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Perry Mason #13
The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe: A Perry Mason Mystery
Sleuthing attorney Perry Mason can’t resist a good mystery, so when he sees an older woman being accused of shoplifting during a department store outing with his assistant, Della Street, he doesn’t hesitate to intervene. Armed with an assumption of innocence and the legal acumen to silence her accuser, Mason leaps to the woman’s defense—until her niece appears, acknowledging her aunt’s guilt, and pays for the stolen items.
Soon thereafter, Aunt Sarah is accused of stealing a valuable set of diamonds, and her niece, Virginia, enlists Mason’s aid. The man who left the jewels in Sarah’s care insists that she didn’t take them, but when he turns up dead, she’s left with nobody to vouch for her. Nobody, that is, but Perry Mason—expert in the art of defending the innocent.
The thirteenth novel in the bestselling Perry Mason series, The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe is an exemplary episode for the character, featuring the complex plots, snappy dialogue, and break-neck pacing that make the novels perennial favorites of mystery fans everywhere.
Includes discussion guide questions for use in book clubs.
Soon thereafter, Aunt Sarah is accused of stealing a valuable set of diamonds, and her niece, Virginia, enlists Mason’s aid. The man who left the jewels in Sarah’s care insists that she didn’t take them, but when he turns up dead, she’s left with nobody to vouch for her. Nobody, that is, but Perry Mason—expert in the art of defending the innocent.
The thirteenth novel in the bestselling Perry Mason series, The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe is an exemplary episode for the character, featuring the complex plots, snappy dialogue, and break-neck pacing that make the novels perennial favorites of mystery fans everywhere.
Includes discussion guide questions for use in book clubs.
285 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1938
85 people are currently reading
597 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,352 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 109 reviews
November 16, 2016
The thirteenth entry in the Perry Mason series was published in 1938. It's still pretty early in the series and two of the major characters who would appear in virtually all of the books, D.A. Hamilton Burger and homicide detective Lieutenant Tragg, still have not been introduced. But the basic form of the novels has been established, and this is a very good example of the early books in the series.
As the book opens, Perry and his secretary, Della Street, duck out of a rain storm and have lunch in a department store tea room. The two observe what appears to be a refined, elderly woman, and Perry tells Della that the woman is a shoplifter. Sure enough, a store detective soon appears and begins bullying the poor old woman, whose name is Sarah Breel.
Perry intervenes and the issue is settled, but almost as soon as he is back in his office, he's contacted by Breel's niece, Virginia Trent, a nervous young woman who is studying psychology. Virginia is convinced that her aunt has suddenly become a kleptomaniac. In particular, she's afraid that her aunt has stolen several very valuable diamonds that were left in the possession of Virginia's uncle, a jeweler.
Perry discounts the young woman's notion that her aunt has suddenly developed deep psychological problems but sure enough, the diamonds are missing. Before long, somebody will be dead and Sarah Breel will be found with blood on the heel of her shoe, a gun in her purse, and a handful of diamonds. As always, it looks like a slam-dunk victory for the D.A. who quickly charges Breel with murder in the first. But even this early in the game, the reader understands that it ain't over until Perry starts pulling rabbits out of a hat in the courtroom, and the book ends with one of the better courtroom scenes in the series.
This early on, the series was still heavily influenced by the pulp conventions of the day, and there are great scenes like this one:
"Mason pushed his way through heavy green hangings and into an office. A man stared coldly at him from behind a desk. A woman, some years younger, her contours displayed by a clinging blue evening gown, stood near the corner of the desk. Her hair was glossy black and filled with highlights. Her full lips held no smile. Her brilliant black eyes blazed with emotions she strove to suppress. Full-throated, well-nourished, she seemed seductively full of life, in striking contrast to the man who sat behind the desk, his waxy skin stretched so tightly across his prominent cheekbones that there hardly seemed to be enough left to cover the teeth, which showed in that ghastly grin seen on starving people...."
