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Perry Mason #15
The Case of the Rolling Bones
UNLUCKY IN LOVE Years ago Alden Leeds found a rich vein of gold in the Klondike. Now his greedy relatives fear he's planning to throw his fortune away on a gold-digging spouse, Emily Milicant. So to prevent the two from joining in holy matrimony, they commit their affluent kin to a sanitarium on a trumped-up charge. Then Leeds escapes, only to end up in the company of Emily's blackmailing brother, John, a manufacturer of fixed dice, rolling bones that always come up seven. But when John is murdered--with Leeds's fingerprints found all over the apartment--Perry Mason must crack a baffling case before his client bumps from the nut house to the jail house. . . .
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1939
175 people are currently reading
546 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,351 books803 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 98 reviews
May 30, 2017
As the fifteenth Perry Mason novel opens, we find the attorney at his desk, desperately attempting to avoid answering the morning mail, the task which he hates above all others. Fortunately, his secretary, Della Street, come to the rescue at the last moment, telling Mason that there are three people waiting to see him about a situation involving a wealthy man. Mason responds, telling Della, "I don't like rich people....I like poor people."
He goes on to explain that rich people only have boring problems, while poor people are mixed up in the muck of life, which is much more interesting. This is (I assume unintentionally) hilarious. In the eighty-five books in this series, Mason's clients are virtually all very wealthy people, living in large houses with all kinds of servants and extended family members. (It's the extended family members that are usually the problem.) Only in a handful of books does Perry ever represent someone who is genuinely poor, and even then, there's almost always a rich person lurking in the background who will write Mason a very generous check once the case is over.
Which is a very good thing, because Perry's monthly nut must be enormous. Leaving aside the expense of running his own office, his monthly tab at the Drake Detective Agency is always astronomical. Without all those rich people to pay the bill, Perry would probably never get anyone acquitted.
In this case, Perry agrees to see the three potential clients, wealthy or not. (It's better than having to answer the mail.) The case involves a wealthy and eccentric seventy-two-year-old man who has decided to marry for the first time. His niece, who runs his household, thinks her uncle should be able to do whatever he wishes, but other, much more greedy relatives are afraid they will be cut off and so want to have the poor guy declared incompetent so that they can prevent him from getting married and take over his finances.
Perry agrees to handle the case and, before long, of course, someone will be murdered and Perry's client will be the prime suspect. The evidence appears incontrovertible and things are looking bleak. This is one case, though, where Erle Stanley Gardner gets a bit too cute. He places so much emphasis on the main piece of evidence against the client that the reader very early on figures out what has almost certainly happened, even before Perry does. Still, it's a fun read that will appeal to any fan of the series.
As another aside, towards the middle of the book, Perry is having lunch in a restaurant somewhere in downtown L.A. when Della calls him in a panic. There's been a major development in the case and it's essential that Perry immediately fly to Seattle. Della has booked him a ticket on the next flight, which leaves in thirty minutes. Perry spends another five minutes or so giving Della instructions, then drives to the airport, finds a parking place, and makes the flight!
When this book was first published in 1939, I guess that a person could probably still do this, but almost eighty years later, the reader nearly falls out of his or her chair laughing at the absurdity of the idea. (Of course, I suppose it's always possible that Perry enrolled very early in the TSA PreCheck program...)
He goes on to explain that rich people only have boring problems, while poor people are mixed up in the muck of life, which is much more interesting. This is (I assume unintentionally) hilarious. In the eighty-five books in this series, Mason's clients are virtually all very wealthy people, living in large houses with all kinds of servants and extended family members. (It's the extended family members that are usually the problem.) Only in a handful of books does Perry ever represent someone who is genuinely poor, and even then, there's almost always a rich person lurking in the background who will write Mason a very generous check once the case is over.
Which is a very good thing, because Perry's monthly nut must be enormous. Leaving aside the expense of running his own office, his monthly tab at the Drake Detective Agency is always astronomical. Without all those rich people to pay the bill, Perry would probably never get anyone acquitted.
