risking disbarment for his unorthodox methods, he endeavors to outwit the police and solve the puzzle himself, enlisting the help of his secretary Della Street, his private eye Paul Drake, and the unlikely but invaluable aid of a careless but very clever kitten in the process.
Reprinted for the first time in over twenty years, The Case of the Careless Kitten is one of the most highly praised cases in the iconic Perry Mason series, which need not be read in any particular order.
Lucky that Helen took her uncle's advice and contacted Perry Mason—he immediately takes her as a client. But while it’s clear that all the occurrences are connected, and that their connection will prove her innocence, the links in the case are too obscure to be recognized even by the attorney’s brilliantly deductive mind. Risking disbarment for his unorthodox methods, he endeavors to outwit the police and solve the puzzle himself, enlisting the help of his secretary Della Street, his private eye Paul Drake, and the unlikely but invaluable aid of a careless but very clever kitten in the process.
Reprinted for the first time in over twenty years, The Case of the Careless Kitten is one of the most highly praised cases in the iconic Perry Mason series, which need not be read in any particular order.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1942
203 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,353 books820 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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April 20, 2020
Not to be confused with The Case of the Caretaker's Cat, this is the twenty-first entry in the Perry Mason series, first published in 1942. As the book opens a young woman named Helen Kendal receives a mysterious phone call from a man claiming to be her beloved uncle, Franklin Shore, who disappeared ten years earlier. Shore, a prosperous banker, simply disappeared from his desk one night while in the middle of writing a check, and hasn't been seen or heard from since, save for a postcard that he sent to young Helen from Florida.
Uncle Franklin's wife, a grizzled old battle axe named Matilda, claims that Franklin ran off with a younger woman and that she's hated him ever since. She refuses to divorce him and insists that one day he will come crawling back to her and she will gleefully take her revenge. In the meantime, she also refuses to petition the court to declare him dead so that his will can be probated. This means that poor young Helen, who's in line for $20,000 in the will, can't afford to kiss off Aunt Matilda and marry the soldier that she loves.
The man claiming to be Uncle Franklin wants Helen to contact Perry Mason and bring him to meet a man who will then lead the two of them to him. It's all very mysterious and hush-hush, and Mason, who loves a good mystery, naturally agrees. In fairly short order, someone will be murdered; Helen's poor little cat will be poisoned, and Helen's miserable Aunt Matilda will also apparently be poisoned. Nobody cares about Aunt Matilda, of course, but we're all rooting for the poor little kitten to make a speedy and full recovery.
The plot of this novel is even more convoluted than usual for these books. Naturally, Perry will get into deep trouble and the nasty D.A., Hamilton Burger, will gleefully insist that this time he has Perry dead to rights and will be sending him to jail. Readers will dislike Burger even more than they dislike Aunt Matilda and will be thrilled to see Perry throttle the D.A. again. (This gives nothing away. If anyone reads one of these books expecting that Mason might actually lose a case, then they are clearly reading the wrong series.)
The solution to this all these developments will leave any logical reader shaking his or her head at the tangled web that Gardner has woven here and at the way he tries to make some sense out of it at the end. It simply can't be done, but still, it's always fun to watch Perry in action, and this is a quick, entertaining read.
Uncle Franklin's wife, a grizzled old battle axe named Matilda, claims that Franklin ran off with a younger woman and that she's hated him ever since. She refuses to divorce him and insists that one day he will come crawling back to her and she will gleefully take her revenge. In the meantime, she also refuses to petition the court to declare him dead so that his will can be probated. This means that poor young Helen, who's in line for $20,000 in the will, can't afford to kiss off Aunt Matilda and marry the soldier that she loves.
The man claiming to be Uncle Franklin wants Helen to contact Perry Mason and bring him to meet a man who will then lead the two of them to him. It's all very mysterious and hush-hush, and Mason, who loves a good mystery, naturally agrees. In fairly short order, someone will be murdered; Helen's poor little cat will be poisoned, and Helen's miserable Aunt Matilda will also apparently be poisoned. Nobody cares about Aunt Matilda, of course, but we're all rooting for the poor little kitten to make a speedy and full recovery.
The plot of this novel is even more convoluted than usual for these books. Naturally, Perry will get into deep trouble and the nasty D.A., Hamilton Burger, will gleefully insist that this time he has Perry dead to rights and will be sending him to jail. Readers will dislike Burger even more than they dislike Aunt Matilda and will be thrilled to see Perry throttle the D.A. again. (This gives nothing away. If anyone reads one of these books expecting that Mason might actually lose a case, then they are clearly reading the wrong series.)
The solution to this all these developments will leave any logical reader shaking his or her head at the tangled web that Gardner has woven here and at the way he tries to make some sense out of it at the end. It simply can't be done, but still, it's always fun to watch Perry in action, and this is a quick, entertaining read.
June 16, 2020
*****3.5*****
I really liked this book. It was published in 1942, so there are references to the war and some stereotypes and ethnic slurs against Japanese people, but if you can overlook that, you can enjoy the book. I always loved Perry Mason because he’s not the typical detective of mystery stories. He’s a lawyer and usually reveals what he knows in court. He goes up against the police because he has to find ways to gather information that interfere with police investigations. However, nobody can deny that Mason is successful.
This novel is interesting in that Lieutenant Tragg repeatedly expresses frustration with Mason’s “methods,” and the DA expressly tells Mason that he plans to get him disbarred because he consistently goes against the law by doing things only police should do. What I love most is Mason’s response to DA Burger: he argues that Americans lose more and more of their civil liberties because they do whatever police tell them and don’t realize they don’t have to; they end up following the letter of the law closely, creating precedent, and losing more and more agency, trusting the authorities to take care of things for them that they would be more than capable of handling for themselves. It’s a great argument for his own actions but especially for civil rights. The timing, during World War II, of the argument is especially interesting because I’m sure the government, federal and local, was implementing stricter laws that the people didn’t question during the heightened time of loyalty and patriotism. It’s also important because of what happened directly after during the Cold War with its witch hunts and red scares. Mason’s commentary was prophetic in that sense.
