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Perry Mason #42
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister
A tale of two sisters, family fortune, and “Millions of Americans never seem to tire of Gardner’s thrillers” ( The New York Times ).
Beautiful Sylvia Bain Atwood is overseeing her ailing father’s estate while her sister serves as his caregiver. But their father’s fortune has shadowy roots—and now one of his creditors is blackmailing the family.
When the situation escalates to murder, defense lawyer Perry Mason will have his hands full in this mystery in Edgar Award–winning author Erle Stanley Gardner’s classic, long-running series, which has sold three hundred million copies and serves as the inspiration for the HBO show starring Matthew Rhys and Tatiana Maslany.
DON’T MISS THE NEW HBO ORIGINAL SERIES PERRY MASON , BASED ON CHARACTERS FROM ERLE STANLEY GARDNER’S NOVELS, STARRING EMMY AWARD WINNER MATTHEW RHYS
Beautiful Sylvia Bain Atwood is overseeing her ailing father’s estate while her sister serves as his caregiver. But their father’s fortune has shadowy roots—and now one of his creditors is blackmailing the family.
When the situation escalates to murder, defense lawyer Perry Mason will have his hands full in this mystery in Edgar Award–winning author Erle Stanley Gardner’s classic, long-running series, which has sold three hundred million copies and serves as the inspiration for the HBO show starring Matthew Rhys and Tatiana Maslany.
DON’T MISS THE NEW HBO ORIGINAL SERIES PERRY MASON , BASED ON CHARACTERS FROM ERLE STANLEY GARDNER’S NOVELS, STARRING EMMY AWARD WINNER MATTHEW RHYS
234 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1953
390 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,353 books819 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 109 reviews
August 13, 2017
“She’s too busy stealing her sister’s boyfriend.” - Della Street
“No, she’s just giving her sex appeal its morning exercise.” - Perry Mason
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister is one of Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason novels written in the 1950s, when Gardner was at his zenith in the famous series. This one is surprisingly breezy, in spite of the usual complicated plot involving blackmail and eventually, murder, and a rather lengthy courtroom scene.
It begins like a horse jumping from the starting gate when Della makes certain Perry knows she doesn’t like the green-eyed client waiting to see him. Her name is Sylvia Bain Atwood, and she’s trying to get out of some tricky business being run by a guy named Brogan, that Paul Drake believes is a shady but smart blackmailer. The backstory involves whether the money that her ailing father used to get rich — there’s a lot of money involved — came from an old robbery. Sylvia doesn’t want that, because it could void all that money she and her more subdued sister, Hattie, and her brother will inherit.
Sylvia thinks she’s smarter than Mason, and it jams up the works! Her efforts to stay ahead of the blackmailer — and Mason — muddy things up at every turn. With Della in tow, Mason walks in on a murder scene he’s been set up to find, and has a very disagreeable Sgt. Holcomb looking to catch Perry on the other side of the line he’s always skirting. Tragg lends Mason a hand in this one, tipping him off at one point! But Mason’s not the only one in a jam, because when the father kicks off, the green-eyed sister’s schemes cause Hattie to be charged with murder.
This is really an excellent entry in the series, very enjoyable. Even a protracted courtroom questioning doesn't slow this one down enough to mar it significantly. An ice pick, some very tricky business with the blackmail tape everyone wants, and some even trickier business regarding time of death make this one zip along nicely. Even the lengthy questioning in court of witnesses is involving rather than tedious, and this case has one of the most unusual endings of the entire series.
Will Perry let someone fry for a crime they didn’t commit? Will the green-eyed sister get the last laugh? You’ll have to read it to find out. A good one!
“No, she’s just giving her sex appeal its morning exercise.” - Perry Mason
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister is one of Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason novels written in the 1950s, when Gardner was at his zenith in the famous series. This one is surprisingly breezy, in spite of the usual complicated plot involving blackmail and eventually, murder, and a rather lengthy courtroom scene.
It begins like a horse jumping from the starting gate when Della makes certain Perry knows she doesn’t like the green-eyed client waiting to see him. Her name is Sylvia Bain Atwood, and she’s trying to get out of some tricky business being run by a guy named Brogan, that Paul Drake believes is a shady but smart blackmailer. The backstory involves whether the money that her ailing father used to get rich — there’s a lot of money involved — came from an old robbery. Sylvia doesn’t want that, because it could void all that money she and her more subdued sister, Hattie, and her brother will inherit.
Sylvia thinks she’s smarter than Mason, and it jams up the works! Her efforts to stay ahead of the blackmailer — and Mason — muddy things up at every turn. With Della in tow, Mason walks in on a murder scene he’s been set up to find, and has a very disagreeable Sgt. Holcomb looking to catch Perry on the other side of the line he’s always skirting. Tragg lends Mason a hand in this one, tipping him off at one point! But Mason’s not the only one in a jam, because when the father kicks off, the green-eyed sister’s schemes cause Hattie to be charged with murder.
This is really an excellent entry in the series, very enjoyable. Even a protracted courtroom questioning doesn't slow this one down enough to mar it significantly. An ice pick, some very tricky business with the blackmail tape everyone wants, and some even trickier business regarding time of death make this one zip along nicely. Even the lengthy questioning in court of witnesses is involving rather than tedious, and this case has one of the most unusual endings of the entire series.
Will Perry let someone fry for a crime they didn’t commit? Will the green-eyed sister get the last laugh? You’ll have to read it to find out. A good one!
November 1, 2023
"“Chief, I wish you wouldn’t—”
“It’s all right, Della,” he told her. “There are times when an attorney has to take chances if he’s going to represent his client.”
“Who’s your client?” she asked sharply. “Technically, I suppose it’s Sylvia Atwood, but actually I think we’re representing the cause of justice.”
“Well,” Della Street said, “personally I don’t think they’re the same.”
“Perhaps they aren’t,” he conceded. “We’ll try to find out."
This is author Gardner at the top of his game. The Perry Mason, post-WW II Los Angeles attorney, in this novel is fully formed and formidable.
"“Because,” Mason said, “they’ve had some very clever attorneys looking up the statute of limitations, and they’ve decided that the lapse of time has made Fritch immune from prosecution on any charge. That’s probably why the police haven’t swooped down on Fritch and arrested him for that bank job. It’s up to the bank in a civil suit to try to recover its property—”
“But doesn’t a statute of limitations run against a bank?”
“There,” Mason said, “you’re up against a peculiar, tricky legal situation. In certain types of involuntary trust, where the custodian of the property is presumed to have knowledge of the illegal means by which the property was acquired, and the other person has no knowledge and is prevented from having knowledge by the secretive acts of the involuntary trustee, the statute of limitations may run from the discovery of the facts rather than the facts themselves.”
“Oh, you lawyers!” she said. “You’re so technical.”"
Mason knows his stuff but he is presented with one problem, the potential blackmail of the client’s father, and then he finds that this family’s issues aren’t really limited to that.