In this case, Perry agrees to see the three potential clients, wealthy or not. (It's better than having to answer the mail.) The case involves a wealthy and eccentric seventy-two-year-old man who has decided to marry for the first time. His niece, who runs his household, thinks her uncle should be able to do whatever he wishes, but other, much more greedy relatives are afraid they will be cut off and so want to have the poor guy declared incompetent so that they can prevent him from getting married and take over his finances.
Perry agrees to handle the case and, before long, of course, someone will be murdered and Perry's client will be the prime suspect. The evidence appears incontrovertible and things are looking bleak. This is one case, though, where Erle Stanley Gardner gets a bit too cute. He places so much emphasis on the main piece of evidence against the client that the reader very early on figures out what has almost certainly happened, even before Perry does. Still, it's a fun read that will appeal to any fan of the series.
As another aside, towards the middle of the book, Perry is having lunch in a restaurant somewhere in downtown L.A. when Della calls him in a panic. There's been a major development in the case and it's essential that Perry immediately fly to Seattle. Della has booked him a ticket on the next flight, which leaves in thirty minutes. Perry spends another five minutes or so giving Della instructions, then drives to the airport, finds a parking place, and makes the flight!
When this book was first published in 1939, I guess that a person could probably still do this, but almost eighty years later, the reader nearly falls out of his or her chair laughing at the absurdity of the idea. (Of course, I suppose it's always possible that Perry enrolled very early in the TSA PreCheck program...)
May 19, 2017
Is there a twist in a plot so complicated even Perry Mason can't solve it? Probably not but this one comes close. Set in 1939 or 1940 the story seems to be about an man of some wealth who is being imposed upon by grasping relatives who are trying to prevent his marriage to an 'unsuitable' woman; as well as preserve their position as heirs. It also appears he is being blackmailed or extorted by a stranger.
But the real story will take us back to the Klondike in 1906 and a fight and murder. But who was killed? And was anyone killed and who did the crime? And now a man with three different identities is dead, but who killed him and why?
In this story it seems like everyone has a secret or a dozen. Perry does make it to the court room but only for a preliminary hearing.
But the real story will take us back to the Klondike in 1906 and a fight and murder. But who was killed? And was anyone killed and who did the crime? And now a man with three different identities is dead, but who killed him and why?
In this story it seems like everyone has a secret or a dozen. Perry does make it to the court room but only for a preliminary hearing.
August 2, 2010
Oh, I love Gardner. The legal aspects of courtroom drama---however overblown---are the perfect environment in which to yank the reader's chain from anxiety to anxiety, page after page, plot twist after plot twist.
Yank, yank, yank.
This one's a little difficult to follow because he uses the same relationship trick---a younger, poorer woman being prevented by jealous family from marrying an older, much richer man---twice. I was stopping now and then to tip my head back and try to get the relationships straight in my head. And also I thought my solution had a great angle Gardner didn't, unfortunately, use. (He should have asked me.)
But he keeps you guessing until the very end, and that's what a great mystery is all about. Plus I like ole Ned the prospector.
(The truth about Gardner is I have actually always hated courtroom drama and have, therefore, avoided him for thirty years. But it turns out Perry Mason and his sidekicks Della Street and Paul Duke have a smart-alec ensemble relationship that makes it all totally work.)
Yank, yank, yank.
This one's a little difficult to follow because he uses the same relationship trick---a younger, poorer woman being prevented by jealous family from marrying an older, much richer man---twice. I was stopping now and then to tip my head back and try to get the relationships straight in my head. And also I thought my solution had a great angle Gardner didn't, unfortunately, use. (He should have asked me.)
But he keeps you guessing until the very end, and that's what a great mystery is all about. Plus I like ole Ned the prospector.
(The truth about Gardner is I have actually always hated courtroom drama and have, therefore, avoided him for thirty years. But it turns out Perry Mason and his sidekicks Della Street and Paul Duke have a smart-alec ensemble relationship that makes it all totally work.)
August 1, 2016
I've always held the opinion that Perry Mason in his books with elements of gambling tends to go all overboard in spinning the yarn. This book is an evidence in point.