I also appreciated Gardner’s descriptions of Hollywood and its surrounding landscape. I never noticed before that Gardner is a great storyteller but also a good writer. I pictured everything clearly thanks to his Hemingwayesque details—straightforward and highlighting what he wants the reader to see without extraneous wording. One of my favorite descriptions was of the stars in the desert: “As only in the desert, the stars, stretching in a vast, arching sweep, were no less brilliant over the clear horizon than they were directly overhead. Mason said abruptly, ‘Let’s pull off to the side of the road and soak it up, Della. It’s an incomprehensible spectacle—makes you forget this strange human biped who commits murder.’”
What I didn’t like about this novel was that, because of Mason’s dispute with Burger, Mason doesn’t reveal the killer in court as he usually does. He tells Burger that he’s not going to give him the answers and that, since Burger thinks Mason’s methods are unethical, Mason isn’t going to make the DA’s job easy like he usually does. Mason sticks to his word and reveals everything alone to Della after the fact. I don’t like the reveal because it’s a little confusing and lacks the spectacle I’m used to in a Perry Mason story. But I was surprised by the whodunnit. I found it interesting and logical.
Overall, the book was suspenseful, funny, and entertaining. I always love reading non-literary novels from different decades because they’re not focused on language and craft so much and really highlight culture and societal norms through dialogue and action rather than descriptive narration. Reading this book from 1942 gave me those spotlights I love—the diners, the smoking, the slang, the male/female relationships, and so much more.
I recommend this book to lovers of mysteries and legal thrillers.
I really liked this book. It was published in 1942, so there are references to the war and some stereotypes and ethnic slurs against Japanese people, but if you can overlook that, you can enjoy the book. I always loved Perry Mason because he’s not the typical detective of mystery stories. He’s a lawyer and usually reveals what he knows in court. He goes up against the police because he has to find ways to gather information that interfere with police investigations. However, nobody can deny that Mason is successful.
This novel is interesting in that Lieutenant Tragg repeatedly expresses frustration with Mason’s “methods,” and the DA expressly tells Mason that he plans to get him disbarred because he consistently goes against the law by doing things only police should do. What I love most is Mason’s response to DA Burger: he argues that Americans lose more and more of their civil liberties because they do whatever police tell them and don’t realize they don’t have to; they end up following the letter of the law closely, creating precedent, and losing more and more agency, trusting the authorities to take care of things for them that they would be more than capable of handling for themselves. It’s a great argument for his own actions but especially for civil rights. The timing, during World War II, of the argument is especially interesting because I’m sure the government, federal and local, was implementing stricter laws that the people didn’t question during the heightened time of loyalty and patriotism. It’s also important because of what happened directly after during the Cold War with its witch hunts and red scares. Mason’s commentary was prophetic in that sense.
I also appreciated Gardner’s descriptions of Hollywood and its surrounding landscape. I never noticed before that Gardner is a great storyteller but also a good writer. I pictured everything clearly thanks to his Hemingwayesque details—straightforward and highlighting what he wants the reader to see without extraneous wording. One of my favorite descriptions was of the stars in the desert: “As only in the desert, the stars, stretching in a vast, arching sweep, were no less brilliant over the clear horizon than they were directly overhead. Mason said abruptly, ‘Let’s pull off to the side of the road and soak it up, Della. It’s an incomprehensible spectacle—makes you forget this strange human biped who commits murder.’”
What I didn’t like about this novel was that, because of Mason’s dispute with Burger, Mason doesn’t reveal the killer in court as he usually does. He tells Burger that he’s not going to give him the answers and that, since Burger thinks Mason’s methods are unethical, Mason isn’t going to make the DA’s job easy like he usually does. Mason sticks to his word and reveals everything alone to Della after the fact. I don’t like the reveal because it’s a little confusing and lacks the spectacle I’m used to in a Perry Mason story. But I was surprised by the whodunnit. I found it interesting and logical.
Overall, the book was suspenseful, funny, and entertaining. I always love reading non-literary novels from different decades because they’re not focused on language and craft so much and really highlight culture and societal norms through dialogue and action rather than descriptive narration. Reading this book from 1942 gave me those spotlights I love—the diners, the smoking, the slang, the male/female relationships, and so much more.
I recommend this book to lovers of mysteries and legal thrillers.
September 24, 2020
This, the twenty-first of the Perry Mason books, was certainly a complicated one and a very interesting read, even though the end, rather the denouement, done differently from usual, was a touch confusing as well, I wasn’t quite sure at first if I understood it right.
This one opens with Helen Kendal, a young woman of twenty-four, who gets a phone call from a man claiming to be her uncle Franklin Shore who had vanished (of his own accord) ten years ago, leaving behind all his wealth, an embittered wife, Matilda (quite a tyrant), a brother Gerald (who had his own law practice) and young Helen. Franklin asks Helen to contact Perry Mason and come see him with Mason and no one else. In the meantime, her little kitten Amber Eyes, who she has been playing with falls ill and is found to have been poisoned. Was it an accident? After getting the kitten treated, Helen who has revealed the phone call to her uncle contacts Perry through him, but when they arrive at the appointed place, with Gerald and Della in tow, more complications await them in the form of a message from Franklin which leads them to finding a dead body. But where is Franklin? Did he commit the murder, and if so, why? Mason of course solves it all, but not before another attempted poisoning, a shooting, and hints of dubious dealings. Everyone has a story to tell or secret to hide.
This is somewhat different from the usual Perry Mason tales for although the matter goes to court, and an arrest is made, we spend only a little time in court and it isn’t Perry’s client who is arrested. In fact, Hamilton Burger, having decided perhaps that Perry needs to be taught a lesson targets Della, and she ends up being produced in court (having already been arrested by Tragg). Burger tries to ‘remind’ Perry that solving the murder isn’t his job, and so Perry decides to take him at his word and not tell him any of what he finds out, so at the end while we the readers know the solution, Burger and Tragg are left to find out for themselves. One very much doubts that they do.
The explanation of whodunit and why was one I certainly didn’t see coming and with all of the twists in the plot, even after it was given I had to go back and forth a little to see if I understood it right. But despite that, overall I thought the book was good fun, and kept me reading because I had no idea how things would turn out.
