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Perry Mason #31
The Case of the Lonely Heiress
A fight over a rich man’s will turns deadly in this murder mystery by the “kingpin among the mystery writers” from the series that inspired the HBO show (The New York Times). Marilyn Marlow has inherited a good deal of money from her mother. But the money originated with another will—that of her mother’s wealthy employer. Now his relatives are contesting the will, and it’s Rose Keeling, the key witness to its signing, whose mind they'll need to sway. When Rose is murdered, sleuthing lawyer Perry Mason must navigate a twisted case involving a personal ad that casts a cloud of suspicion over his client, Miss Marlow, 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
227 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 1948
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713 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,351 books818 followersErle Stanley Gardner was an American lawyer and author of detective stories who also published under the pseudonyms A.A. Fair, Kyle Corning, Charles M. Green, Carleton Kendrake, Charles J. Kenny, Les Tillray, and Robert Parr.
Innovative and restless in his nature, he was bored by the routine of legal practice, the only part of which he enjoyed was trial work and the development of trial strategy. In his spare time, he began to write for pulp magazines, which also fostered the early careers of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. He created many different series characters for the pulps, including the ingenious Lester Leith, a "gentleman thief" in the tradition of Raffles, and Ken Corning, a crusading lawyer who was the archetype of his most successful creation, the fictional lawyer and crime-solver Perry Mason, about whom he wrote more than eighty novels. With the success of Perry Mason, he gradually reduced his contributions to the pulp magazines, eventually withdrawing from the medium entirely, except for non-fiction articles on travel, Western history, and forensic science.
See more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erle_Sta...
Innovative and restless in his nature, he was bored by the routine of legal practice, the only part of which he enjoyed was trial work and the development of trial strategy. In his spare time, he began to write for pulp magazines, which also fostered the early careers of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. He created many different series characters for the pulps, including the ingenious Lester Leith, a "gentleman thief" in the tradition of Raffles, and Ken Corning, a crusading lawyer who was the archetype of his most successful creation, the fictional lawyer and crime-solver Perry Mason, about whom he wrote more than eighty novels. With the success of Perry Mason, he gradually reduced his contributions to the pulp magazines, eventually withdrawing from the medium entirely, except for non-fiction articles on travel, Western history, and forensic science.
See more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erle_Sta...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
August 11, 2024
First published in 1948, The Case of the Lonely Heiress is the thirty-first novel to feature Los Angeles attorney Perry Mason and so is a little over a third of the way into the series. The story begins when an alleged lonely heiress places what appears to be an implausible ad in a lonely hearts publication looking to connect with a man. The publisher of the magazine fears that he might be suspected of committing a fraudulent act and so hires Mason to track down the annonymous heiress and determine if the ad is actually legitimate.
Mason finds the woman who placed the ad fairly quickly and reports to his client that she does in fact exist and that the ad is legitimate. That would appear to end Mason's involvement in the matter, but of course, if that were the case, there would be no story. Very quickly things take an unexpected turn and Perry finds himself up to his neck in a case involving a disputed will and, naturally, a murder. As usual, it would appear almost certain that Mason's client is going to be found guilty because the evidence is so heavily stacked against the client. But this is Perry Mason we're dealing with here, so never fear.
The solution to the case, although convoluted, is interesting and unique, and it's fun to read a novel set back in the "Olden Days," when people accused of a crime had very few rights and the police could use the Third Degree on them with impunity. Mason himself could cut a few corners that no attorney would get away with these days and so all in all, this is a fun read.
Mason finds the woman who placed the ad fairly quickly and reports to his client that she does in fact exist and that the ad is legitimate. That would appear to end Mason's involvement in the matter, but of course, if that were the case, there would be no story. Very quickly things take an unexpected turn and Perry finds himself up to his neck in a case involving a disputed will and, naturally, a murder. As usual, it would appear almost certain that Mason's client is going to be found guilty because the evidence is so heavily stacked against the client. But this is Perry Mason we're dealing with here, so never fear.