A 70 year old is institutionalised in a sanitarium by his distant relatives who don't want him to marry 'the woman'. 'The Woman' thinks the 70 year old is blackmailed and in walks in Perry Mason. The first part of legal histrionics was good. But then there is a body, loaded dice, lottery tickets, a 50 year old murder, lying women, missing people etc
I found the book had too many characters to my liking and a couple of red herrings too along the way. Plus, I did manage to figure out the mystery despite the best efforts to confuse the plot. The book seemed like a straightforward enough case made complicated intentionally.
Also as some books go, one of the most irrelevant titles possible. Average.
A 70 year old is institutionalised in a sanitarium by his distant relatives who don't want him to marry 'the woman'. 'The Woman' thinks the 70 year old is blackmailed and in walks in Perry Mason. The first part of legal histrionics was good. But then there is a body, loaded dice, lottery tickets, a 50 year old murder, lying women, missing people etc
I found the book had too many characters to my liking and a couple of red herrings too along the way. Plus, I did manage to figure out the mystery despite the best efforts to confuse the plot. The book seemed like a straightforward enough case made complicated intentionally.
Also as some books go, one of the most irrelevant titles possible. Average.
August 24, 2020
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, such as Ross Macdonald, may find the writing style here a bit 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 1950 are the best. This one was written in 1939, and is very good, and also rather complicated. Of course, many of the Perry Mason stories are complicated.
The story begins one day when a young woman comes to Perry's office with two older adults, all relatives or friends of Alden Leeds. Leeds is an older man who had made a lot of money prospecting for gold in the Klondike during the gold rush early in the twentieth century. The young woman, Phyllis Leeds, is Alden's niece. Accompanying her are Emily Milicant, 50ish paramour of Alden Leeds, and Ned Barkler, an old friend of Alden Leeds from the Klondike days. They are afraid that someone is blackmailing Alden Leeds, as they know he just wrote a check for $20000 that was cashed by some mysterious person.
Phyllis's cousin Jason Carrel and Alden's brother Freeman think Leeds is senile. They act agressively and force Alden into a sanitarium to "protect" him. Perry gets a writ of habeas corpus. At the court hearing, Perry does some very good cross-examination and the judge orders the court to go to the sanitarium so he can personally interview Alden Leeds. But when they get there, Leeds is gone! He escaped with the help of Ned Barkler.
That's not the end of it though. The big check was cashed by one Marcia Whittaker, a young woman in love with a gambler and maker of loaded dice named L. C. Conway. There is a lot of talk of dice playing, "rolling the bones." It turns out that Conway is the one behind the blackmailing. Adding more complication, Conway has just sold his crooked dice business to one Guy T. Serle. Serle has reason to be upset, it turns out.
The complications pile up. Conway is really John Millicant, Emily's brother. The blackmail has to do with a murder that occurred thirty years earlier in the Klondike (actually on the Tanana, as Ned Barkler points out). Who exactly was murdered then? Was it a man named Bill Hogarty, or was it in fact Alden Leeds? If so, is Alden Leeds really Hogarty?
As happens often in the Perry Mason canon, things come to a head in a hotel room or apartment as many people go in and out and a murder occurs. Here it is Conway's apartment. Paul Drake had the lobby under surveillance, so we have quite a detailed record of who went in. Suspicion falls on Alden Leeds, who is arrested. Cross-examination at the trial reveals the real culprit.
"Rolling bones" is a play on words, as it refers both to playing dice and to figuring out whose skeleton is buried in the Klondike.
This is a lively, well-written book, full of interesting details, such as Paul Drake is a habitual gum chewer. I don't recall this being mentioned in later stories. Gertrude Lade, "Gertie" of the switchboard, is introduced. She plays a small role in court.
Gardner goes quite far in this story in castigating the police for unethical actions in gathering evidence and pressuring the accused. For example, there is telephone wire tapping of Perry's and Paul Drake's lines. The police and posecutors really become the "bad guys." I wonder if he got some criticism for this, and maybe that is why he later introduced Lt. Tragg as a competent educated policeman.
This is one of those stories that really couldn't happen today. It's based on uncertain, shifting identities. Is John Milicant really Emily's brother, for example. This question would be trivial to answer today, not just with DNA but with easy access to records of all sorts.