Wow, all that and contours too! They don't write 'em like this anymore...
As the book opens, Perry and his secretary, Della Street, duck out of a rain storm and have lunch in a department store tea room. The two observe what appears to be a refined, elderly woman, and Perry tells Della that the woman is a shoplifter. Sure enough, a store detective soon appears and begins bullying the poor old woman, whose name is Sarah Breel.
Perry intervenes and the issue is settled, but almost as soon as he is back in his office, he's contacted by Breel's niece, Virginia Trent, a nervous young woman who is studying psychology. Virginia is convinced that her aunt has suddenly become a kleptomaniac. In particular, she's afraid that her aunt has stolen several very valuable diamonds that were left in the possession of Virginia's uncle, a jeweler.
Perry discounts the young woman's notion that her aunt has suddenly developed deep psychological problems but sure enough, the diamonds are missing. Before long, somebody will be dead and Sarah Breel will be found with blood on the heel of her shoe, a gun in her purse, and a handful of diamonds. As always, it looks like a slam-dunk victory for the D.A. who quickly charges Breel with murder in the first. But even this early in the game, the reader understands that it ain't over until Perry starts pulling rabbits out of a hat in the courtroom, and the book ends with one of the better courtroom scenes in the series.
This early on, the series was still heavily influenced by the pulp conventions of the day, and there are great scenes like this one:
"Mason pushed his way through heavy green hangings and into an office. A man stared coldly at him from behind a desk. A woman, some years younger, her contours displayed by a clinging blue evening gown, stood near the corner of the desk. Her hair was glossy black and filled with highlights. Her full lips held no smile. Her brilliant black eyes blazed with emotions she strove to suppress. Full-throated, well-nourished, she seemed seductively full of life, in striking contrast to the man who sat behind the desk, his waxy skin stretched so tightly across his prominent cheekbones that there hardly seemed to be enough left to cover the teeth, which showed in that ghastly grin seen on starving people...."
Wow, all that and contours too! They don't write 'em like this anymore...
October 28, 2022
The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe by Erle Stanley Gardner is the 13th book in the Perry Mason series. Perry Mason, while lunching with Della Street, assists a woman accused of shoplifting and soon finds himself involved in a case involving two murders and stolen diamonds. A typical Perry Mason mystery with multiple twists and obstacles, requiring some fancy work and investigation from Perry Mason. The illegal police techniques were disappointing. An exciting and enjoyable mystery.
September 13, 2022
Mid 20th Century North American Crime and Mystery
My library system adds a few new editions of Gardner every year or so. I approach them warily as the quality of this author, to me, fluctuates very much. True, Gardner wrote 86 Perry Mason novels (4 were short story collections) as Otto Penzler points out in an excellent introduction. This one?
HOOK - 4 stars: Perry and Della lunch...in a department store. A tea room, mind you. Then instantly, shoplifting.
Pace - 4: Very good but oddly I wish the author had spent more time explaining gun locations. I almost finished this in one sitting..
Plot/Crime - 4: Who stole the diamonds? Was a pedestrian hit on purpose? Who is the killer? And more!
Cast - 5: Aunt Sarah Breel is astonishingly cool and smart and sophisticated, but is she just a great actress? Niece Virginia Trent goes into hysterics, but is she in on a game with Sarah? Are they rich? Broke? Will the drunk uncle go on a bender and never return? Sergeant Holcomb bumbles through the case while Perry, Della. and Paul deliver witty P.I. lines everywhere at Holcomb's expense. Then there is the guy running an illegal gambling joint and, natch, his pretty young thing. And more! I'd say Gardner's best cast.
Atmosphere - 3: Fine. A department store, gambling house, and court. At 285 pages, the author packs it in with his cast as the primary focus.
Summary - 4.0. This might be my favorite Gardner/Mason...so far. Thanks to "American Mystery Classics" for this new 2022 edition. And you gotta love the shoe and jewelry on the cover (which oddly don't match the story, but that's quibbling.) A fun read!