The solution to the case, although convoluted, is interesting and unique, and it's fun to read a novel set back in the "Olden Days," when people accused of a crime had very few rights and the police could use the Third Degree on them with impunity. Mason himself could cut a few corners that no attorney would get away with these days and so all in all, this is a fun read.
April 30, 2024
The Case of the Lonely Heiress is set in 1940s Los Angeles. A beautiful 23-year-old heiress has placed an ad in a Lonely Hearts magazine seeking a companion. The magazine's publisher seeks Mason's representation. Mason easily handles the matter for the publisher, but shortly thereafter, a woman with connections to the heiress is murdered. DA Hamilton Burger assembles an almost airtight case proving the heiress guilty of the murder. Can Perry Mason establish her innocence?
The reason the heiress ran the ad does not make sense, thus the four-star rating I gave. Interestingly, the TV version of this book, telecast in the 1950s/1960s Perry Mason TV series, articulates a more plausible reason for the heiress placing the ad.
The most redeeming aspect of this novel is the detail Erle Stanley Gardner provides about how police conducted interrogations before the Supreme Court Miranda decision, and its progenies brought most of those practices to a halt. For this reason alone, I recommend this book to my friends.
The reason the heiress ran the ad does not make sense, thus the four-star rating I gave. Interestingly, the TV version of this book, telecast in the 1950s/1960s Perry Mason TV series, articulates a more plausible reason for the heiress placing the ad.
The most redeeming aspect of this novel is the detail Erle Stanley Gardner provides about how police conducted interrogations before the Supreme Court Miranda decision, and its progenies brought most of those practices to a halt. For this reason alone, I recommend this book to my friends.
August 11, 2021
Having enjoyed the hard boiled Perry Mason mystery / courtroom TV series from the 1960s, I decided to give one of the novels a try. It didn’t disappoint; one can easily visualize Della, Perry, Paul and the rest from the page almost as if the action were on the screen. In this episode a young woman takes out a personal ad in a lonely hearts magazine and poses as an heiress to attract suitors. The situation is complicated when the magazine’s publisher becomes involved.
January 23, 2021
Perry Mason is hired by publisher Robert Caddo to learn the truth behind a suspicious classified ad in his magazine, in which a young woman is claiming to be a good-looking heiress who’s trying to find a man. One of Caddo’s competitors has accused him of false advertising—planting this ad in his magazine to build circulation. Caddo says the ad is genuine and he wants to be able to prove it, but ad placements are anonymous.
With help from Paul Drake’s investigators and Della Street, Mason quickly learns that the ad is truthful. A young woman named Marilyn Marlow, who is in fact an heiress, placed the ad. Marilyn’s mother, a nurse, recently died in a car accident after attending a wealthy patient, George P. Endicott, who changed his will shortly before he died to leave her most of his large estate. But Endicott’s siblings are contesting the will, so although Marilyn did inherit the money, she may be in danger of losing it.
Having satisfied Caddo that he doesn’t have to worry about a false advertising charge, Mason gets back to a brief he was working on. But he can’t get his mind off the Marilyn Marlow case: he’s troubled because, although he knows who placed the ad, he doesn’t understand why she placed it. He and Della discuss it: “‘She’s certainly going to a lot of trouble to get the perfect mate,’ Della Street said. ‘I’m afraid she’s not looking for a mate,’ Mason observed thoughtfully. ‘For what, then?’ Mason shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘For someone to commit a murder, for all I know.’”
This off-handed remark soon looks like it may have been prescient when one of the witnesses in the will contest is found dead and the police finger Marilyn for the murder. Mason agrees to represent her, even though the evidence against her is strong. But he thinks he can find—or maybe create—a crack in the evidence and show she’s innocent.
Defending, as usual, an underdog client who looks guilty, Mason describes how he’s different from most other lawyers: “‘Darned if I know why I do it, Della! But I always do.’ ‘Do what?’ ‘Stick my neck out for my clients. I should have taken the case just the way any other lawyer would have; taken the facts as they were and let the chips fall wherever they might. But no, I’m not built that way. I’m always a pushover for a client who is having the breaks go against her.’” This has always been a hallmark of Perry Mason. The reader (or viewer, in the case of the popular Raymond Burr TV series) sees that the odds are long, but knows that one way or another, Mason will overcome them.