And now to the most important part of the book—Amber Eyes, the kitten. This is the case of the careless kitten, after all, and the kitten is certainly at the centre of things. And she is careless, getting into a fair bit of trouble (may be a little too much, even). But her antics do also provide Perry with important clues as to what happened, especially her typically kitty behaviour.
A very enjoyable one with lots happening, twists and turns, and a totally unexpected outcome.
[p.s. As this was a wartime publication (1942), there is some anti-Japanese sentiment reflected.]
This one opens with Helen Kendal, a young woman of twenty-four, who gets a phone call from a man claiming to be her uncle Franklin Shore who had vanished (of his own accord) ten years ago, leaving behind all his wealth, an embittered wife, Matilda (quite a tyrant), a brother Gerald (who had his own law practice) and young Helen. Franklin asks Helen to contact Perry Mason and come see him with Mason and no one else. In the meantime, her little kitten Amber Eyes, who she has been playing with falls ill and is found to have been poisoned. Was it an accident? After getting the kitten treated, Helen who has revealed the phone call to her uncle contacts Perry through him, but when they arrive at the appointed place, with Gerald and Della in tow, more complications await them in the form of a message from Franklin which leads them to finding a dead body. But where is Franklin? Did he commit the murder, and if so, why? Mason of course solves it all, but not before another attempted poisoning, a shooting, and hints of dubious dealings. Everyone has a story to tell or secret to hide.
This is somewhat different from the usual Perry Mason tales for although the matter goes to court, and an arrest is made, we spend only a little time in court and it isn’t Perry’s client who is arrested. In fact, Hamilton Burger, having decided perhaps that Perry needs to be taught a lesson targets Della, and she ends up being produced in court (having already been arrested by Tragg). Burger tries to ‘remind’ Perry that solving the murder isn’t his job, and so Perry decides to take him at his word and not tell him any of what he finds out, so at the end while we the readers know the solution, Burger and Tragg are left to find out for themselves. One very much doubts that they do.
The explanation of whodunit and why was one I certainly didn’t see coming and with all of the twists in the plot, even after it was given I had to go back and forth a little to see if I understood it right. But despite that, overall I thought the book was good fun, and kept me reading because I had no idea how things would turn out.
And now to the most important part of the book—Amber Eyes, the kitten. This is the case of the careless kitten, after all, and the kitten is certainly at the centre of things. And she is careless, getting into a fair bit of trouble (may be a little too much, even). But her antics do also provide Perry with important clues as to what happened, especially her typically kitty behaviour.
A very enjoyable one with lots happening, twists and turns, and a totally unexpected outcome.
[p.s. As this was a wartime publication (1942), there is some anti-Japanese sentiment reflected.]
May 7, 2021
Un ritmo de lectura rápido ya que la trama hace que ansíes descubrir más sobre la historia que se plantea, tan extraña o imposible de creer que necesitas un poco más cada vez que terminas un capítulo.
El tema del gatito envenenado me dio de lleno en el corazón, ahora que comparto mi vida con un mínimo siento que este tipo de sucesos me afectan más.
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://atrapadaenunashojasdepapel.bl...
El tema del gatito envenenado me dio de lleno en el corazón, ahora que comparto mi vida con un mínimo siento que este tipo de sucesos me afectan más.
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://atrapadaenunashojasdepapel.bl...
March 25, 2023
The Case of the Careless Kitten, Erle Stanley Gardner [Penzler Books/American Mystery Classics, 1942] .
Perry Mason defends a fellow lawyer named Shore against a murder charge in a case that involves a missing person, blackmail, fraud, and more. Mason’s unorthodox methods land Mason and Della Street in legal jeopardy, with Della getting arrested and Mason threatened with disbarment.
***
Erle Stanley Gardner began his writing career, publishing short stories in pulp magazines, including Black Mask. He went to become America’s bestselling author notable for the creation of Perry Mason amongst other series characters.
***
The Perry Mason series was adapted for film from the Warner Brothers studio in the 1930s, as a radio drama in the 1940s, and as a long running tv show with Raymond Burr in the titular role in the 1950s and ‘60s (and later revived in the 1980s as a series of tv movies). Currently, Perry Mason is featured on HBO.
Perry Mason defends a fellow lawyer named Shore against a murder charge in a case that involves a missing person, blackmail, fraud, and more. Mason’s unorthodox methods land Mason and Della Street in legal jeopardy, with Della getting arrested and Mason threatened with disbarment.
***
Erle Stanley Gardner began his writing career, publishing short stories in pulp magazines, including Black Mask. He went to become America’s bestselling author notable for the creation of Perry Mason amongst other series characters.
***
The Perry Mason series was adapted for film from the Warner Brothers studio in the 1930s, as a radio drama in the 1940s, and as a long running tv show with Raymond Burr in the titular role in the 1950s and ‘60s (and later revived in the 1980s as a series of tv movies). Currently, Perry Mason is featured on HBO.
February 19, 2025
Perry Mason had that peculiar, confidence-inspiring magnetism which is so frequently found in tall men.'TCOTCK' is the second entry in Mystery Guild Lost Classics Omnibus' 'The Perry Mason Casebook'. I recently read what starts the volume: 'The Case of the Sulky Girl' (1933; the 2nd of the PM novels):
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
'TCOTCK' (1942) is the 21st PM novel, so by now ES Gardner had been in the PM-biz for some (successful) time. It's presumed that he just got better at it as he went along. But, for me - if this second time out with the high-powered lawyer is any indication - I'm not sure that I'm likely to become a particular fan.
Perry - and his Gal Friday Della Street - can be sort of fun to follow but, with this kind of material, Philip Marlowe (and Chandler's writing esp.) wins me over more easily
This isn't an unsatisfying mystery case. It's certainly a busy one. Too busy, really. As the red herrings begin to pile up, it might cross your mind that the whole thing's a bit too outlandish. That aspect isn't off-putting (as long as things make some sort of sense ultimately) - still, 'coincidental' does take on new meaning and the eventual house-of-cards implosion has an unwieldy set of moving parts.
As well, the actual writing can, at times, be noticeably uneven. The dialogue (by turns) can be a mix of smooth and clumsy, as can the descriptive passages. Nevertheless, the case itself works reasonably well - and the entertainment factor is strong-enough to keep interest piqued. The actual trial sequence - when we finally get there - has pop and pep.