There are plenty of questions to be resolved but Mason is in the midst of it battling:
"Mason said, “I am sworn by my oath of office to protect my clients. I am going to protect them to the best of my ability. Don’t think you can use your authority to browbeat information out of me that I don’t think it’s proper to give.”
“Did your client murder J. J. Fritch?” Holcomb asked sneeringly.
“How the hell do I know,” Mason said.
“How’s that?” Holcomb asked in surprise.
“I said I wouldn’t know.”
“Why?” Holcomb asked, his eyes narrowing. “What makes you suspicious?”
“I’m not suspicious.”
“Well, your statement implies there’s a possibility a client of yours murdered Fritch.”
“Certainly there’s a possibility.”"
A progressively more complex whodunit with Gardner’s usual cast of “not quite as they seem” characters.
"Mason said, “I’m going to handle your defense to the best of my ability. I’m going to be working for you and for you alone. Look at me, Miss Bain. Look me in the eyes. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes.” “Do you understand that I mean it? That I mean every word of it?”
“Yes.”
“All right,” Mason said. “Remember it. You’re my client and I’m your lawyer. I’m not representing anybody else. Just you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Mason.”"
This isn’t the Perry Mason played by Raymond Burr or the more recent HBO Perry Mason. This is the original and the courtroom action is often electric.
4.5
“It’s all right, Della,” he told her. “There are times when an attorney has to take chances if he’s going to represent his client.”
“Who’s your client?” she asked sharply. “Technically, I suppose it’s Sylvia Atwood, but actually I think we’re representing the cause of justice.”
“Well,” Della Street said, “personally I don’t think they’re the same.”
“Perhaps they aren’t,” he conceded. “We’ll try to find out."
This is author Gardner at the top of his game. The Perry Mason, post-WW II Los Angeles attorney, in this novel is fully formed and formidable.
"“Because,” Mason said, “they’ve had some very clever attorneys looking up the statute of limitations, and they’ve decided that the lapse of time has made Fritch immune from prosecution on any charge. That’s probably why the police haven’t swooped down on Fritch and arrested him for that bank job. It’s up to the bank in a civil suit to try to recover its property—”
“But doesn’t a statute of limitations run against a bank?”
“There,” Mason said, “you’re up against a peculiar, tricky legal situation. In certain types of involuntary trust, where the custodian of the property is presumed to have knowledge of the illegal means by which the property was acquired, and the other person has no knowledge and is prevented from having knowledge by the secretive acts of the involuntary trustee, the statute of limitations may run from the discovery of the facts rather than the facts themselves.”
“Oh, you lawyers!” she said. “You’re so technical.”"
Mason knows his stuff but he is presented with one problem, the potential blackmail of the client’s father, and then he finds that this family’s issues aren’t really limited to that.
There are plenty of questions to be resolved but Mason is in the midst of it battling:
"Mason said, “I am sworn by my oath of office to protect my clients. I am going to protect them to the best of my ability. Don’t think you can use your authority to browbeat information out of me that I don’t think it’s proper to give.”
“Did your client murder J. J. Fritch?” Holcomb asked sneeringly.
“How the hell do I know,” Mason said.
“How’s that?” Holcomb asked in surprise.
“I said I wouldn’t know.”
“Why?” Holcomb asked, his eyes narrowing. “What makes you suspicious?”
“I’m not suspicious.”
“Well, your statement implies there’s a possibility a client of yours murdered Fritch.”
“Certainly there’s a possibility.”"
A progressively more complex whodunit with Gardner’s usual cast of “not quite as they seem” characters.
"Mason said, “I’m going to handle your defense to the best of my ability. I’m going to be working for you and for you alone. Look at me, Miss Bain. Look me in the eyes. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes.” “Do you understand that I mean it? That I mean every word of it?”
“Yes.”
“All right,” Mason said. “Remember it. You’re my client and I’m your lawyer. I’m not representing anybody else. Just you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Mason.”"
This isn’t the Perry Mason played by Raymond Burr or the more recent HBO Perry Mason. This is the original and the courtroom action is often electric.
4.5
August 4, 2020
Murder Has Never Been So Confusing
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister is the forty-second book in Gardner's eight-five book Perry Mason series, the ultimate set of legal thrillers featuring America's most famous lawyer. The greatest mystery will always be when Gardner found the time to write all these novels while practicing law full time. Anyway, a number of these books are being reissued in conjunction with the new HBO series.
Like many of his other books, Green-Eyed Sister begins with a high society client concerned about something, but quickly devolved into a far more serious matter. It's a thinking person's thriller where a web of entanglements has Mason deeply entwined in his client's affairs. Of course, it all concludes with courtroom drama and the excellent cross-examination Mason is so well known for and which few can even aspire to.
In some ways, the series is quaint, but in other ways, timeless. And, always enjoyable.
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister is the forty-second book in Gardner's eight-five book Perry Mason series, the ultimate set of legal thrillers featuring America's most famous lawyer. The greatest mystery will always be when Gardner found the time to write all these novels while practicing law full time. Anyway, a number of these books are being reissued in conjunction with the new HBO series.
Like many of his other books, Green-Eyed Sister begins with a high society client concerned about something, but quickly devolved into a far more serious matter. It's a thinking person's thriller where a web of entanglements has Mason deeply entwined in his client's affairs. Of course, it all concludes with courtroom drama and the excellent cross-examination Mason is so well known for and which few can even aspire to.
In some ways, the series is quaint, but in other ways, timeless. And, always enjoyable.
January 26, 2022
Mid-20th Century North American Crime and Mystery
Countdown #20 (of 250)
From 1953, this is my favorite novel by Gardner. Some novels in this series feel Hardy Boy/Nancy Drewish (not that that's a bad thing). But this one is in a league of its own among Gardner's body of work.
HOOK - 4 stars: A typical start as someone arrives at Mason's office with a problem. But Della nails the incoming character perfectly on the second line: '...this incoming gal is a heep of trouble.' This opening page feels like we're going to go deeper into characterization. And we do.
PACE - 5: Textbook case of writing to a specific goal: a solid courtroom scene. True, we know the courtroom scene is coming, but this novel feels like one of the most carefully planned of Mason's adventures.
CRIME -5: Blackmail. But who is blackmailing who? Is the blackmailer another private detective? Or that private detective's client? Or the family of the titular green-eyed sister? Gardner puts the spotlight on everyone and sets this blackmail scheme miles above other similar plots in this genre.
CAST - 4: Perry, Della, Paul are always very good. But here, we get a rich family with problems twisted inside problems and a big cast of villians.
ATMOSPHERE/PLACE -3: Solid, but we are deep into this series. Basic bachelor apartments, the rich family's home, the courtroom, but Gardner's focus is on the crime itself.
SUMMARY - 4.2 or 4 stars here on goodreads. Gardner never reaches for anything but solid entertainment. For me, this is the best Perry Mason I've read.