This is a good mystery with a bit of a twist at the end. The clues on which the case turns are not obvious (and maybe a bit out of date for modern readers), and I for one was kept guessing all the way. I also enjoyed the chemistry between Perry and Della. It’s quite a partnership: “Mason got to his feet, took Della Street into his arms and kissed her. She laughed up at him, and he said, ‘Why is it your feminine charms are never so alluring as when you’ve thought of some piece of skullduggery?’”
With help from Paul Drake’s investigators and Della Street, Mason quickly learns that the ad is truthful. A young woman named Marilyn Marlow, who is in fact an heiress, placed the ad. Marilyn’s mother, a nurse, recently died in a car accident after attending a wealthy patient, George P. Endicott, who changed his will shortly before he died to leave her most of his large estate. But Endicott’s siblings are contesting the will, so although Marilyn did inherit the money, she may be in danger of losing it.
Having satisfied Caddo that he doesn’t have to worry about a false advertising charge, Mason gets back to a brief he was working on. But he can’t get his mind off the Marilyn Marlow case: he’s troubled because, although he knows who placed the ad, he doesn’t understand why she placed it. He and Della discuss it: “‘She’s certainly going to a lot of trouble to get the perfect mate,’ Della Street said. ‘I’m afraid she’s not looking for a mate,’ Mason observed thoughtfully. ‘For what, then?’ Mason shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘For someone to commit a murder, for all I know.’”
This off-handed remark soon looks like it may have been prescient when one of the witnesses in the will contest is found dead and the police finger Marilyn for the murder. Mason agrees to represent her, even though the evidence against her is strong. But he thinks he can find—or maybe create—a crack in the evidence and show she’s innocent.
Defending, as usual, an underdog client who looks guilty, Mason describes how he’s different from most other lawyers: “‘Darned if I know why I do it, Della! But I always do.’ ‘Do what?’ ‘Stick my neck out for my clients. I should have taken the case just the way any other lawyer would have; taken the facts as they were and let the chips fall wherever they might. But no, I’m not built that way. I’m always a pushover for a client who is having the breaks go against her.’” This has always been a hallmark of Perry Mason. The reader (or viewer, in the case of the popular Raymond Burr TV series) sees that the odds are long, but knows that one way or another, Mason will overcome them.
This is a good mystery with a bit of a twist at the end. The clues on which the case turns are not obvious (and maybe a bit out of date for modern readers), and I for one was kept guessing all the way. I also enjoyed the chemistry between Perry and Della. It’s quite a partnership: “Mason got to his feet, took Della Street into his arms and kissed her. She laughed up at him, and he said, ‘Why is it your feminine charms are never so alluring as when you’ve thought of some piece of skullduggery?’”
September 5, 2022
Despite being a mystery fan I had never read anything by Stanley Gardner. Quite a nice surprised as even though this was written in the 50's it does not seem that dated at all. I think this is mainly because this is all from the point of view of the lawyer, Perry Mason, rather than from the police investigation side. If it was a standard police procedural the forensics techniques would be outdated and show the books age.
There appears to be 86 books in the Perry Mason series, so this will give me a another challenge after I complete Ed McBain's 54 book 87th Precinct books.
There appears to be 86 books in the Perry Mason series, so this will give me a another challenge after I complete Ed McBain's 54 book 87th Precinct books.
April 30, 2021
This book takes us back to the era before internet and social media, where in order to make new pen pals, you needed to publish an ad in a magazine, in response to which others would send letters to the magazine publisher thus initiating a chain of letters which, hopefully one day, would lead to something more. Something similar sets us up for yet another Perry Mason mystery, which starts in quite an unorthodox manner, with the murder not happening till well into the book.
Once the murder has been committed and all characters have been introduced, the book rattles along at a breakneck speed, and Mason does pull a couple of risky maneuvers to reach the correct conclusion of the case and save his client once again. And if it hasn't been made clear from the title of the book, the lonely heiress is infact Mason's client in this case.