Some may find the amount of importance attached to the kitten-in-question's behavior a bit... much.
One passage jumped out at me as being spookily 'current':
"We're living in a period of changing times. It's quite possible that the definition of crime will be broadened to include things which we might at present list in the category of political crimes. When the ordinary citizen is dragged into court, he'll find that the cards have been stacked against him. Ostensibly, they were stacked against the professional criminal by organized public servants, but actually they've been stacked against Mr. & Mrs. Ordinary Citizen, because the whole legal procedure has been completely undermined."Onward to what finishes the omnibus.....
July 24, 2013
In The Case of the Careless Kitten Perry Mason is once again doing his level best to get his client declared "Not Guilty"...the difference is, this time his client is Della Street!
Ten years ago Helen Kendal's uncle and town banker, Franklin Shore, disappeared. He left behind a vindictive wife, a financially unsound brother, and a niece who loved....as well as a very healthy bank account. His wife Matilda insists that he ran off with some floozie and refuses to believe he might be dead--mostly because she doesn't want to give up control of all his assets. If he were to be declared legally dead, she'd have to give up $20,000 apiece to Helen and Franklin's brother Gerald.
But then Helen receives a phone call from a man claiming to be Uncle Franklin. He tells her things that only her uncle should know and insists that she "Contact Perry Mason" and bring him with her to meet him. But Uncle Franklin is using an awfully circuitous route to get her to him. She & Mason are to meet a man named Leech who will then bring them to meet Franklin Shore.
Before Helen can contact Mason, her kitten, Amber Eyes--one minute gay and playful, is taken with horrible spasms and it is discovered that the poor kitten has been poisoned From there things get interesting...there's Uncle Gerald's strange behavior...The finding of the body of a man assumed to be Leech in that lonely spot...Aunt Matilda's insistence that Helen marry--not the soldier she loved, but the man her aunt prefers...the attempted poisoning of Aunt Matilda....the shooting of Helen's soldier boy...and the mysterious comings and goings of the gardener, Lunk.
Once Mason gets involved, Police Lieutenant Tragg and the D.A. are after him in earnest. Mason discovers the whereabouts of a vital witness and sends Della ahead to track him down. By the time Tragg and company show up, the man they want is gone. And then they decide to arrest Della for "hiding a critical witness or possible murder suspect." They think they've got the lawyer cold this time, but Mason forces a speedy trial and proves Della's innocence with the help of the Careless Kitten. Oh, and incidentally figures out what really happened in the case of the missing uncle, what was behind the poisoning, and who really shot who.
This is solid Perry Mason with the usual twists and surprise at the end. I enjoyed it very much. The most intriguing thing about the book was having Della on the hot seat. Mason initially takes on Gerald Shore as a client--but then really isn't needed much to defend him. He has to spend his energy defending his own secretary in court. I do wonder how that would really work out in life. Would a lawyer be allowed to defend his employee in court? Particularly if he could be called as a witness against her? (Not that D.A. Burger even tries to call Mason as a witness against Della--but I would think he could have.) Three and a half stars.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Ten years ago Helen Kendal's uncle and town banker, Franklin Shore, disappeared. He left behind a vindictive wife, a financially unsound brother, and a niece who loved....as well as a very healthy bank account. His wife Matilda insists that he ran off with some floozie and refuses to believe he might be dead--mostly because she doesn't want to give up control of all his assets. If he were to be declared legally dead, she'd have to give up $20,000 apiece to Helen and Franklin's brother Gerald.
But then Helen receives a phone call from a man claiming to be Uncle Franklin. He tells her things that only her uncle should know and insists that she "Contact Perry Mason" and bring him with her to meet him. But Uncle Franklin is using an awfully circuitous route to get her to him. She & Mason are to meet a man named Leech who will then bring them to meet Franklin Shore.
Before Helen can contact Mason, her kitten, Amber Eyes--one minute gay and playful, is taken with horrible spasms and it is discovered that the poor kitten has been poisoned From there things get interesting...there's Uncle Gerald's strange behavior...The finding of the body of a man assumed to be Leech in that lonely spot...Aunt Matilda's insistence that Helen marry--not the soldier she loved, but the man her aunt prefers...the attempted poisoning of Aunt Matilda....the shooting of Helen's soldier boy...and the mysterious comings and goings of the gardener, Lunk.
Once Mason gets involved, Police Lieutenant Tragg and the D.A. are after him in earnest. Mason discovers the whereabouts of a vital witness and sends Della ahead to track him down. By the time Tragg and company show up, the man they want is gone. And then they decide to arrest Della for "hiding a critical witness or possible murder suspect." They think they've got the lawyer cold this time, but Mason forces a speedy trial and proves Della's innocence with the help of the Careless Kitten. Oh, and incidentally figures out what really happened in the case of the missing uncle, what was behind the poisoning, and who really shot who.
This is solid Perry Mason with the usual twists and surprise at the end. I enjoyed it very much. The most intriguing thing about the book was having Della on the hot seat. Mason initially takes on Gerald Shore as a client--but then really isn't needed much to defend him. He has to spend his energy defending his own secretary in court. I do wonder how that would really work out in life. Would a lawyer be allowed to defend his employee in court? Particularly if he could be called as a witness against her? (Not that D.A. Burger even tries to call Mason as a witness against Della--but I would think he could have.) Three and a half stars.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
June 7, 2021
This is the 21st Perry Mason novel and only the second one I have read. The Case Of The Careless Kitten starts with a kitten being poisoned. Although he is taken to the vet and recovers this is just the beginning of his part in the mystery. Franklin Shore disappeared 10 years ago from his home and is presumed dead. And if he isn't dead his wife doesn't want him back. When his niece receives a phone call from someone claiming to be her Uncle and to contact Perry Mason to set up a meeting things take a puzzling turn, beginning with a dead body.
As a lawyer Perry Mason is a different type of "detective". He is very smart and knows how to go about getting clue/evidence. He also has help from his secretary and an actual private detective. The investigation also has the added element of trying to stay one step ahead of the police. This leads to great scenes between Perry Mason and the Lieutenant on the case.