Countdown #20 (of 250)
From 1953, this is my favorite novel by Gardner. Some novels in this series feel Hardy Boy/Nancy Drewish (not that that's a bad thing). But this one is in a league of its own among Gardner's body of work.
HOOK - 4 stars: A typical start as someone arrives at Mason's office with a problem. But Della nails the incoming character perfectly on the second line: '...this incoming gal is a heep of trouble.' This opening page feels like we're going to go deeper into characterization. And we do.
PACE - 5: Textbook case of writing to a specific goal: a solid courtroom scene. True, we know the courtroom scene is coming, but this novel feels like one of the most carefully planned of Mason's adventures.
CRIME -5: Blackmail. But who is blackmailing who? Is the blackmailer another private detective? Or that private detective's client? Or the family of the titular green-eyed sister? Gardner puts the spotlight on everyone and sets this blackmail scheme miles above other similar plots in this genre.
CAST - 4: Perry, Della, Paul are always very good. But here, we get a rich family with problems twisted inside problems and a big cast of villians.
ATMOSPHERE/PLACE -3: Solid, but we are deep into this series. Basic bachelor apartments, the rich family's home, the courtroom, but Gardner's focus is on the crime itself.
SUMMARY - 4.2 or 4 stars here on goodreads. Gardner never reaches for anything but solid entertainment. For me, this is the best Perry Mason I've read.
November 16, 2016
Brilliance! And am i glad, I kept this book for the last (in the series) :D
60% into the book Della remarks "The damnedest things happen to us! I feel like bawling". Sure enough, the book was one complete delight where Mason has to overcome - not just the DA office or the police, but also a Miss Fixit client who keeps throwing spanners into the machinery.
A new type blackmail gone wrong. Doctored tapes, unauthorised wires, search warrant against Perry, newspaper scandal and a brilliant discussion on time of death determination. One of the best books when it comes to Perry masons legal wizardry as well as situation he finds himself in.
Loved it to pieces and sneak finished the book before office. Around 80%, did not want the book to end.
Slight bias which might have added 1/2 a star more. Perry Mason - Highly recommended if you haven't read em.
60% into the book Della remarks "The damnedest things happen to us! I feel like bawling". Sure enough, the book was one complete delight where Mason has to overcome - not just the DA office or the police, but also a Miss Fixit client who keeps throwing spanners into the machinery.
A new type blackmail gone wrong. Doctored tapes, unauthorised wires, search warrant against Perry, newspaper scandal and a brilliant discussion on time of death determination. One of the best books when it comes to Perry masons legal wizardry as well as situation he finds himself in.
Loved it to pieces and sneak finished the book before office. Around 80%, did not want the book to end.
Slight bias which might have added 1/2 a star more. Perry Mason - Highly recommended if you haven't read em.
July 3, 2021
Excellent--best of the series. I was actually able to guess the identity of the real murderer, but I still loved the really clever twist at the end. A quick, entertaining, and thoroughly enjoyable read. Great entertainment for those who love classic mysteries from the mid twentieth century that feature hard boiled detectives, courtroom drama, leggy vixens, and smartass lawyers with snappy dialogue.
January 21, 2023
I've been reading Gardner's Perry Mason books off and on for many years. Many years ago, I was an intense fan of the series, and read them all, at least once. Now, after a lot of water over the dam, I'm looking at them again.
Those who are used to really fine mystery writers may find the writing style here off-putting. It can be stiff and mechanical. Nonetheless, I still love the general setting: the characters of Perry, Della, Paul, Lt. Tragg, and Hamilton Berger. That, and the ingenious plots, are why I read Perry Mason.
On the whole, the ones written by around 1953 are the best. This one was written in 1953 and is excellent. It begins with a "green-eyed" vivacious, forceful young woman consulting Perry about an apparent blackmail scheme being perpetrated on her father and family. The family includes a more modest, even mousy, sister named Hattie, her love interest (but will he stay loyal?), a brother, and their father Ned Bain, now getting old. It seems that years ago the father established a successful business using some money that might have been stolen. If so, all their wealth could come under attack. The blackmailers seem to be a man named J. J. Fritch and his accomplice named Brogan, who is the actual formidable opponent Perry is up against.
Before long, Fritch is found murdered, then Ned Bain dies. Hattie is arrested for the murder of Fritch. Ned Bain died of old age, right?
There is some interesting modern technology, which you won't find in much earlier books, though it also figures in the "moth-eaten mink." There is a lot about tape recordings of conversations. Perry cleverly erases a tape right under the nose of Brogan.
There are some excellent courtroom scenes, unfortunately not with Hamilton Burger. Lt. Tragg has a moderate role, Holcomb a good one. This is one of the few stories where both appear. Drake and Della have modest roles.
Perry is once more in potential trouble, as the DA thinks he stole evidence from the room where the deceased lived. Brogan and Fitch live across the hall from each other, and a lot of people seem to be going in and out the night of the murder. But Brogan has an iron-clad alibi -- doesn't he? In fact, everyone but Hattie seems to have an alibi.
Recurring themes: the Case of the Dubious Bridegroom, The Case of the Moth-eaten Mink, and the Case of the Haunted Husband also have some important events taking place in a hotel where various people come in and out and some are seen. Like the best stories do, this one puts Perry in a dangerous predicament for his own career.
This one is a real page turner! Most of the earlier Perry Mason books are, but not all. Of all the Mason books, I would put it in the top 15%.
I had no trouble guessing one of the key points in the reveal. There aren't many suspects. There are no exotic locales. Recommended.
Sylvia Bain Atwood, vivacious green-eyed sister of
Hattie Bain, the conservative one.
Ned Bain, their father.
Jarrett Bain, brother of Hattie and Sylvia, wandering archeologist who married money.
J. J. Fritch, old acquintance of Ned Bain who is not above blackmail.
George Brogan, so-called intermediary who wants to "help" the Bain family.
Edison Levering Doyle, architect boyfriend of Hattie who has been noticing Sylvia recently.
Dr. Flasher, attends to Ned Bain.
Those who are used to really fine mystery writers may find the writing style here off-putting. It can be stiff and mechanical. Nonetheless, I still love the general setting: the characters of Perry, Della, Paul, Lt. Tragg, and Hamilton Berger. That, and the ingenious plots, are why I read Perry Mason.
On the whole, the ones written by around 1953 are the best. This one was written in 1953 and is excellent. It begins with a "green-eyed" vivacious, forceful young woman consulting Perry about an apparent blackmail scheme being perpetrated on her father and family. The family includes a more modest, even mousy, sister named Hattie, her love interest (but will he stay loyal?), a brother, and their father Ned Bain, now getting old. It seems that years ago the father established a successful business using some money that might have been stolen. If so, all their wealth could come under attack. The blackmailers seem to be a man named J. J. Fritch and his accomplice named Brogan, who is the actual formidable opponent Perry is up against.
Before long, Fritch is found murdered, then Ned Bain dies. Hattie is arrested for the murder of Fritch. Ned Bain died of old age, right?