Overall, the case is quite simple, with not many complicating factors, and there aren't many loose ends to tie up at the very end. For that very reason, I will rate this book the usual 4.
Once the murder has been committed and all characters have been introduced, the book rattles along at a breakneck speed, and Mason does pull a couple of risky maneuvers to reach the correct conclusion of the case and save his client once again. And if it hasn't been made clear from the title of the book, the lonely heiress is infact Mason's client in this case.
Overall, the case is quite simple, with not many complicating factors, and there aren't many loose ends to tie up at the very end. For that very reason, I will rate this book the usual 4.
September 2, 2020
Tragg finally shows up. Gardner must have had some bad instances with the police and DAs when he was practicing law. These characters are all very bad people in his books. They all seem interested in one thing - taking the easy way to solve a crime. While these are just stories, Gardner must have some experience with the methods used by the authorities and while these might be over stated they have some validity from other sources.
April 20, 2009
Found this at the Hood Canal cabin and read it all on Saturday - perfect down to the trashy illustration on the cover (not shown here). Lots of '40s slang to read out loud in a Broadway Baby voice: "Looks like he's trying to cut himself a piece of cake - with a chisel." "For the moment, that leaves us behind the eightball."
March 18, 2021
Meh. Perry pulls some fast ones, wrong, possibly illegal. Has a cozy relationship with Della. The criminal was so well hidden I almost didn't remember the character. Lots of crazy red herrings.
November 11, 2019
3.5 stars - Not great literature, but well plotted and paced.
April 27, 2013
#31 in the Perry Mason series. This 1948 series entry provides a sense of time by mentioning the housing shortage of post-war Los Angeles. The entree to the mystery is a minor plot wherein Perry represents the sleazy publisher of a lonely hearts magazine. An advertiser in the magazine is the Heiress of the title and she soon becomes Perry's client as she hopes to remain an heiress. Good, solid entertainment.
Perry Mason series - Perry is defending a client who has been framed, and Perry engages in a few unorthodox practices to protect his client. The client anticipates inheriting wealth from her mother who had nursed a sick man. The man wrote a will to her, leaving the bulk of his fortune. Needless to say, his family did not appreciate the bequest, and one of the witnesses to the will is considering changing her testimony to the effect she did not witness the signing. Murder enters within the confines of this thick plot. It is not easy to figure out "who done it," but Perry, assisted by Della Street and with minimal help from Paul Drake, manages to frustrate Lt. Tragg once again.
Perry Mason series - Perry is defending a client who has been framed, and Perry engages in a few unorthodox practices to protect his client. The client anticipates inheriting wealth from her mother who had nursed a sick man. The man wrote a will to her, leaving the bulk of his fortune. Needless to say, his family did not appreciate the bequest, and one of the witnesses to the will is considering changing her testimony to the effect she did not witness the signing. Murder enters within the confines of this thick plot. It is not easy to figure out "who done it," but Perry, assisted by Della Street and with minimal help from Paul Drake, manages to frustrate Lt. Tragg once again.
November 3, 2021
Perry Mason gets pulled into a potential fraud case in which to prove there is no fraud he has to locate an heiress who has posted a lonely-hearts ad. Doing so proves to be child’s play, but that doesn’t make Mason’s life easier. A jealous wife, a conniving husband, a battle over a will, questionable testimony, and, of course, a murder, quickly add up to make Mason’s life more difficult. Add to that that his client keeps failing to follow his advice and to tell him everything he needs to know to properly defend her. It starts to feel as if Mason is going into this courtroom battle with both hands tied behind him. But that’s what makes these Perry Mason cases so interesting.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
August 2, 2020
Loved the 50s Perry Mason shows so was intrigued to read one of Gardner’s book. This was my first one. Written in 1948, you have the “heiress” bring grilled by the police with no Miranda warning and if you need to make a call, there are no cellphones so you better have plenty of change for a pay phone. But the classic elements that make a good mystery are all here in spite of the dating. And all those wonderful TV characters, Della Street, Paul Drake and Lt Tragg appear (no Hamilton Burger for the prosecution though). Loved Della in this book; she’s more gusty and prominent in the book - and, of course, smarter at times than her boss (😂). Quick, enjoyable read.