My library system adds a few new editions of Gardner every year or so. I approach them warily as the quality of this author, to me, fluctuates very much. True, Gardner wrote 86 Perry Mason novels (4 were short story collections) as Otto Penzler points out in an excellent introduction. This one?
HOOK - 4 stars: Perry and Della lunch...in a department store. A tea room, mind you. Then instantly, shoplifting.
Pace - 4: Very good but oddly I wish the author had spent more time explaining gun locations. I almost finished this in one sitting..
Plot/Crime - 4: Who stole the diamonds? Was a pedestrian hit on purpose? Who is the killer? And more!
Cast - 5: Aunt Sarah Breel is astonishingly cool and smart and sophisticated, but is she just a great actress? Niece Virginia Trent goes into hysterics, but is she in on a game with Sarah? Are they rich? Broke? Will the drunk uncle go on a bender and never return? Sergeant Holcomb bumbles through the case while Perry, Della. and Paul deliver witty P.I. lines everywhere at Holcomb's expense. Then there is the guy running an illegal gambling joint and, natch, his pretty young thing. And more! I'd say Gardner's best cast.
Atmosphere - 3: Fine. A department store, gambling house, and court. At 285 pages, the author packs it in with his cast as the primary focus.
Summary - 4.0. This might be my favorite Gardner/Mason...so far. Thanks to "American Mystery Classics" for this new 2022 edition. And you gotta love the shoe and jewelry on the cover (which oddly don't match the story, but that's quibbling.) A fun read!
November 12, 2025
In the “Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe,” the thirteenth of 86 Perry Mason books (82 novels and 4 short story collections), Mason is out with secretary Della Street, who there are subtle hints is a bit more than just a s secretary to Mason. In fact, they are in a rather un-Mason-like way dining in a department store dining room, which once upon a time was considered a grand place to have afternoon tea. With his keen eyes always adept to observation, Mason points out to Della that an older woman is being pursued by store security before the woman runs into the restroom and gets rid of the dozen pilfered items. Mason intervenes when store security tries to effect an arrest, noting for the security man’s benefit that the woman could not possibly be arrested because she had yet to leave the store without paying for the items.
The woman is Sara Breel. Her niece who finds her in the midst of the commotion is Virginia Trent. They would become important later in the book as Trent goes to Mason’s office and tells him a tale of her aunt and uncle running a jewelry exchange and her aunt perhaps having pilfered a set of diamonds – the Bedford diamonds – while her uncle was out on a drunken rampage. Mason is not sure at this point what he is being asked to do or whether he actually has a client. But he knows things are going to get sticky when diamonds, drunks, and gambling are involved.
When the bodies start popping up as they often do in Perry Mason’s mysteries, he knows he is going to get involved. This is particularly true when Aunt Breel is run down and hospitalized fleeing it seems from a house where a body lay and she is taken to the hospital and her purse and the gun seemingly which fell out of her purse is found nearby. Mason, not yet employed by Breel, attempts to see her, but is stymied and Breel herself claims amnesia.
Not knowing quite what is really going on because sometimes truth is elusive, Mason sends his investigator Drake out on investigations following the various people involved, hoping to find out what really happened before Aunt Breel’s first-degree murder charge is submitted to the jury.
As would often be the case in these Perry Mason novels, the case culminates in a full-blown trial with Mason engaging in what appear to be lawyerly tricks, refusing to voir dire the jurors, and cross-examining Sergeant Holcomb in a rather confusing manner about the two guns recovered and the examination of the fatal bullet’s twists and grooves and whether Holcomb kept the evidence from the two murders separate or confused the shells.
The story ends as it began with Mason slipping his arm around Della Street’s waist as they walked down the driveway to the main highway. The pair are inseparable, linked together.
Shoplifter’s Shoe has some hallmarks of Perry Mason novels with his sort of stumbling into a case and getting involved and frankly laying out expenses for Drake’s detective work long before he actually had a paying client. The solution to what becomes a riddle is not obvious until Mason’s remarkable cross-examination reveals what now seems obvious as the solution.