There is some interesting modern technology, which you won't find in much earlier books, though it also figures in the "moth-eaten mink." There is a lot about tape recordings of conversations. Perry cleverly erases a tape right under the nose of Brogan.
There are some excellent courtroom scenes, unfortunately not with Hamilton Burger. Lt. Tragg has a moderate role, Holcomb a good one. This is one of the few stories where both appear. Drake and Della have modest roles.
Perry is once more in potential trouble, as the DA thinks he stole evidence from the room where the deceased lived. Brogan and Fitch live across the hall from each other, and a lot of people seem to be going in and out the night of the murder. But Brogan has an iron-clad alibi -- doesn't he? In fact, everyone but Hattie seems to have an alibi.
Recurring themes: the Case of the Dubious Bridegroom, The Case of the Moth-eaten Mink, and the Case of the Haunted Husband also have some important events taking place in a hotel where various people come in and out and some are seen. Like the best stories do, this one puts Perry in a dangerous predicament for his own career.
This one is a real page turner! Most of the earlier Perry Mason books are, but not all. Of all the Mason books, I would put it in the top 15%.
I had no trouble guessing one of the key points in the reveal. There aren't many suspects. There are no exotic locales. Recommended.
Sylvia Bain Atwood, vivacious green-eyed sister of
Hattie Bain, the conservative one.
Ned Bain, their father.
Jarrett Bain, brother of Hattie and Sylvia, wandering archeologist who married money.
J. J. Fritch, old acquintance of Ned Bain who is not above blackmail.
George Brogan, so-called intermediary who wants to "help" the Bain family.
Edison Levering Doyle, architect boyfriend of Hattie who has been noticing Sylvia recently.
Dr. Flasher, attends to Ned Bain.
March 24, 2022
The green-eyed sister of the title is Sylvia Atwood, who hires Perry Mason to protect her dying father, Ned Bain, from a former business partner who is trying to blackmail him. The blackmailer has an audiotape in which Bain allegedly confesses that his successful business was built on the proceeds of a bank robbery. Sylvia says she wants her father to live out his remaining days with his good name intact, but it’s clear that she’s also at least as interested in preserving the family fortune, which could be at risk if the blackmailer succeeds.
The audiotape appears to be pretty damning, but Mason has a plan to evaluate it for himself and determine whether it actually is what it appears to be. Mason’s plan involves some risky moves, but he reminds his confidential secretary, Della Street, that an attorney “‘has to take chances if he’s going to represent his client.’” Della, though, has doubts about the green-eyed Sylvia. “‘Who’s your client?’ she asked sharply. ‘Technically, I suppose it’s Sylvia Atwood, but actually I think we’re representing the cause of justice.’ ‘Well,’ Della Street said, ‘personally I don’t think they’re the same.’”
Even Sylvia’s brother, Jarret Bain, is unwilling to give Sylvia his unqualified endorsement. “‘I’ll tell you this much, Mr. Mason. Sylvia is a regular little manipulator. She always gets the idea she knows more than anyone else, and she loves to scheme and manipulate things. You give that girl her head and she’ll get you into one hell of a mess. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.’”
And indeed, the case soon devolves into a mess, a mess that includes a murder that puts Sylvia’s veracity to the test. Ultimately, it’s Sylvia’s sister Hattie (the brown-eyed sister) who is charged with the crime, and Mason has to use all his analytical powers and his considerable courtroom skills to clear Hattie of the murder.
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister is a representative Perry Mason mystery, which is to say it’s a pretty good story. The blackmail scheme is a clever one, and Mason’s plan to counteract it is even more clever. Of course, the blackmail hinges on 1953-era technology, but it still makes for a good mystery even if a present-day version would be more sophisticated. The setup of the murder is also clever, and Mason’s solution, which he admits is based on a gamble, is ingenious.
My only objection to the book is that the courtroom scene seems to go on forever. I know that’s an odd complaint given that Perry Mason’s forte is his courtroom prowess. But although his courtroom chops are amply demonstrated here, in my opinion, they’re demonstrated a little too amply. If Gardner had pared the lengthy courtroom scene by a third or so, I think this would have been a stronger book. But even so, it’s an entertaining story, fun to read.
The audiotape appears to be pretty damning, but Mason has a plan to evaluate it for himself and determine whether it actually is what it appears to be. Mason’s plan involves some risky moves, but he reminds his confidential secretary, Della Street, that an attorney “‘has to take chances if he’s going to represent his client.’” Della, though, has doubts about the green-eyed Sylvia. “‘Who’s your client?’ she asked sharply. ‘Technically, I suppose it’s Sylvia Atwood, but actually I think we’re representing the cause of justice.’ ‘Well,’ Della Street said, ‘personally I don’t think they’re the same.’”
Even Sylvia’s brother, Jarret Bain, is unwilling to give Sylvia his unqualified endorsement. “‘I’ll tell you this much, Mr. Mason. Sylvia is a regular little manipulator. She always gets the idea she knows more than anyone else, and she loves to scheme and manipulate things. You give that girl her head and she’ll get you into one hell of a mess. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.’”
And indeed, the case soon devolves into a mess, a mess that includes a murder that puts Sylvia’s veracity to the test. Ultimately, it’s Sylvia’s sister Hattie (the brown-eyed sister) who is charged with the crime, and Mason has to use all his analytical powers and his considerable courtroom skills to clear Hattie of the murder.
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister is a representative Perry Mason mystery, which is to say it’s a pretty good story. The blackmail scheme is a clever one, and Mason’s plan to counteract it is even more clever. Of course, the blackmail hinges on 1953-era technology, but it still makes for a good mystery even if a present-day version would be more sophisticated. The setup of the murder is also clever, and Mason’s solution, which he admits is based on a gamble, is ingenious.
My only objection to the book is that the courtroom scene seems to go on forever. I know that’s an odd complaint given that Perry Mason’s forte is his courtroom prowess. But although his courtroom chops are amply demonstrated here, in my opinion, they’re demonstrated a little too amply. If Gardner had pared the lengthy courtroom scene by a third or so, I think this would have been a stronger book. But even so, it’s an entertaining story, fun to read.
January 25, 2022
As a little girl in the 60s I walked from grade school to my Grandparent's house, where I'd play with a friend, read a book, or watch TV till it was time to head out to the farm. For TV I loved The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show and reruns of Perry Mason, (the black and white version). Still, for all of the mystery reading I've done I don't know that I've ever read a Perry Mason book till now. Apparently Gardner started out writing them hard-boiled and gradually switched to a more standard style, giving clues for the reader to follow. I don't care for hard-boiled mysteries, so I wanted to read a popular, later book.