July 12, 2017
Upon re-reading... I'll keep it at 4 stars. Totally enjoyable installment in the Perry Mason series, but a bit lackluster in its big reveal. Perry figured out the score based on a much smaller clue (and really only one) than he normally spots, so it felt a bit fantastic. But still great! Lots of suspects, though a fairly linear plot.
This is one of the many instances (many being subjective) where Perry gets to play cupid a bit, as well as defense attorney extraordinaire.
This is one of the many instances (many being subjective) where Perry gets to play cupid a bit, as well as defense attorney extraordinaire.
August 18, 2020
A young woman inherits a small fortune that originated with a prior will. The heirs of thar will contest the bequest. When a key witness dies, Perry Mason takes on the case.
December 14, 2025
Before the internet if you wanted a pen pal or to find a lover you would go to a newspaper or magazine to write an ad and pay the publisher to print it in their publication. Readers could respond and hopefully people could meet. Mr Caddo is publishing a lonely hearts magazine and one lady who rents box # 94 says she is a rich heiress and looking for love. This ad has a huge response and since people have to pay for the publication, Caddo is raking in the money. So much so that the post office police are about to accusing him of writing a phony ad to raise more money. They want to know the name of Ms #94 so he can prove he is not setting up a big con on his readers. So Caddo hires Perry to find Miss #94, get her name and make sure she is legit. After a bunch of twists and turns, cons and lies we have a murder, and of course Perry finds the murderer. I didn't figure it out till the end.
November 4, 2025
Erle Stanley Gardner liked to use pretty young girls in his stories and this one was no exception. The family she's up against is shady and it's easy to suspect all of them. As with all Perry Mason books, it's a good story but not terribly memorable for me.
October 15, 2025
Perry Mason is hired to investigate if a Lonely Hearts applicant is genuine, which ends up in a murder investigation. A relatively good read, but lacked a bit of substance.
March 25, 2024
Lovely, loaded, and lonely. Sound legit to you?
The owner of a lonely hearts magazine is dubious, too, but money is money and the broad who rented Box #94 is getting bucketfuls of answers. Each one of those answers is money in the till so Mr Caddo is understandably reluctant to pull the ad. On the other hand, the postal authorities are accusing him of writing the ad himself, which would make him a con man. He IS a con man, of course, but can't afford to have his profitable business closed down on technicalities. So he hires Perry Mason to find Miss #94.
Mason finds her, then discovers that the canny Mr Caddo is working both sides of the street. He senses a windfall and wants a piece of the pie. The "heiress" in question IS lovely, but she's not lonely. She's just looking for a very specific man for a job she needs doing. And she IS an heiress, but getting her hands on the money depends on fending off the dead guy's relatives. Blood's thicker than water, right? Especially when it comes to a fortune.
Soon the beautiful heiress is hiring Perry Mason herself to protect her claims on that money. But she's not a compliant client. She has her own ideas and is stubborn enough to ignore Perry's instructions to work her own game.
There's nothing a lawyer hates worse than clients who try to do their own legal work. When the inevitable murder occurs, the fat's in the fire and Perry's client is in a lot of trouble she wouldn't be in if she'd followed his advice. Why keep a dog if you're going to do your own barking?
This book was published three years after the end of WWII and we learn two things about Perry Mason's creator. First, he did NOT believe that relatives are entitled to inherit. A wealthy man who delays making a will, possibly hoping to keep his family in line, is playing a fool's game. If he ultimately decides to leave his money elsewhere, those relatives will be greatly disappointed, maybe to the point of disputing the validity of the will.
Gardner was also opposed to police interrogation techniques designed to intimidate or trick the suspect into a confession. Perry's client prides herself on being a tough cookie, but she falls apart when placed under a strong spotlight, bombarded with accusations, confronted with a false "witness", and subjected to the good cop/bad cop treatment. All without a lawyer there to advise her. Damaging admissions are made, making Perry's job in court even harder.