I had a lot of fun reading this and can't wait to read more Erle Stanley Gardner. I love his style of writing. This book was published in 1942 and has all of the 1940's setting and atmosphere. Erle Stanley Gardner is so good at setting scenes.
I briefly suspected many different people but never had a real guess about the murderer. It was enjoyable just trying to figure out what was going on.
As a lawyer Perry Mason is a different type of "detective". He is very smart and knows how to go about getting clue/evidence. He also has help from his secretary and an actual private detective. The investigation also has the added element of trying to stay one step ahead of the police. This leads to great scenes between Perry Mason and the Lieutenant on the case.
I had a lot of fun reading this and can't wait to read more Erle Stanley Gardner. I love his style of writing. This book was published in 1942 and has all of the 1940's setting and atmosphere. Erle Stanley Gardner is so good at setting scenes.
I briefly suspected many different people but never had a real guess about the murderer. It was enjoyable just trying to figure out what was going on.
October 21, 2020
Those darn cats. Sneaky how they plot and plot to rule the world. Fortunately Perry deciphered the clues and saved Della from jail and again led Burger thru the case by the nose. Tragg was better presented here and more of his personality and skills demonstrated. Glad Holcomb not used - tired of his character.
June 26, 2024
Perry Mason ucu bucağı olmayan bir seri. Gardner çok eğlenceli konular seçiyor. Ben de sıkıldıkça indirip indirip okuyorum. Dönemi gereği çok çetrefilli konuları olmasa da bir dedektifi takip etmekten çok keyif alıyorum. Bu kitapta da zehir ve miras çekişmesi gibi sıkça görülen motifler var. Hızlıca okuyup keyif alabileceğiniz bir polisiye.
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July 13, 2024Soovitan seda 1930. aastatel toimuva tegevusega raamatut nendele, kes peavad lugu kohtusaalis toimuvatest põnevikest ja kellele pakub huvi ameerikalik õigusemõistmise süsteem.
Minu jaoks on Gardneri süžeed liiga keerukad, kohtusaalistseenid igavad ja tänapäeva krimiraamatutega võrreldes jääb tegelastes puudu mitmetahulisusest.
Minu jaoks on Gardneri süžeed liiga keerukad, kohtusaalistseenid igavad ja tänapäeva krimiraamatutega võrreldes jääb tegelastes puudu mitmetahulisusest.
April 20, 2018
Of all the Perry Mason cases I've read, I enjoyed this one the most, although the "careless" thing was certainly a stretch and a bit overworked. I was totally fooled by the outcome in the case. The voices and faces of the actors who portrayed the roles on the 1950s television show are still way too prevalent in my head to ever leave even when Gardner provides physical and character descriptions that don't fit those actors at all. One other thing that made me bristle was the description of and references to a "Korean" houseboy who was mistaken as being a "Jap." After finally consulting the copyright, I found that this was first published in 1942 so the language would make absolute sense for the time period. All in all, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to any lover of mystery novels.
July 16, 2012
Well, what can i say about Perry Mason? It was an interesting story as always, with intrigue and twists after twists. The "duels" between Mason, Tragg and Burger never get old. I couldn't tell who the culprit was...i like it when a book surprises me. One would think i would enjoy finding out who the culprit is after so many "crime" books i have read but it's the opposite. Since i have read hundreds of books, if i reach the end without knowing for sure, or having any clue, it means the plot was really well written. The latter is very common with Perry Mason's stories.
June 8, 2014
A good beginning, a great courtroom scene, but a bit too complicated at the end. Even after Perry gives the solution, I'm still not sure how he figured it out nor whether all the clues were there. Bonus: some nice lovey-dovey stuff between Perry and Della.
October 4, 2021
My first foray into the Perry Mason series, and unfortunately I'm not very impressed.
I chose this book because (1) cats and (2) it was one of the few available in print from my library. I was along for the ride for about half the novel, until the story of the exact doppelganger cropped up. I found it hard to believe, and apparently for good reason . I found the courtroom wrangling less engaging - I know, I know, not a good sign, considering the series! - and the actual murder case isn't argued or even officially solved. The court case is a misdemeanor offense against Mason's secretary, so the conclusion is foregone and that took some of the wind out of the sails, as far as suspense went.
The solution to the mystery did indeed involve the folly of kittens and their seemingly careless actions, but beyond the cat itself, I found the ending hard to swallow . The clues were all there, but the way they were pieced together made no Earth-logic sort of sense.
I'm sure I'll try another Perry Mason novel at some point, but I'm walking away from this reading experience feeling distinctly "meh" about it.
I chose this book because (1) cats and (2) it was one of the few available in print from my library. I was along for the ride for about half the novel, until the story of the exact doppelganger cropped up. I found it hard to believe, and apparently for good reason . I found the courtroom wrangling less engaging - I know, I know, not a good sign, considering the series! - and the actual murder case isn't argued or even officially solved. The court case is a misdemeanor offense against Mason's secretary, so the conclusion is foregone and that took some of the wind out of the sails, as far as suspense went.
The solution to the mystery did indeed involve the folly of kittens and their seemingly careless actions, but beyond the cat itself, I found the ending hard to swallow . The clues were all there, but the way they were pieced together made no Earth-logic sort of sense.
I'm sure I'll try another Perry Mason novel at some point, but I'm walking away from this reading experience feeling distinctly "meh" about it.
March 25, 2023
Franklin Shore, tio de Helen está desaparecido há vários anos e todos o julgam morto, excepto a sua esposa Matilda e gestora da fortuna do marido.
Helen recebe um telefonema de alguém que diz ser Franklin e fica convencida que é realmente o tio, pois ele sabe coisas que mais ninguém poderia saber. Combinam um encontro, mas ele não aparece.
Perry Manson é chamado para ajudar neste regresso de Franklin mas afinal a sua participação nesta história vai muito além da advocacia.
Olhos de Ambar é um gatinho muito distraído e vai ajudar ao desenrolar deste mistério.
Estas histórias de crime são bastante diferentes dos thrillers sangrentos que me entusiasmam bastante. No entanto, o que me agrada nestes clássicos são os meandros psicológicos e o emaranhado de situações que só com muita atenção se conseguem deslindar.