This book was well done, I enjoyed seeing Perry, Della, and some Paul Drake, too. Perry was clever and occasionally skirted the law in ways that got him into some hot water. There was a lovely courtroom scene toward the end, too. I suspected several people as the story went on, and found the ending plausible. But don't expect an epilogue-style ending where you find out what happened to everyone's personal lives after the case is solved. When it's over and explained, the book is done. That doesn't bother me, as I've never thought it necessary to tie up every personal detail in this type of book. I will definitely be reading some more of these, it was so fun hearing the actors voices as I read. :)
This book was well done, I enjoyed seeing Perry, Della, and some Paul Drake, too. Perry was clever and occasionally skirted the law in ways that got him into some hot water. There was a lovely courtroom scene toward the end, too. I suspected several people as the story went on, and found the ending plausible. But don't expect an epilogue-style ending where you find out what happened to everyone's personal lives after the case is solved. When it's over and explained, the book is done. That doesn't bother me, as I've never thought it necessary to tie up every personal detail in this type of book. I will definitely be reading some more of these, it was so fun hearing the actors voices as I read. :)
March 3, 2022
Perry Mason’s in trouble again—this time suspected of murder himself for a significant portion of the novel. His client is being blackmailed and Perry is hard at work to remove the source of her problem when someone preempts his efforts by killing the blackmailer. As usual, this puts Perry arguing in front of a jury seeking to keep his client out of the electric chair.
I thought the courtroom scene was better done than in the other novels in this series that I’ve read. Perry doesn’t have any secret knowledge this time. Instead, he has a theory of the case that he has to work very hard to bring to life through cross examination of the prosecution’s witnesses. The judge was a fun character as well—in control of his courtroom and clearly interested in justice.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
I thought the courtroom scene was better done than in the other novels in this series that I’ve read. Perry doesn’t have any secret knowledge this time. Instead, he has a theory of the case that he has to work very hard to bring to life through cross examination of the prosecution’s witnesses. The judge was a fun character as well—in control of his courtroom and clearly interested in justice.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
March 15, 2016
Gostei bastante do livro. O caso que deu origem à história é bastante interessante. Este advogado é de uma inteligência fora de série! A única coisa que não gostei tanto foi o final, achei que foi um bocadinho forçado e não me satisfez inteiramente mas, mesmo assim, gostei!
July 6, 2017
This is considered one of the "tightest-knit" of the Perry Mason novels. It is perhaps not one of the titles that would immediately grab your attention on the shelf (like Terrified Typist or Cautious Coquette, for example), but it is very well done. Perry executes some crazy shenanigans with a tape recorder; his initial client turns out NOT to be the accused; by the end of the novel the identity of the perpetrator is still not 100% certain, and the most likely candidate is nowhere to be found. So as you can see, it's a doozy.
One of the natural difficulties with writing a good detective story is that it's hard to avoid having a large number of possible suspects without having an inordinate number of people visit the victim in the middle of the night, or come across the corpse and then leave, or otherwise exhibit odd behavior. I don't know how many times I've read or watched a mystery where someone is warned to stay away from someplace and they go anyway and, sure enough, become a suspect. But it's hard to avoid this unless the writers want to produce suspects at the last minute out of thin air, which you can't do more than a time or two without losing credible with your readers or audience.
That is the case here too, although Gardner uses it to good effect. We're not even sure of the identity of some of these midnight visitors, and can't be sure we can trust those who say they saw others or claim they didn't go themselves. And the perpetrator might not have been one of those visitors! So the writer does a good job of breaking up the monotony of examining a series of late-night visits, and the novel is strong because of it.
One of the natural difficulties with writing a good detective story is that it's hard to avoid having a large number of possible suspects without having an inordinate number of people visit the victim in the middle of the night, or come across the corpse and then leave, or otherwise exhibit odd behavior. I don't know how many times I've read or watched a mystery where someone is warned to stay away from someplace and they go anyway and, sure enough, become a suspect. But it's hard to avoid this unless the writers want to produce suspects at the last minute out of thin air, which you can't do more than a time or two without losing credible with your readers or audience.
That is the case here too, although Gardner uses it to good effect. We're not even sure of the identity of some of these midnight visitors, and can't be sure we can trust those who say they saw others or claim they didn't go themselves. And the perpetrator might not have been one of those visitors! So the writer does a good job of breaking up the monotony of examining a series of late-night visits, and the novel is strong because of it.
September 16, 2020
I have been reading the series in order, and this is one of the best. The story moves along briskly, and the plot is well-crafted and easy to follow. It would take someone smarter than me to figure out how the murder was done, but in retrospect the clues are all there. Even the twist at the end does not really come out of left field. Once you have finished the book, the solution feels organic.
It's fun to see the state of recording technology in the early 1950's. It is possible to wear a small "wire" to record a conversation, and it is fairly easy to alter a recorded tape. On a more retro note, home deliveries of ice still existed, and an ice pick was a basic home implement.
Perry is his usual imperturbable self. He also records a conversation, which is certainly illegal now, and enters premises without authorization. His relationship with Della Street is no longer amorous, which is a relief. Yes, Gardner is a bit formulaic, but I am still finding these fun, and this one in particular.
It's fun to see the state of recording technology in the early 1950's. It is possible to wear a small "wire" to record a conversation, and it is fairly easy to alter a recorded tape. On a more retro note, home deliveries of ice still existed, and an ice pick was a basic home implement.
Perry is his usual imperturbable self. He also records a conversation, which is certainly illegal now, and enters premises without authorization. His relationship with Della Street is no longer amorous, which is a relief. Yes, Gardner is a bit formulaic, but I am still finding these fun, and this one in particular.
November 10, 2020
After a foul up between my library app and Amazon in renewing the 1000 page book I was reading, I decided to fill the gap with a short quickie. My first time Perry Mason book filled the bill quite nicely.
The partly detective whodunnit and a courtroom drama is a winning combo. Much of the unfolding of the tale is done through dialogue, which Gardner handles well. Each character has their own unique voice, which many an otherwise decent writer fail to do. Both the detection & courtroom part were clever with a nifty solution. Having been written many decades ago, much of the forensics are definitely out of date (one piece of logic was who would leave the TV on after midnight when there’s nothing on?) But that never hurts Agatha Christie & certainly doesn’t diminish Gardner here. Having grown up in that bygone era, I actually found it rather endearing. If I ever need another quick entertainment, I will certainly consider another one of the very many Perry Mason books.
The partly detective whodunnit and a courtroom drama is a winning combo. Much of the unfolding of the tale is done through dialogue, which Gardner handles well. Each character has their own unique voice, which many an otherwise decent writer fail to do. Both the detection & courtroom part were clever with a nifty solution. Having been written many decades ago, much of the forensics are definitely out of date (one piece of logic was who would leave the TV on after midnight when there’s nothing on?) But that never hurts Agatha Christie & certainly doesn’t diminish Gardner here. Having grown up in that bygone era, I actually found it rather endearing. If I ever need another quick entertainment, I will certainly consider another one of the very many Perry Mason books.
April 22, 2020
A purported case of blackmail brings Mason into contact with a seedy investigator who claims to have a tape recording of an admission to a bank robbery. When one of the parties to the blackmail is found dead, Mason must use all his wiles to rescue his client.