The woman is Sara Breel. Her niece who finds her in the midst of the commotion is Virginia Trent. They would become important later in the book as Trent goes to Mason’s office and tells him a tale of her aunt and uncle running a jewelry exchange and her aunt perhaps having pilfered a set of diamonds – the Bedford diamonds – while her uncle was out on a drunken rampage. Mason is not sure at this point what he is being asked to do or whether he actually has a client. But he knows things are going to get sticky when diamonds, drunks, and gambling are involved.
When the bodies start popping up as they often do in Perry Mason’s mysteries, he knows he is going to get involved. This is particularly true when Aunt Breel is run down and hospitalized fleeing it seems from a house where a body lay and she is taken to the hospital and her purse and the gun seemingly which fell out of her purse is found nearby. Mason, not yet employed by Breel, attempts to see her, but is stymied and Breel herself claims amnesia.
Not knowing quite what is really going on because sometimes truth is elusive, Mason sends his investigator Drake out on investigations following the various people involved, hoping to find out what really happened before Aunt Breel’s first-degree murder charge is submitted to the jury.
As would often be the case in these Perry Mason novels, the case culminates in a full-blown trial with Mason engaging in what appear to be lawyerly tricks, refusing to voir dire the jurors, and cross-examining Sergeant Holcomb in a rather confusing manner about the two guns recovered and the examination of the fatal bullet’s twists and grooves and whether Holcomb kept the evidence from the two murders separate or confused the shells.
The story ends as it began with Mason slipping his arm around Della Street’s waist as they walked down the driveway to the main highway. The pair are inseparable, linked together.
Shoplifter’s Shoe has some hallmarks of Perry Mason novels with his sort of stumbling into a case and getting involved and frankly laying out expenses for Drake’s detective work long before he actually had a paying client. The solution to what becomes a riddle is not obvious until Mason’s remarkable cross-examination reveals what now seems obvious as the solution.
July 22, 2015
A good mystery. Again, although I did suspect half of the solution (1 of the culprits), I was astounded by the entire manner in which the crime was done. At places, in the court scene, I kept re-reading the really confusing portions and couldn't help but wonder: This is fiction. I am just reading it. Nothing at stake. What if it was real? So confusing!!
Thankfully it IS fiction.
Among all the Perry Mason books that I have read, this was the most philosophical. Long paras talking about the more heavier concerns of us, homo sapiens. Still, liked it.
PS: LOVED the last line (wink wink!)
Thankfully it IS fiction.
Among all the Perry Mason books that I have read, this was the most philosophical. Long paras talking about the more heavier concerns of us, homo sapiens. Still, liked it.
PS: LOVED the last line (wink wink!)
November 17, 2025
My old 1945 second printing HB....survived me turning the pages. :)
March 29, 2025
I always get a kick out of the way Perry Mason outsmarts/outmaneuvers the cops and the D.A.
Shocking though (in this book) Perry has to con his way into talking to his client before the police grill her. (This was before Miranda rights.) Unimaginable in this day that cops would try to squirrel away and browbeat the suspect and keep her from her lawyers. In any case I ALWAYS enjoy Perry Mason books.
August 7, 2024
Good mystery but not my favorite of the series so far by far.
August 20, 2020
Mason finally goes into court. First time in a long while. No Trask. No Berger. And Paul Drake is still a bit of a wimp. Mason is far more a detective so far. And his main antagonist is Sgt. Holcomb and over the past few books it is obvious that he has some mental issues.
January 29, 2023
Un'incontro casuale di Perry Mason con 2 donne si trasforma in un ingarbugliato caso in cui l'avvocato dà prova della sua astuzia. Coadiuvato da Della Street e Paul Drake, vincerà l'ennesima causa mettendo in imbarazzo il Procuratore Distrettuale.
Carino.
Carino.