Part of the way through the trial, it occurred to me that figuring out the conclusion of an old mystery book is the ONLY time when age has an advantage over youth. It's VERY helpful to remember how much money $1,000 was before inflation turned the world on its head. It's also helpful to know that a well-paid profession today wasn't always so lucrative. If you know those facts, you can see where Perry is going when he demonstrates to the jury the importance of WHEN the victim acquired the money she was trying to repay someone.
Is there more humor in this book than in other Perry Mason books? Maybe not, but there are some great jokes. The "dumb" cop (who wasn't) and Perry's enjoyment of Caddo's wacky wife (which backfires on him later) are both hilarious. Perry and Della love to laugh and enjoy a joke on themselves, too. Mrs Caddo (a woman who happily resorts to violence to "protect my investment") is a comic turn in herself. But when Perry needs her testimony in the trial, the fun is over.
It's a complicated case, but if it was simple, they wouldn't need a Perry Mason, would they? I think these books were best sellers and are still popular for a reason. They are readable, well-plotted, and have interesting characters. Gardner never set out to produce great literature. He wanted to use his legal knowledge to write books that would sell so that he didn't have to practice law. He happily left that to Perry Mason and enjoyed the profits and the fame. Smart guy.
The owner of a lonely hearts magazine is dubious, too, but money is money and the broad who rented Box #94 is getting bucketfuls of answers. Each one of those answers is money in the till so Mr Caddo is understandably reluctant to pull the ad. On the other hand, the postal authorities are accusing him of writing the ad himself, which would make him a con man. He IS a con man, of course, but can't afford to have his profitable business closed down on technicalities. So he hires Perry Mason to find Miss #94.
Mason finds her, then discovers that the canny Mr Caddo is working both sides of the street. He senses a windfall and wants a piece of the pie. The "heiress" in question IS lovely, but she's not lonely. She's just looking for a very specific man for a job she needs doing. And she IS an heiress, but getting her hands on the money depends on fending off the dead guy's relatives. Blood's thicker than water, right? Especially when it comes to a fortune.
Soon the beautiful heiress is hiring Perry Mason herself to protect her claims on that money. But she's not a compliant client. She has her own ideas and is stubborn enough to ignore Perry's instructions to work her own game.
There's nothing a lawyer hates worse than clients who try to do their own legal work. When the inevitable murder occurs, the fat's in the fire and Perry's client is in a lot of trouble she wouldn't be in if she'd followed his advice. Why keep a dog if you're going to do your own barking?
This book was published three years after the end of WWII and we learn two things about Perry Mason's creator. First, he did NOT believe that relatives are entitled to inherit. A wealthy man who delays making a will, possibly hoping to keep his family in line, is playing a fool's game. If he ultimately decides to leave his money elsewhere, those relatives will be greatly disappointed, maybe to the point of disputing the validity of the will.
Gardner was also opposed to police interrogation techniques designed to intimidate or trick the suspect into a confession. Perry's client prides herself on being a tough cookie, but she falls apart when placed under a strong spotlight, bombarded with accusations, confronted with a false "witness", and subjected to the good cop/bad cop treatment. All without a lawyer there to advise her. Damaging admissions are made, making Perry's job in court even harder.
Part of the way through the trial, it occurred to me that figuring out the conclusion of an old mystery book is the ONLY time when age has an advantage over youth. It's VERY helpful to remember how much money $1,000 was before inflation turned the world on its head. It's also helpful to know that a well-paid profession today wasn't always so lucrative. If you know those facts, you can see where Perry is going when he demonstrates to the jury the importance of WHEN the victim acquired the money she was trying to repay someone.
Is there more humor in this book than in other Perry Mason books? Maybe not, but there are some great jokes. The "dumb" cop (who wasn't) and Perry's enjoyment of Caddo's wacky wife (which backfires on him later) are both hilarious. Perry and Della love to laugh and enjoy a joke on themselves, too. Mrs Caddo (a woman who happily resorts to violence to "protect my investment") is a comic turn in herself. But when Perry needs her testimony in the trial, the fun is over.