Gardner has written a sprightly little adventure for his signature hero and the story hangs together quite well, even after seventy years of scientific advancement.
Gardner has written a sprightly little adventure for his signature hero and the story hangs together quite well, even after seventy years of scientific advancement.
September 21, 2017
If you've read a Perry Mason mystery you know it will follow a format, there will always be the same characters, a crime and you will end up in court with Mason winning. In this case, Perry is hired by a woman whose family is being blackmailed, however you never know whether to trust her. An entertaining read which fills the gap between more demanding novels.
February 3, 2021
Boring. I only finished this one because it was so short. My two stars may be the result of mere personal taste on my part. I like my crime novels to have vividly drawn characters, a gritty atmosphere, and tangy dialogue. This novel had none of that.
December 23, 2017
Loved this! A very interesting case with a lot of information thrown in. One of those cases where the client is more unorthodox than Mason, and thats rare!
February 5, 2021
I got this book as a part of a library blind book program. It was a fun and entertaining read. It was definitely not one I would've picked myself but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 7, 2025
This is actually #42 from 1953. A seemingly simple case becomes more convoluted with every twist and there are plenty. A lot of fun.
Cliches within dialog are a useful and realistic shorthand. But I especially loved: Tell him to do as I (Mason) ask "or he can go roll his hoop." When's the last time you heard that one in real life?
Cliches within dialog are a useful and realistic shorthand. But I especially loved: Tell him to do as I (Mason) ask "or he can go roll his hoop." When's the last time you heard that one in real life?
November 30, 2022
Some books are like old whisky aged in casks. Rare and smooth.
The Perry Mason books fall in that category. This is the 42nd in the series of some 86 books which were written in the 30's, 40's and 50's. Some of the famed luster has been lost because of the generational gap but the potency of the stories have not faded.
I am a sucker for courtroom dramas and here courtrooms and police work a century back provides a glossy picture of a time when things moved and worked at a different level.
This is another murder mystery with a fair bit of courtroom activity.
Like in most of these novels the story has Perry involved with a complicated case for a client that devolves into a murder and he is in loggerheads with the police especially Sergeant Holcomb who always suspects him and then the DA's office where more often than not a junior counsel usually an ADA in this book Moon who has a chip on his shoulder (the DA's office is never happy with Perry). The only lawmaker who shares mutual respect with Perry is Lt. Arthur Tragg who tips him off occasionally.
Here the case starts with Perry getting a walk in case about a blackmailer. The blackmail scam features a voice recording and we see Perry outsmarting the blackmailer's front with some interesting technicalities about the magnetic tape records. It is when the blackmailer is murdered, and Perry’s client and Perry himself comes under suspicion of illegality and murder that the story flowers and becomes interesting. The cunningness of the blackmailer's front (also a sleazy private eye and blackmail expert) including a not so obvious play puts Perry's team on the backfoot.
As usual the courtroom scenes are terrific and it is here that the reader gets his money's worth. The case is an astute study of forensic processes and revelations back in the day. The pulls and pushes between counsel form the crux of the story and Perry's astute observations and out of box thinking breaks the case open.
Despite the obvious age of the story and the legal processes what comes through as clear as day is the DA's office's push towards convicting the bird in hand rather than pushing to investigate the case from all angles.
Today in the era of plea bargaining and because of the political nature of the DA's appointment we see more aggressive pushes towards open and shut cases or threats to ensure a guilty plea against a full scale jury backed decision.
We can see this reflected in current legal thrillers and in the case studies and stories that come into the public sphere.
The intervening 100 years have not changed the position of the accused. Instead of innocent until proven guilty it seems guilty with plea bargain (lesser sentence) or guilty without (anything).
Here in this story we have Perry Mason’s unflappable aura and cool mind on court where he thinks on his feet, puts the ADA's witnesses through the grind with some solid cross-examinations, all riveting stuff.
The ace in the pack is the glamorous green-eyed sister, after whom the case is named after. A master manipulator and someone who is more unorthodox than Perry. One who keeps putting him in one hole after another, including a final nifty play.
The Perry Mason books fall in that category. This is the 42nd in the series of some 86 books which were written in the 30's, 40's and 50's. Some of the famed luster has been lost because of the generational gap but the potency of the stories have not faded.
I am a sucker for courtroom dramas and here courtrooms and police work a century back provides a glossy picture of a time when things moved and worked at a different level.
This is another murder mystery with a fair bit of courtroom activity.
Like in most of these novels the story has Perry involved with a complicated case for a client that devolves into a murder and he is in loggerheads with the police especially Sergeant Holcomb who always suspects him and then the DA's office where more often than not a junior counsel usually an ADA in this book Moon who has a chip on his shoulder (the DA's office is never happy with Perry). The only lawmaker who shares mutual respect with Perry is Lt. Arthur Tragg who tips him off occasionally.
Here the case starts with Perry getting a walk in case about a blackmailer. The blackmail scam features a voice recording and we see Perry outsmarting the blackmailer's front with some interesting technicalities about the magnetic tape records. It is when the blackmailer is murdered, and Perry’s client and Perry himself comes under suspicion of illegality and murder that the story flowers and becomes interesting. The cunningness of the blackmailer's front (also a sleazy private eye and blackmail expert) including a not so obvious play puts Perry's team on the backfoot.
As usual the courtroom scenes are terrific and it is here that the reader gets his money's worth. The case is an astute study of forensic processes and revelations back in the day. The pulls and pushes between counsel form the crux of the story and Perry's astute observations and out of box thinking breaks the case open.
Despite the obvious age of the story and the legal processes what comes through as clear as day is the DA's office's push towards convicting the bird in hand rather than pushing to investigate the case from all angles.
Today in the era of plea bargaining and because of the political nature of the DA's appointment we see more aggressive pushes towards open and shut cases or threats to ensure a guilty plea against a full scale jury backed decision.
We can see this reflected in current legal thrillers and in the case studies and stories that come into the public sphere.
The intervening 100 years have not changed the position of the accused. Instead of innocent until proven guilty it seems guilty with plea bargain (lesser sentence) or guilty without (anything).
Here in this story we have Perry Mason’s unflappable aura and cool mind on court where he thinks on his feet, puts the ADA's witnesses through the grind with some solid cross-examinations, all riveting stuff.
The ace in the pack is the glamorous green-eyed sister, after whom the case is named after. A master manipulator and someone who is more unorthodox than Perry. One who keeps putting him in one hole after another, including a final nifty play.
December 15, 2015
I can't help but love these Perry Mason mysteries. Especially when Della is heavily involved (and even more so when she puts Perry tartly in his place) and Paul makes a strong appearance. I sometimes think that I would read about Perry and Della and Paul sitting around and eating lunch and chatting. No lie.
April 11, 2014
the story looks unfinished. I know the case finished and all but still...