April 20, 2024
3.5 stars. A lot of fun but also not entirely what I expected. I didn’t expect Perry Mason to be so flimsy with the law to get what he wanted. Still, fairly predictable, but infinitely readable.
May 28, 2022
This is the most recent American Mystery Classic release. It was first published in 1938.
Perry Mason is having lunch with his secretary Della Street in a department store restaurant when a well-dressed elderly woman gets charged with shoplifting. Mason steps in and helps her. The Department store ends up apologizing.
She takes his card and calls him the next day when she is charged with murdering a friend of her brother. Diamonds are stolen. Her brother gets killed. She claims to have amnesia for the afternoon when the killings occurred.
The police and DA are convinced she did it. Mason gets Paul Drake on the case. The plot is complicated, but well told.
The Perry Mason of the 1930s novels is more of a rogue than the TV Perry Mason of the 50s and 60s, who seemed something of a prig at times.
This is a solid Perry Mason story.
Perry Mason is having lunch with his secretary Della Street in a department store restaurant when a well-dressed elderly woman gets charged with shoplifting. Mason steps in and helps her. The Department store ends up apologizing.
She takes his card and calls him the next day when she is charged with murdering a friend of her brother. Diamonds are stolen. Her brother gets killed. She claims to have amnesia for the afternoon when the killings occurred.
The police and DA are convinced she did it. Mason gets Paul Drake on the case. The plot is complicated, but well told.
The Perry Mason of the 1930s novels is more of a rogue than the TV Perry Mason of the 50s and 60s, who seemed something of a prig at times.
This is a solid Perry Mason story.
October 25, 2022
A very complicated mystery with a conclusion that even though I read through it twice I still don't quite understand what happened. Mason gets involved in gem thefts, a shoplifter, an illegal gambling den, a missing person, and much more. Does the client really not remember what happened? Are the gems stolen? Why is an elderly woman shoplifting? What about those bullets?
Sgt Holcomb is back as the main antagonist, a slightly crooked and extremely hostile cop with a severe temper. He tries to work with Mason but it ends up with them clashing once more. The final argument that Perry wins with... there's no way a jury would keep track of all that or even follow what he was saying. Its a quick read that moves well but that conclusion.
Sgt Holcomb is back as the main antagonist, a slightly crooked and extremely hostile cop with a severe temper. He tries to work with Mason but it ends up with them clashing once more. The final argument that Perry wins with... there's no way a jury would keep track of all that or even follow what he was saying. Its a quick read that moves well but that conclusion.
February 10, 2021
Fun and fast
Always fun to read a case with Perry Mason and Della Street. This was delightful. Aunt Sarah was a hoot, and it has a lot going on all along the way.
Always fun to read a case with Perry Mason and Della Street. This was delightful. Aunt Sarah was a hoot, and it has a lot going on all along the way.
July 4, 2025
fun to read an actual book that the well known TV series was based on.
June 14, 2014
I've been reading Gardner's Perry Mason books off and on for a long time. Many years ago, I was an intense fan of the series, and read them all. Now, after a lot of water over the dam, I'm looking at them again.
Those who are used to really fine mystery writers (with the emphasis on "writer"), such as Ross Macdonald, may find the writing style here off-putting. It can be stiff and repetitious. 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 1950 are the best. This one was written in 1938 and is typical of the early books in the series. Mason is a fighter, and he loves it. Some of the police and prosecutors are hard-boiled. There is often a film-noir feel, but not so much in this one. Mason skirts around the edge of law, and so do some of the police.
The story begins with Perry and Della eating lunch in a department store (large department stores used to routinely have restaurants within them). They are casually looking at their fellow diners when a serene white haired woman in a nearby table is accosted by a store detective for shoplifting. He says he will have to arrest her right there in public if she won't come away with him. She is unperturbed, but her young niece, Virginia, is upset and nervous. Perry intervenes, pointing out that you can't arrest someone for shoplifting unless they leave the store with goods. Eventually the manager arrives, realizes that Perry is right, and Virginia hastily pays for the items her Aunt Sarah had stashed. After lunch, Perry and Della muse on the strange behavior of the aunt, who certainly didn't seem to be the shoplifter type, though she clearly intended to do so.