Helen recebe um telefonema de alguém que diz ser Franklin e fica convencida que é realmente o tio, pois ele sabe coisas que mais ninguém poderia saber. Combinam um encontro, mas ele não aparece.
Perry Manson é chamado para ajudar neste regresso de Franklin mas afinal a sua participação nesta história vai muito além da advocacia.
Olhos de Ambar é um gatinho muito distraído e vai ajudar ao desenrolar deste mistério.
Estas histórias de crime são bastante diferentes dos thrillers sangrentos que me entusiasmam bastante. No entanto, o que me agrada nestes clássicos são os meandros psicológicos e o emaranhado de situações que só com muita atenção se conseguem deslindar.
December 2, 2023
This is the first Perry Mason story that I’ve read. I remember seeing a couple of the episodes along time ago, probably reruns. In terms of the novels, on which the TV shows were based, this was new to me I didn’t even know they existed. I quite like this story, it has a lot of cute elements. Of course, it’s from another era, and there are certain things that are charming and interesting about that time. I was surprised at the character of Della Street, because I didn’t remember her as being more than just a secretary, but apparently that was in the books but again, maybe I don’t remember the TV episodes very well. I’ll probably read another Perry Mason book to see if I want to continue with the series. It’s a lot of novels from what I understand, something like 50 or more. Anyway, it was a fun read.
May 30, 2021
When Helen Kendall's kitten is poisoned, it soon becomes clear that someone wishes harm to her family. Could it be a coincidence that the kitten was poisoned on the very day that her long lost uncle makes contact?
Soon Perry Mason must extricate Della Street from prosecution, as Burger accuses her of aiding and abetting the escape of a fugitive, as her conviction will lead to his disbarment.
Gardner's careful mystery is so annoying because the clues are scattered throughout the novel and, by the time of the denouement, readers will be kicking themselves for not having seen the truth sooner.
Soon Perry Mason must extricate Della Street from prosecution, as Burger accuses her of aiding and abetting the escape of a fugitive, as her conviction will lead to his disbarment.
Gardner's careful mystery is so annoying because the clues are scattered throughout the novel and, by the time of the denouement, readers will be kicking themselves for not having seen the truth sooner.
December 15, 2024
The mother type character in this is so awful that I thought I was reading an Agatha Christie for most of the first Chapter. Enter Perry Mason and the whole tone changes. He definitely has his own unique way of getting at the truth.
Della Street gets in big trouble. Not sure how I feel about that except to say it made the courtroom scene a bit different than other books.
The end was complicated and I had to read it twice. I'm proud to say I did guess the significance of the kitten when Perry was laying it out in the courtroom. Beyond that, I was totally lost.
Mason seems to be interested in cases that involve an animal. It's good fun.
Della Street gets in big trouble. Not sure how I feel about that except to say it made the courtroom scene a bit different than other books.
The end was complicated and I had to read it twice. I'm proud to say I did guess the significance of the kitten when Perry was laying it out in the courtroom. Beyond that, I was totally lost.
Mason seems to be interested in cases that involve an animal. It's good fun.
July 21, 2025
Pretty damn good mystery! I’ve never read any of Gardner’s work but doing so makes it obvious why he was so popular and why Mason as a character was too. He really does sell a story that seems so confusing and then explains it away in a method that makes you feel stupid for not getting it when all of the clues are literally right there in plain sight.
November 2, 2023
I must admit to buying books in these series as they come on sale. Still, I am never disappointed, and this story is complex and compelling, along with having some solid commentary I would not have expected for its time.
August 12, 2021
It's nice to know that if you are pondering what to read next....You can always read Perry Mason.
May 7, 2025
3.5 stars. It was a fun read, and it kept my attention. I appreciated the humor that came through in the writing. I do wish the ending was a bit more tied up.
May 10, 2021
This one didnt hit for me.
March 14, 2021
The most notable thing about this Perry Mason novel of the '40s is that Erle Stanley Gardner conjures intrigue through the racist, orientalist construction of a "houseboy" who says he's Korean but whom everyone suspects is Japanese. Gardner uses the supposed ethnic ambiguity, foreignness, and therefore intrinsic unknowability of this character to throw a shadow of suspicion over every plot element that involves him.
I kept reading to see exactly how the racist arc played out. In the end, this book is a complete mess. The way the clues are supposed to connect is absurd. It's like Erle Stanley Gardner wrote himself into a hole and just started piling up more characters and details to try to climb out of it. It reads like someone tried to write their first mystery novel ever during NaNoWriMo. Not worth reading.
I kept reading to see exactly how the racist arc played out. In the end, this book is a complete mess. The way the clues are supposed to connect is absurd. It's like Erle Stanley Gardner wrote himself into a hole and just started piling up more characters and details to try to climb out of it. It reads like someone tried to write their first mystery novel ever during NaNoWriMo. Not worth reading.
April 16, 2020
Até ao fim do livro para se deslindar (e provar!) este mistério! Desta vez as minhas skills detetivescas foram completamente arrasadas. Estive quase desde o início convencida de ter descoberto o criminoso (pensava que era o George Alber, movido pelo ódio e desejo de vingança pela ruína da sua família e a morte do seu pai...), e, não podia estar mais desviada do caminho.
March 25, 2024
Do you like courtroom scenes?
Me, I'm not crazy about them, but even I enjoyed this one. Perry Mason specializes in proving his client innocent and having charges dropped without a trial. In this one, there IS a trial, but it doesn't involve Mason's client. Confused yet? You will be by the end of this book.
The kitten in the title (Amber Eyes) is sarcastically dubbed "careless" by Della Street, who says cats are picky eaters and impossible to poison. This accident-prone kitten is poisoned AND loses her balance leaning out a window and ends up hanging from a closeline. She also walks through some spilled flour, creating an important clue. And Perry uncovers the bad guy because he knows that all cats (even Amber Eyes!) prefer a nice, warm sleeping place. A smart lawyer knows that even trivial information is important.
The plot is complicated. There's a missing man who might have returned to L.A. His bitter wife wants revenge and someone might have forged his name on a large check. His niece has missed her loving uncle, but she's grown now. WWII has started and her soldier boyfriend may be shipped overseas any time. She wants to be married first, but her aunt is violently opposed.