November 27, 2022
Major characters:
Sylvia Atwood, the green-eyed sister; a widow
Hattie Bain, her sister
Edison Levering Doyle, Hattie's boyfriend; an architect
Jarrett Bain, Sylvia's brother
Phoebe Bain, Jarrett's wife
Ned Bain, father of Sylvia, Hattie, and Jarrett; a widower
Jeremiam Josiah "J.J." Fritch, a.k.a. Frank Reedy, Ned's former partner
George Brogan, a shifty private investigator
Locale: Los Angeles
Synopsis: Chronically ill widower Ned Bain has three children: Sexy, flashy Sylvia Atwood, plain stay-at-home Hattie Bain, and archeologist Jarrett Bain.
Sylvia approaches Perry Mason and asks him to represent the family in a thorny matter: Ned Bain's former partner, J. J. Fritch, has always been suspected as being one of a long-ago bank robbery gang. Now Fritch has hired unsavory private investigator George Brogan to act as an intermediary - he claims to have a tape recording proving that Ned Bain was a part of the bank robbery gang also. He wants to sell the tape to the family so they can destroy it, and avoid the notoriety. Fritch and Brogan have arranged matters so it barely does not rise to blackmail.
Sylvia and Mason have Brogan play the tape for them in his apartment, and it is obviously a splice-up job made to make Ned look guilty. Mason sneaks a magnet in and manages to erase the tape. In true blackmail fashion, Brogan comes up with another copy; and when Sylvia and Mason return to hear this one, Sylvia finds Fritch stabbed to death. The police suspect Mason immediately, and while Fritch's body is still warm, word comes of Ned's passing from a heart condition. Now suspicion is that Ned snuck out and killed Fritch, then returned to his bed. It could be a neat closure if true, but is it?
Review: One thing I especially liked about this is the small cast of characters, mostly limited to one family; unusual for a Perry Mason. There are no red herring people popping in and out.
There is none of Mason's usual evidence-manipulating. This is a straight-forward story, and the courtroom scene is lengthy and quite amusing. As far as the reader is concerned, the killer is not revealed until the usual Mason-Street-Drake tête á tête wrap-up afterwards.
For additional reviews indexed by author, please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!
Sylvia Atwood, the green-eyed sister; a widow
Hattie Bain, her sister
Edison Levering Doyle, Hattie's boyfriend; an architect
Jarrett Bain, Sylvia's brother
Phoebe Bain, Jarrett's wife
Ned Bain, father of Sylvia, Hattie, and Jarrett; a widower
Jeremiam Josiah "J.J." Fritch, a.k.a. Frank Reedy, Ned's former partner
George Brogan, a shifty private investigator
Locale: Los Angeles
Synopsis: Chronically ill widower Ned Bain has three children: Sexy, flashy Sylvia Atwood, plain stay-at-home Hattie Bain, and archeologist Jarrett Bain.
Sylvia approaches Perry Mason and asks him to represent the family in a thorny matter: Ned Bain's former partner, J. J. Fritch, has always been suspected as being one of a long-ago bank robbery gang. Now Fritch has hired unsavory private investigator George Brogan to act as an intermediary - he claims to have a tape recording proving that Ned Bain was a part of the bank robbery gang also. He wants to sell the tape to the family so they can destroy it, and avoid the notoriety. Fritch and Brogan have arranged matters so it barely does not rise to blackmail.
Sylvia and Mason have Brogan play the tape for them in his apartment, and it is obviously a splice-up job made to make Ned look guilty. Mason sneaks a magnet in and manages to erase the tape. In true blackmail fashion, Brogan comes up with another copy; and when Sylvia and Mason return to hear this one, Sylvia finds Fritch stabbed to death. The police suspect Mason immediately, and while Fritch's body is still warm, word comes of Ned's passing from a heart condition. Now suspicion is that Ned snuck out and killed Fritch, then returned to his bed. It could be a neat closure if true, but is it?
Review: One thing I especially liked about this is the small cast of characters, mostly limited to one family; unusual for a Perry Mason. There are no red herring people popping in and out.
There is none of Mason's usual evidence-manipulating. This is a straight-forward story, and the courtroom scene is lengthy and quite amusing. As far as the reader is concerned, the killer is not revealed until the usual Mason-Street-Drake tête á tête wrap-up afterwards.
For additional reviews indexed by author, please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!
September 7, 2021
Knowing that Gardner was a friend of the renowned Raymond Chandler and remembering that Chandler's books feature sisters (Carmen and Vivian Sternwood in The Big Sleep (1939) and Orfamay Quest and her siblings in the 1948 novel The Little Sister, I thought I'd see how this one played by comparison. Would Hattie and Sylvia join Chandler's designing women?
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister is a breezy read, albeit with some gnarled legal and financial complications, some lumbering courtroom interchanges, and more than a few dubious scenes, ones that the reader must buy or throw aside the story. It has Gardner's by-now predictable last page surprises in which the guilty person turns out not to be the one toward whom the plot has been working. In the 1948 story, Chandler has some of this, too, though the switcheroos are more plausible. Green-Eyed Sister has one nice, Chandler-like touch: the murderer is not caught and brought to justice (cf. The High Window.) The solution that the conclusion overturns is a more believable account of the action than the one the reader is supposed to accept. The pacing is uneven. I rate it in the middle of the Mason stories.
This comparison highlights why Raymond Chandler is reread fondly and what his virtues are—qualities that Gardner, dictating two or more Perry Masons at once (apparently) and turning out novels like an assembly-line, simply hasn't in him. These are: wit; original metaphor (ESG loves his clichés); genuine humor; crisp dialogue; and dramatic detection (in The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister Mason—not Paul Drake—sets forth a scenario that by himself he has come to in his head; he does not do any detecting per se.)
It is relaxing to read Gardner. He has no literary pretentions. For all her satirical and moral sense, Dorothy L. Sayers would be better off without her academic, "cultured" background. The man gets on with the tale, doggedly, not fussing too much with niceties or frills.
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister is a breezy read, albeit with some gnarled legal and financial complications, some lumbering courtroom interchanges, and more than a few dubious scenes, ones that the reader must buy or throw aside the story. It has Gardner's by-now predictable last page surprises in which the guilty person turns out not to be the one toward whom the plot has been working. In the 1948 story, Chandler has some of this, too, though the switcheroos are more plausible. Green-Eyed Sister has one nice, Chandler-like touch: the murderer is not caught and brought to justice (cf. The High Window.) The solution that the conclusion overturns is a more believable account of the action than the one the reader is supposed to accept. The pacing is uneven. I rate it in the middle of the Mason stories.
This comparison highlights why Raymond Chandler is reread fondly and what his virtues are—qualities that Gardner, dictating two or more Perry Masons at once (apparently) and turning out novels like an assembly-line, simply hasn't in him. These are: wit; original metaphor (ESG loves his clichés); genuine humor; crisp dialogue; and dramatic detection (in The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister Mason—not Paul Drake—sets forth a scenario that by himself he has come to in his head; he does not do any detecting per se.)