That would seem to be the end of it, but no, that afternoon Virginia comes to Mason's office and tells an unusual story. Her aunt and uncle (the aunt's brother) are in the jewelry business. They often get old diamond jewelry, refurbish them and sell them. That's great except the uncle, George, sometimes goes off on drunken binges. Apparently he has just done so, and some valuable diamonds are missing. And Aunt Sarah is acting strangely also. They got the diamonds from an associate named Austin Cullens who said they belong to a Mrs. Bedford. Virginia is worried because Mrs. Bedford just phoned her to return the diamonds early, and now Aunt Sarah has disappeared too! Perry is mulling over what to do when suddenly Cullens and Mrs. Bedford also show up at the office. The four of them have a talk. They agree to search for both George and Sarah.
The plot thickens when later that night Cullens is found murdered in his house and Aunt Sarah is struck by a car right in front of the house. Her handbag contains a gun. Her shoes are blood stained, so she must have been in the room with the body. The police think that "obviously" she murdered Cullens, though she claims amnesia because of the car accident. And who exactly is this driver who struck her?
The story then becomes complicated due to a second murder, some shady characters who run a gambling joint, the fact that Mrs. Bedford is not exactly who she seems to be, and that Virginia has a boy friend who often takes her shooting. Soon there are two guns; were they switched by the police? accidently or not? Aunt Sarah goes on trial for the murder of Austin Cullens and Perry defends her.
All of this is well written and intriguing. The courtroom scenes are excellent. One of the key witness for the prosecution turns out to be Sergeant Holcomb, who is quite combative both on and off the witness stand. Sergeant Holcomb is Mason's opponent in most of the earlier Perry Mason novels. He is "old school", combative, stubborn, uneducated, willing to stretch the law. But his actions here go further, becoming unprofessional. One can imagine that Gardner must have received a lot of criticism from police groups due to the way Holcomb is portrayed. As the years went by,
Holcomb was deemphasized by Gardner and replaced with Lieutenant Tragg, who is educated and professional. However, twenty-first century readers need to keep in mind that the sort of police and prosecutor activity portrayed here actually occurred in those days. We'd like to think it no longer does ...
Recurring character: older white haired woman who is unflappable and knows what she is doing.
As I got to the last few chapters, I began to form an idea of how the two murders were done. I was not wrong, though as usual I didn't guess all of it. This is not one of my favorite novels. For one reason there is no strong love interest. For another, it lacks the appealing settings of many others: remote mountain cabins, ocean voyage, desert. Still, definitely recommended.
August 28, 2022
Simply brilliant. This book has been written in the fashion of murder mystery unlike his all other courtroom dominant novels. There is the courtroom scene. But it starts to begin at about the end; around 170 pages in a 200 page book.
What makes this book brilliant is there has been multiple murders. Without witnesses. And just one possible suspect; that too with circumstantial evidence. While Mason happens to be the lawyer of the suspect, what makes it even hard for Mason is the suspect having a memory loss of the events that occurred about the time of murder.
The district attorney is absent this time around, instead his deputy, inexperienced but confident of having a strong case in his hand shouldn't lose at any costs. The storyline is perfect. The courtroom scene is short and intense and puts a bit pressure on the reader to think hard. Murder scenes have been quite detailing.
Overall, having read many Perry Mason books, this comes out of the pack and stands out. Now that is one of the things which makes Earle Stanley Gardner one of the greatest courtroom novelists.
What makes this book brilliant is there has been multiple murders. Without witnesses. And just one possible suspect; that too with circumstantial evidence. While Mason happens to be the lawyer of the suspect, what makes it even hard for Mason is the suspect having a memory loss of the events that occurred about the time of murder.