Then there's Komo, a servant who swears he's Korean but who might be an enemy agent. It seems absurd now, but the bombing of Pearl Harbor traumatized Americans. And a Japanese invasion of the West Coast was a real possibility.
When District Attorney Hamilton Burger brings charges, it's not against any of the suspects, but against someone very dear to Perry Mason. Burger is convinced Mason has hiden a suspect from the police, catching the iconoclastic lawyer with both hands in the cookie jar. The prospect of getting Mason permanently disbarred is far more important to him than finding the murderer of some bum in a cheap hotel.
This author was a lawyer who felt strongly about the rights of the accused to receive a fair trial. He was one of a group who financed investigations that freed wrongly convicted people. He believed in the justice system, but he didn't like to see anyone railroaded. Perry Mason uses the trial to demonstrate that people CAN be wrongly accused by the police. All he has to do is get a couple of women jurors who understand cat behavior.
The "solution" is revealed when Perry Mason has washed his hands of the whole mess and is headed to Las Vegas for a restful vacation with Della. He knows he can trust the intelligent, honest Lt Tragg to bring the guilty party to justice. Meanwhile, he's demonstrated that a clever lawyer can make a monkey out of a vindictive District Attorney. Poor Ham Burger! He never had a chance.
This is not my favorite Perry Mason book, but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would.
Me, I'm not crazy about them, but even I enjoyed this one. Perry Mason specializes in proving his client innocent and having charges dropped without a trial. In this one, there IS a trial, but it doesn't involve Mason's client. Confused yet? You will be by the end of this book.
The kitten in the title (Amber Eyes) is sarcastically dubbed "careless" by Della Street, who says cats are picky eaters and impossible to poison. This accident-prone kitten is poisoned AND loses her balance leaning out a window and ends up hanging from a closeline. She also walks through some spilled flour, creating an important clue. And Perry uncovers the bad guy because he knows that all cats (even Amber Eyes!) prefer a nice, warm sleeping place. A smart lawyer knows that even trivial information is important.
The plot is complicated. There's a missing man who might have returned to L.A. His bitter wife wants revenge and someone might have forged his name on a large check. His niece has missed her loving uncle, but she's grown now. WWII has started and her soldier boyfriend may be shipped overseas any time. She wants to be married first, but her aunt is violently opposed.
Then there's Komo, a servant who swears he's Korean but who might be an enemy agent. It seems absurd now, but the bombing of Pearl Harbor traumatized Americans. And a Japanese invasion of the West Coast was a real possibility.
When District Attorney Hamilton Burger brings charges, it's not against any of the suspects, but against someone very dear to Perry Mason. Burger is convinced Mason has hiden a suspect from the police, catching the iconoclastic lawyer with both hands in the cookie jar. The prospect of getting Mason permanently disbarred is far more important to him than finding the murderer of some bum in a cheap hotel.
This author was a lawyer who felt strongly about the rights of the accused to receive a fair trial. He was one of a group who financed investigations that freed wrongly convicted people. He believed in the justice system, but he didn't like to see anyone railroaded. Perry Mason uses the trial to demonstrate that people CAN be wrongly accused by the police. All he has to do is get a couple of women jurors who understand cat behavior.
The "solution" is revealed when Perry Mason has washed his hands of the whole mess and is headed to Las Vegas for a restful vacation with Della. He knows he can trust the intelligent, honest Lt Tragg to bring the guilty party to justice. Meanwhile, he's demonstrated that a clever lawyer can make a monkey out of a vindictive District Attorney. Poor Ham Burger! He never had a chance.
This is not my favorite Perry Mason book, but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would.
November 7, 2012
another good crime story from Garnder...I really do like Perry Mason (and hey, he was asking for Della's hand!:)))
It was good to read a crime novel set in the 40s in US - I think this should be an amazing time.
Already seeking for the next Perry Mason novel I can read.
It was good to read a crime novel set in the 40s in US - I think this should be an amazing time.
Already seeking for the next Perry Mason novel I can read.
June 29, 2023
An interesting if dated murder mystery featuring Earle Stanley Gardner's lawyer-sleuth, Perry Mason. Weirdly, I pictured the action all in black and white.
I have never watched the Perry Mason tv series, but I think I will seek out a couple of episodes starring Raymond Burr.
I have never watched the Perry Mason tv series, but I think I will seek out a couple of episodes starring Raymond Burr.
January 24, 2023
First sentence: THE KITTEN’S eyes, weaving back and forth, followed the ball of crumpled paper that Helen Kendal was waving high above the arm of the chair. The kitten was named Amber Eyes because of those yellow eyes. Helen liked to watch them.
Premise/plot: Helen Kendal's kitten, Amber Eyes, is poisoned (but survives) shortly after she receives a phone call from her missing (long thought dead) uncle. Her uncle, Frank Shore, wants her to meet with the lawyer, Perry Mason, and go to a super-shady hotel later that evening. He's arranged for someone to meet them (just them, only them) and take them to a second location where he'll be waiting. She's not to tell anyone--especially her aunt, Matilda. (She ends up talking with her (other) uncle Gerald). The meet-up does NOT go as planned. They find a NOTE not a man. And the man they were supposed to meet up with (to find the uncle) is found DEAD. And so it begins...
My thoughts: I do love Perry Mason. I am more familiar with the television series than the actual novels the show is based upon. However, I do enjoy both. It's been years since I last read a Perry Mason novel. (Or it could have been 2020-ish. Which feels like years ago).
How does this one compare to other Perry Mason novels? Well, I can't compare it to each and every one, but, I'll do my best to compare it with your typical Mason mystery.
First, the KITTEN, Amber Eyes, truly steals the show. This kitten literally stars in several scenes of the book. Often her antics make for the best bits of dialogue. And literally, Mason solves the case because of the kitten! She's key to putting all the pieces together...