It is relaxing to read Gardner. He has no literary pretentions. For all her satirical and moral sense, Dorothy L. Sayers would be better off without her academic, "cultured" background. The man gets on with the tale, doggedly, not fussing too much with niceties or frills.
September 29, 2023
Slyvia Bain Atwood adında bir kadın Mason'a müracaat eder. Babası Ned Bain'in zamanında J. J. Fritch adında bir adamla ortak olduğunu, iyi para kazandıklarını, ancak sonradan adamın banka soyguncusu olduğunun ortaya çıktığını, elinde bir teyp olduğunu, bunda babası ve adamın konuşması olduğunu söyler. Şüpheli bir dedektif olan George Brogan aracı olacaktır. Kaydı dinlemeye giderler ve bu arada bir mıknatıs vasıtasıyla kaydın silinmesini sağlayıp kendisi konuşmaları teybe alır. Brogan panikler ama kasette sorun olmadığını söyler. Bir kaç saat sonra arayıp ertesi gün saat 9da dinleyebileceğini söyler. Bu arada Mason, Bain ailesi ile tanışır. Ned yani baba kalp hastasıdır. Sylvia, kardeşi Hattie, onun sevgilisi Edison Doyle, henüz gelmemiş arkeolog kardeşi Jeffrey ve karısı vardır Bain ailesinde. Ertesi gün Brogan'ın evine gittiğinde bir çığlık duyarlar. Sylvia iner ve Fritch'i ölü bulduğunu söyler. Brogan da bir kaç dakika sonra gelir. Mason bazı tavsiyelerde bulunur ve Brogan ile beraber bulunur ceset. Bu arada Ned de ölür. Sylvia, sonrasında Fritch'i öldürenin babası olduğunu iddia eder. Ama Brogan o sabah otomatik kayıt almıştır ve bu durum Mason'a da zora sokacaktır. Çavuş Holcomb Mason'a terletmeye çalışır ama başarılı olamaz. Fritch'in kasedi Mason'ın eline geçer ama Tragg gelir ve ondan alır. Brogan'ın o gece poker oynadığına şahitlik edecek 7 tane kişi vardır. Hattie'nin babasının montunu alıp Fritch ile görüşmeye gittiği ortaya çıkar. Onun avukatlığını yapacak olan Mason, savcı Moon tarafından sıkıştırılır ama doktor ve Brogan'ın ifadelerini yerle bir eder. Fritch'in sadece iç çamaşırı ile olmasını bir dondurucuda kalmasına bağlayan Mason, Brogan'ın ifadesini parçalar ve ölüm saatinin farklı algılanmasını sağlar. Ama buz kıracağı ile Fritch'in öldüren kimdir? Kimin bu kalıplı adamı dolaba sokacak gücü vardır? Brogan'ın suçlu mudur? Yoksa katil beklenmedik bir isim mıdır? Sylvia bu durumu ayarlamak için ne yapmıştır? Keyifle soluksuz okunan bir roman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2021
Confession: My 5-star rating is partly due to happy nostalgia. I grew up with the original television series (it premiered the year before I was born, and my father watched it for all nine seasons, plus the 20+ made-for-TV movies), yet this book is the first of the original source material that I've read. It is easy to see Raymond Burr belting out the lines in the courtroom scenes, seeing Barbara Hale as ever-faithful private secretary Della Street, and seeing William Hopper as private detective Paul Drake. Lt. Tragg did show up, so Ray Collins came to mind; District Attorney Hamilton Burger wasn't in this book, so William Talman didn't make an appearance. Everything else was crystal clear in my mind. The book still rates a fat 4.5-star rating.
In particular, the book showed to me that the formula for the television shows was followed perfectly. The investigations of suspects and witnesses against Mason's client(s) are very much the mystery portion of the book; the courtroom scenes are often presented almost as transcripts, with sharp questions, quick answers, little embellishment. A thoroughly satisfying combination of factors that keep one turning pages, not quite certain where things might be going, yet certain that Mason's got something up his sleeve. He always does.
If the book series follows the nature of the television series, none will rely upon information or background from other books. If you've not ready any of Gardner's Perry Mason books, you may dive in at any point, including this one. I intend to swim in a great many more books, especially those upon which particular television episodes were based, to see how well they translated to screen. In short, I'm going to indulge in happy nostalgia, enjoying excellent, crisp writing and the finest in the courtroom drama genre. Join me quickly -- the bailiff is about to call the court to rise...
In particular, the book showed to me that the formula for the television shows was followed perfectly. The investigations of suspects and witnesses against Mason's client(s) are very much the mystery portion of the book; the courtroom scenes are often presented almost as transcripts, with sharp questions, quick answers, little embellishment. A thoroughly satisfying combination of factors that keep one turning pages, not quite certain where things might be going, yet certain that Mason's got something up his sleeve. He always does.
If the book series follows the nature of the television series, none will rely upon information or background from other books. If you've not ready any of Gardner's Perry Mason books, you may dive in at any point, including this one. I intend to swim in a great many more books, especially those upon which particular television episodes were based, to see how well they translated to screen. In short, I'm going to indulge in happy nostalgia, enjoying excellent, crisp writing and the finest in the courtroom drama genre. Join me quickly -- the bailiff is about to call the court to rise...
September 17, 2025
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister (P. Mason #42) (1953) by Erle Stanley Gardner. This is just another brilliant celebration of Mr. Gardner’s most famous characters. Although more than 70 years old the stories written by the “King of Mysteries” still fascinate and give the reader a serious mystery that they have the opportunity to solve before the final reveal.
The case revolves around a very clever blackmail setup, accusations of murder and two sisters who might not be as good to each other as they should be. While you know there is going to be a courtroom scene near the end of the book, the pages leading to it represent Mason almost falling into a trap he inadvertently set for himself. Thankfully Della Street and Paul Drake are on the case along with the famous attorney, so Perry can turn to his allies to assist him.
Let this be a warning to those of you wishing to steal cyanide capsules from your local chem lab. Just don’t do it! No good will come to you.
Unless you’ve had experience in that sort of thing.
The case revolves around a very clever blackmail setup, accusations of murder and two sisters who might not be as good to each other as they should be. While you know there is going to be a courtroom scene near the end of the book, the pages leading to it represent Mason almost falling into a trap he inadvertently set for himself. Thankfully Della Street and Paul Drake are on the case along with the famous attorney, so Perry can turn to his allies to assist him.
Let this be a warning to those of you wishing to steal cyanide capsules from your local chem lab. Just don’t do it! No good will come to you.
Unless you’ve had experience in that sort of thing.
March 25, 2018
I really enjoyed this! I forgot that Perry Mason was an attorney and not a PI, so I wasn't prepared for a large part of this book to take place in the courtroom. Mason SMOKED the opposing counsel with his wit and smarts.
I didn't expect the ending so that was a fun twist. . This story actually holds up after 50+ years, too.
I didn't expect the ending so that was a fun twist. . This story actually holds up after 50+ years, too.
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