It's a complicated case, but if it was simple, they wouldn't need a Perry Mason, would they? I think these books were best sellers and are still popular for a reason. They are readable, well-plotted, and have interesting characters. Gardner never set out to produce great literature. He wanted to use his legal knowledge to write books that would sell so that he didn't have to practice law. He happily left that to Perry Mason and enjoyed the profits and the fame. Smart guy.
December 3, 2020
Perry Mason does it again. I love these old mysteries. The publisher of Lonely Hearts are Calling, Caddo, calls on Perry Mason to find out the name of an heiress who has put an ad in his magazine. Mason calls in Paul Drake, detective, to help him. Mason then writes two letters to the heiress care of the box number in the magazine pretending to be someone he thinks she will respond to. The heiress is Miss Marilyn Marlow. Her mother Eleanor, a former nurse, inherited from a very wealthy patient, and has died in an auto accident. Soon, Perry Mason is working for Miss Marlow and no longer for Caddo.
Meanwhile, the family members (two brothers and a sister) of the dead man are fighting the will. It appears that one of the witnesses of the will is being bought by the family to say she didn't really witness the signing and the man signing didn't know what was in the will. When the witness is murdered, Miss Marlow is the one to find her. Homicide Detective Tragg is believing the family members who get Miss Marlow arrested. We also find that Caddo has been cheating on his wife who has a bad temper and may have bitten off more than she can chew.
However, Perry Mason and Della Street win in the end.
Meanwhile, the family members (two brothers and a sister) of the dead man are fighting the will. It appears that one of the witnesses of the will is being bought by the family to say she didn't really witness the signing and the man signing didn't know what was in the will. When the witness is murdered, Miss Marlow is the one to find her. Homicide Detective Tragg is believing the family members who get Miss Marlow arrested. We also find that Caddo has been cheating on his wife who has a bad temper and may have bitten off more than she can chew.
However, Perry Mason and Della Street win in the end.
October 16, 2020
The last 7 years I've been watching a lot of Perry Mason reruns on TV. Recently the Sundance Channel showed the earliest episodes that I've ever seen. Going all the way back to 1957 I believe. I watch at least one episode per day the last few months. That being said, I was amazed to learn that Erle Stanley Gardner was the most published author in the 20th century. I'm a baby boomer and had always believed that Stephen King held that crown.
Having learned that interested me into the actual writing as opposed to the TV version. I figured that Mr. Gardner must have been one talented writer to hold the crown so I was very intrigued to find out how he measured up to the genre of books I've read in my lifetime.
This is my first book and I can tell you it was very good to great. The tempo of the story and the character development was spot on. Perry Mason is a little more rough at the edges compared to the TV show. The story held my interest the whole time and I didn't see the ending coming as it did. Needless to say, I enjoyed this book very much.
It was a quick read but one that has started me down an enjoyable path that I will continue.
Having learned that interested me into the actual writing as opposed to the TV version. I figured that Mr. Gardner must have been one talented writer to hold the crown so I was very intrigued to find out how he measured up to the genre of books I've read in my lifetime.
This is my first book and I can tell you it was very good to great. The tempo of the story and the character development was spot on. Perry Mason is a little more rough at the edges compared to the TV show. The story held my interest the whole time and I didn't see the ending coming as it did. Needless to say, I enjoyed this book very much.
It was a quick read but one that has started me down an enjoyable path that I will continue.
August 15, 2020
Marilyn Marlow's mother, inherits a fortune from a wealthy employer. Marilyn's mother died, leaving Marilyn the money. The will is being contested. When Rose Keeling, a witness to the signing of the will, is murdered, Perry Mason and his talented associates set out to find the killer.
I grew up watching Raymond Burr as Perry Mason and he will always be THE Perry Mason as far as I am concerned. When the opportunity arose to read Erle Stanley Gardner's books, I jumped right it. The books are much more descriptive than the 1960s television show. There was one curious error in the story. When the murder victim is found, blood is "welling" from her wound. Once the heart stops beating blood stops flowing.
There are many twists and turns until the real killer is found and Perry Mason prevails.