Second, this Perry Mason novel was written and published in 1942. One of the suspects (though not high up on the suspects list) is a "houseboy" who works for Aunt Matilda. She claims--and he claims--that he is Korean, not Japanese. Everyone--including Mason and company--are suspicious of him. Is he lying about being Korean? Is he Japanese? Is he loyal to Japan? Is he a traitor to the United States? If this was written in ANY other year/decade, it would feel definitely cringe and super-regrettable. (I'm not saying it is justifiable. Just that the context makes sense of WHY.) There are probably half a dozen scenes where characters slur his race/ethnicity (in general). Again, not justifying the behavior, but during the war, the propaganda machine was going full force. And even before the war, Americans were VERY divided on if ANYONE of Asian descent should be allowed to emigrate. There were strict immigration laws. It was UGLY. I highly recommend Days of Infamy by Lawrence Goldstone. The novel captures a moment in American history. Seen in light of actual history, I think you can understand how/why this bias, this prejudice makes its way into a mystery novel (set in California). This could be a good opportunity to take a moment or two to reflect and dig a little deeper.
Third, while there is a BIG reveal, it takes place OUTSIDE the courtroom. Perry Mason has had enough. Like he's ALL DONE. He does not solve the D.A.'s case for him. He clears his client of the so-called crime (it's complicated), but does NOT fill in the blanks for the prosecution.
Fourth, the courtroom case we do see is NOT the murder case. But I hate to spoil who his client is and what the charge is...
Quotes:
But Perry Mason had a mind which was only content when it was detouring the technicalities of legal red tape. He not only regarded each case as a venture studded with excitement, but became impatient with the delays of routine procedure. More and more, as his practice developed, he became interested in personalities. More and more, his methods became dazzlingly brilliant, increasingly dangerous, and highly unorthodox.
“A cat usually picks at its food. That kitten must have been terribly hungry to gulp down those balls of meat.” “This kitten was just careless, I guess. Hurry up.” “Very careless,” nodded Della. “I think when I open the file for this case I’ll call it ‘The Case of the Careless Kitten.’ ”
“It’s high time for citizens to wake up to the fact that it isn’t a question of whether a man is guilty or innocent, but whether his guilt or innocence can be proved under a procedure which leaves in the citizen the legal rights to which he is entitled under a constitutional government.
Hamilton Burger said to the Court, “I am asking leading questions on some of these points which are not disputed, but which I want to get before the jury.” “No objection,” Mason said. “What did your uncle say to you over the telephone?” “Objected to,” Mason said, “as hearsay. Incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial.”
“I’m going out to buy a cat so I can study him and learn about some of the important facts of life.”
Premise/plot: Helen Kendal's kitten, Amber Eyes, is poisoned (but survives) shortly after she receives a phone call from her missing (long thought dead) uncle. Her uncle, Frank Shore, wants her to meet with the lawyer, Perry Mason, and go to a super-shady hotel later that evening. He's arranged for someone to meet them (just them, only them) and take them to a second location where he'll be waiting. She's not to tell anyone--especially her aunt, Matilda. (She ends up talking with her (other) uncle Gerald). The meet-up does NOT go as planned. They find a NOTE not a man. And the man they were supposed to meet up with (to find the uncle) is found DEAD. And so it begins...
My thoughts: I do love Perry Mason. I am more familiar with the television series than the actual novels the show is based upon. However, I do enjoy both. It's been years since I last read a Perry Mason novel. (Or it could have been 2020-ish. Which feels like years ago).
How does this one compare to other Perry Mason novels? Well, I can't compare it to each and every one, but, I'll do my best to compare it with your typical Mason mystery.
First, the KITTEN, Amber Eyes, truly steals the show. This kitten literally stars in several scenes of the book. Often her antics make for the best bits of dialogue. And literally, Mason solves the case because of the kitten! She's key to putting all the pieces together...
Second, this Perry Mason novel was written and published in 1942. One of the suspects (though not high up on the suspects list) is a "houseboy" who works for Aunt Matilda. She claims--and he claims--that he is Korean, not Japanese. Everyone--including Mason and company--are suspicious of him. Is he lying about being Korean? Is he Japanese? Is he loyal to Japan? Is he a traitor to the United States? If this was written in ANY other year/decade, it would feel definitely cringe and super-regrettable. (I'm not saying it is justifiable. Just that the context makes sense of WHY.) There are probably half a dozen scenes where characters slur his race/ethnicity (in general). Again, not justifying the behavior, but during the war, the propaganda machine was going full force. And even before the war, Americans were VERY divided on if ANYONE of Asian descent should be allowed to emigrate. There were strict immigration laws. It was UGLY. I highly recommend Days of Infamy by Lawrence Goldstone. The novel captures a moment in American history. Seen in light of actual history, I think you can understand how/why this bias, this prejudice makes its way into a mystery novel (set in California). This could be a good opportunity to take a moment or two to reflect and dig a little deeper.
Third, while there is a BIG reveal, it takes place OUTSIDE the courtroom. Perry Mason has had enough. Like he's ALL DONE. He does not solve the D.A.'s case for him. He clears his client of the so-called crime (it's complicated), but does NOT fill in the blanks for the prosecution.
Fourth, the courtroom case we do see is NOT the murder case. But I hate to spoil who his client is and what the charge is...
Quotes:
But Perry Mason had a mind which was only content when it was detouring the technicalities of legal red tape. He not only regarded each case as a venture studded with excitement, but became impatient with the delays of routine procedure. More and more, as his practice developed, he became interested in personalities. More and more, his methods became dazzlingly brilliant, increasingly dangerous, and highly unorthodox.
“A cat usually picks at its food. That kitten must have been terribly hungry to gulp down those balls of meat.” “This kitten was just careless, I guess. Hurry up.” “Very careless,” nodded Della. “I think when I open the file for this case I’ll call it ‘The Case of the Careless Kitten.’ ”
“It’s high time for citizens to wake up to the fact that it isn’t a question of whether a man is guilty or innocent, but whether his guilt or innocence can be proved under a procedure which leaves in the citizen the legal rights to which he is entitled under a constitutional government.
Hamilton Burger said to the Court, “I am asking leading questions on some of these points which are not disputed, but which I want to get before the jury.” “No objection,” Mason said. “What did your uncle say to you over the telephone?” “Objected to,” Mason said, “as hearsay. Incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial.”
“I’m going out to buy a cat so I can study him and learn about some of the important facts of life.”
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