The district attorney is absent this time around, instead his deputy, inexperienced but confident of having a strong case in his hand shouldn't lose at any costs. The storyline is perfect. The courtroom scene is short and intense and puts a bit pressure on the reader to think hard. Murder scenes have been quite detailing.
Overall, having read many Perry Mason books, this comes out of the pack and stands out. Now that is one of the things which makes Earle Stanley Gardner one of the greatest courtroom novelists.
September 6, 2022
I am very much enjoying the Perry Mason novels. Reminds me of the old TV show.
In this particular story, I like how Perry picks the underdog and defends them just for his own amusement.
In this particular story, I like how Perry picks the underdog and defends them just for his own amusement.
August 22, 2022
Crisp, clear writing. My first time reading Perry Mason. It was a good read.
June 25, 2015
Huikean hyvä kirja! Harvoin osuu tällaisia helmiä kohdalle. Tapahtumat lähtevät heti vauhdikkaasti käyntiin, kun vanhahko hajamielinen eukko jää kiinni myymälävarkaudesta epäiltynä. Tapauksen silminnäkijänä ollut asianajaja Perry Mason kääntää tilanteen kuitenkin päälaelleen ja pelastaa eukon myymäläetsivän kynsistä. Eipä aikaakaan kun eukko joutuu yliajon uhriksi ja silminäkijöiden mukaan käsilaukusta luiskahtaa ajoradalle pistooli. Pian löytyy myös ruumis, ja eukkoa syytetään murhasta. Alkaa mutkikas tapahtumaketju, joka johtaa niin ovelaan loppuratkaisuun, että sitä joutuu vielä kertaalleen pohtimaan uudelleen kirjan luettuaan. Kleptomaanin jäljet on Gardnerin parhaita dekkareita, ellei jopa dekkarikirjallisuuden kaikkien aikojen parhaita teoksia.
Katkelma myymäläselkkauksesta (s. 12):
Yleisö tuijotteli, ja tyttöraukka oli tulipunainen kasvoiltaan. Mutta hänen tätinsä tutki edelleen ruokalistaa.
— Kananpoikakuorukoita, virkahti hän tyytyväisenä. — Niitä minä otan.
Etsivä tarttui raivoissaan häntä olkapäistä.
— Olette pidätetty!
Nainen katsahti ylös. Hänen ilmeessään oli hiven tyytymättömyyttä.
— Oletteko te tämän liikkeen palveluksessa?
— Kyllä! Olen etsivä ja tässä on todistukseni...
— Soo-o? Te olette etsivä? Ehkäpä sitten ystävällisesti etsitte meille tarjoilijattaren. Haluamme lounaan emmekä päivällistä.
— Ettekö te kuule mitä minä sanon? Te olette pidätetty! Tuletteko vapaaehtoisesti vai pitääkö minun kantaa teidät konttoriin?
— Rakas pikku täti, pyysi tyttö, — etkö voisi...
— Ei tule kysymykseenkään, Ginny, minä istun nyt pöydässä enkä liikahdakaan tästä...
Katkelma myymäläselkkauksesta (s. 12):
Yleisö tuijotteli, ja tyttöraukka oli tulipunainen kasvoiltaan. Mutta hänen tätinsä tutki edelleen ruokalistaa.
— Kananpoikakuorukoita, virkahti hän tyytyväisenä. — Niitä minä otan.
Etsivä tarttui raivoissaan häntä olkapäistä.
— Olette pidätetty!
Nainen katsahti ylös. Hänen ilmeessään oli hiven tyytymättömyyttä.
— Oletteko te tämän liikkeen palveluksessa?
— Kyllä! Olen etsivä ja tässä on todistukseni...
— Soo-o? Te olette etsivä? Ehkäpä sitten ystävällisesti etsitte meille tarjoilijattaren. Haluamme lounaan emmekä päivällistä.
— Ettekö te kuule mitä minä sanon? Te olette pidätetty! Tuletteko vapaaehtoisesti vai pitääkö minun kantaa teidät konttoriin?