I grew up watching Raymond Burr as Perry Mason and he will always be THE Perry Mason as far as I am concerned. When the opportunity arose to read Erle Stanley Gardner's books, I jumped right it. The books are much more descriptive than the 1960s television show. There was one curious error in the story. When the murder victim is found, blood is "welling" from her wound. Once the heart stops beating blood stops flowing.
There are many twists and turns until the real killer is found and Perry Mason prevails.
May 3, 2022
Such a wonderful, nostalgic read. I remember my mother watching the Perry Mason TV series and this brought back lots of memories. The premise is a new heiress who inherits from her mother a sizeable estate. The legacy comes from a wealthy patient whom her mother cared for (nursing.) At the signing of the will were 2 other nurses. The patient's children, who have been estranged for years, contest the will and question the legality. Suddenly one of the witnesses dies and the heiress is blamed. The best part of the book is the dialog between Perry Mason, his assistant Della Street and his friend the PI, Paul Drake. Well written, good plot, and great follow-through. I will be reading more of these.
May 27, 2022
I have mentioned in a previous review that Perry Mason was as crooked as a corkscrew. Of course, all his shenanigans are perpetrated for the “noble” motive of exonerating the innocent. Frequently, however, his shenanigans wind up putting his client deeper in the hole than she was to begin with. And for a man dedicated to exonerating his clients with the truth, he sure does a lot of lying. In this novel Mason succeeds in making his client look guilty by suggesting that she destroy incriminating evidence. Then he gets caught in a most embarrassing situation and lies like a cheap clock to extricate himself. But in the end he pulls a rabbit out of his hat, wins the day, and does a little romantic engineering. Good fun from page one to the end.
July 13, 2020
You appreciate the Miranda warnings a lot more after reading this 1948 novel. Third degree interrogation of murder suspects and when that doesn’t work bring in the “gentlemen” of the press to surround and grill them.
You read Perry Mason as they are a throw back to another era. This one, being a later one of the 80 or so the author wrote, is more in the Who dunnit mode rather than the hard boiled ones that marked the early ones - and the ones the new HBO series models itself on.
You read Perry Mason as they are a throw back to another era. This one, being a later one of the 80 or so the author wrote, is more in the Who dunnit mode rather than the hard boiled ones that marked the early ones - and the ones the new HBO series models itself on.
October 16, 2021
Double if not triple deceitful villains hiding the truth with their greedy twisted lies and false leads.
A highly entertain who done it with the surprising signature courtroom scene uncovering the murderer or murderers. Find out if the lonely heiress is one of them or just an innocent witness set up for killing a double crossing friend. All the clues are there in this fun who done it.
A highly entertain who done it with the surprising signature courtroom scene uncovering the murderer or murderers. Find out if the lonely heiress is one of them or just an innocent witness set up for killing a double crossing friend. All the clues are there in this fun who done it.
January 7, 2009
Okay, so it's not ground-breaking literature, but I like these. I enjoy trying to figure out what clues the author has left for Perry to use in the courtroom (the clues the police missed!). Sometimes I do actually wish for the client to be guilty...this was one of those, but I always know that's not going to happen.
June 12, 2020
Is She Guilty?
Perry Mason takes on the case.of Marilyn Marlow, an heiress who has placed an ad in a lonely hearts magazine. But is Marilyn really an heiress? And when a nurse, who could expose Marilyn as a fraud, turns up dead, Marilyn is charged with her murder. Can Perry Mason find the real killer? Or is his client guilty? Read it, and find out. You'll be glad you did!
Perry Mason takes on the case.of Marilyn Marlow, an heiress who has placed an ad in a lonely hearts magazine. But is Marilyn really an heiress? And when a nurse, who could expose Marilyn as a fraud, turns up dead, Marilyn is charged with her murder. Can Perry Mason find the real killer? Or is his client guilty? Read it, and find out. You'll be glad you did!
March 31, 2016
The twist at the end was good.
One of the few books where Gardner has been more open about the relationship between Della and Perry.
One of the few books where Gardner has been more open about the relationship between Della and Perry.
December 16, 2023
I enjoyed it.
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