— Rakas pikku täti, pyysi tyttö, — etkö voisi...
— Ei tule kysymykseenkään, Ginny, minä istun nyt pöydässä enkä liikahdakaan tästä...
September 1, 2016
The most interesting parts of this case were the first chapter where Perry Mason watches an old woman shoplift, and the resolution of the case which surprised me.
There were some weird events that occurred in this book that I don't know are due to changing laws or changing because Gardner was trying to make things more exciting. First a police sergeant takes a swing at a assistant DA and there are no repercussions for it. Second, the police sequester away the accused and deny her the right to see her lawyer even though she has said she wants her lawyer present, until Perry Mason forces himself into the room. That seems to be pretty standard in these Perry Mason books, and to my modern mind it seems wrong.
There were some weird events that occurred in this book that I don't know are due to changing laws or changing because Gardner was trying to make things more exciting. First a police sergeant takes a swing at a assistant DA and there are no repercussions for it. Second, the police sequester away the accused and deny her the right to see her lawyer even though she has said she wants her lawyer present, until Perry Mason forces himself into the room. That seems to be pretty standard in these Perry Mason books, and to my modern mind it seems wrong.
February 12, 2018
I'm reading this series in order and this is easily the best so far. The writing is a lot better, to begin with. And finally the women are not all beautiful. Aunt Sarah Breel is a new kind of Gardner character, calm and gracious, and a very likable one. Her niece, Virginia Trent, is neurotic, brittle and tedious. The amorous overtones between Perry Mason and Della Street are diminished and almost absent, again, finally. Perry is finally less of a contentious and overbearing jerk outside the courtroom.
The plot is complex but it is not only possible to follow it, but even to guess at least some parts of how everything happened. It's fun to try to sort it all out. This is an enjoyable book to spend a day or two with.
The plot is complex but it is not only possible to follow it, but even to guess at least some parts of how everything happened. It's fun to try to sort it all out. This is an enjoyable book to spend a day or two with.
May 25, 2022
There was no courtroom confession in this story, but Perry Mason tied the prosecutor up in knots and left him twisting in the wind. One thing that disturbed me was the description of how the prosecutor prepped his star witness. It was a case study in how a lawyer who badly wants to win can twist a witness around into saying what the lawyer wants rather than the truth. I used to teach my law students that you never twist the facts to fit your pet theory; you adjust your theory to fit the facts.
June 4, 2013
I loved the ending of this one!
I think this story had a better development then the rest and a few random parts which I felt the author just added in to add volume.
The ending was really good and it showed me how Perry Mason could argue over something he could not prove. Then again, there were so many guesses in this entire story.
I think this story had a better development then the rest and a few random parts which I felt the author just added in to add volume.
The ending was really good and it showed me how Perry Mason could argue over something he could not prove. Then again, there were so many guesses in this entire story.
December 5, 2011
Mason was representing two clients, he made the jury think in the first case that his other client had committed the murder, while giving his second client an iron-clad alibi...and thus getting both of them off the hook.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2016
As far as Perry Mason goes, this story got a little out of legal bounds. Perry slightly disappointed me with his wily ways in this one. Also my copy is from 1965 and has a pretty cool retro cover. It made me look 'interesting' on the plane.
June 18, 2019
It's a pretty fascinating case as Perry Mason must defend a client who laid down so many red herrings to protect her loved ones that she ended up being charged for murder, and he must unwind this ball of confusion in order to get at the truth and save her from the death penalty.
July 14, 2022
One of his better mysteries a fun humorous read
A good fast past and very humorous mystery full of twists and turns where every witness and suspect bends the truth intentionally or not.. A fun read.
A good fast past and very humorous mystery full of twists and turns where every witness and suspect bends the truth intentionally or not.. A fun read.
September 11, 2011
Good mystery, although all the switcheroo with the guns was confusing.
August 24, 2022
You can read my full review at:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
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