No Hamilton Burger, essentially no Holcomb, really no named policemen. Good use of Della with romantic hints. Exceptional use of Paul Drake, who works overtime. Romantic location, the Klondike.
Recurring themes: Perry sets up an ingenious subterfuge.
The cross-examination scenes are good, even above average.
The cast:
Phyllis Leeds: young woman concerned about her uncle Alden.
Alden Leeds: 60+ wealthy uncle of Phyllis, had been gone for years in the Klondike prospecting.
Emily Milicant: well preserved 50ish woman in love with Alden Leeds, and he with her.
Ned Barkler: old friend of Alden Leeds.
L. C. Conway: makes loaded dice. Beneficiary of a large check from Alden Leeds.
Marcia Whittaker: girl friend of L. C. Conway, expects to marry him.
John Milicant: brother of Emily.
Jason Carrel: cousin of Phyllis.
Guy T. Serle: just bought a business from L. C. Conway.
Freeman Leeds: brother of Alden.
Harold Leeds: son of Freeman.
Bill Hogarty: who died thirty years ago -- or did he?
Inez Colton: girl friend of -- well who?
Hazel Strickland: waitress who knows Guy Searle.
Highly recommended.
Those who are used to really fine mystery writers, such as Ross Macdonald, may find the writing style here a bit 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 1950 are the best. This one was written in 1939, and is very good, and also rather complicated. Of course, many of the Perry Mason stories are complicated.
The story begins one day when a young woman comes to Perry's office with two older adults, all relatives or friends of Alden Leeds. Leeds is an older man who had made a lot of money prospecting for gold in the Klondike during the gold rush early in the twentieth century. The young woman, Phyllis Leeds, is Alden's niece. Accompanying her are Emily Milicant, 50ish paramour of Alden Leeds, and Ned Barkler, an old friend of Alden Leeds from the Klondike days. They are afraid that someone is blackmailing Alden Leeds, as they know he just wrote a check for $20000 that was cashed by some mysterious person.
Phyllis's cousin Jason Carrel and Alden's brother Freeman think Leeds is senile. They act agressively and force Alden into a sanitarium to "protect" him. Perry gets a writ of habeas corpus. At the court hearing, Perry does some very good cross-examination and the judge orders the court to go to the sanitarium so he can personally interview Alden Leeds. But when they get there, Leeds is gone! He escaped with the help of Ned Barkler.
That's not the end of it though. The big check was cashed by one Marcia Whittaker, a young woman in love with a gambler and maker of loaded dice named L. C. Conway. There is a lot of talk of dice playing, "rolling the bones." It turns out that Conway is the one behind the blackmailing. Adding more complication, Conway has just sold his crooked dice business to one Guy T. Serle. Serle has reason to be upset, it turns out.
The complications pile up. Conway is really John Millicant, Emily's brother. The blackmail has to do with a murder that occurred thirty years earlier in the Klondike (actually on the Tanana, as Ned Barkler points out). Who exactly was murdered then? Was it a man named Bill Hogarty, or was it in fact Alden Leeds? If so, is Alden Leeds really Hogarty?
As happens often in the Perry Mason canon, things come to a head in a hotel room or apartment as many people go in and out and a murder occurs. Here it is Conway's apartment. Paul Drake had the lobby under surveillance, so we have quite a detailed record of who went in. Suspicion falls on Alden Leeds, who is arrested. Cross-examination at the trial reveals the real culprit.
"Rolling bones" is a play on words, as it refers both to playing dice and to figuring out whose skeleton is buried in the Klondike.
This is a lively, well-written book, full of interesting details, such as Paul Drake is a habitual gum chewer. I don't recall this being mentioned in later stories. Gertrude Lade, "Gertie" of the switchboard, is introduced. She plays a small role in court.
Gardner goes quite far in this story in castigating the police for unethical actions in gathering evidence and pressuring the accused. For example, there is telephone wire tapping of Perry's and Paul Drake's lines. The police and posecutors really become the "bad guys." I wonder if he got some criticism for this, and maybe that is why he later introduced Lt. Tragg as a competent educated policeman.
This is one of those stories that really couldn't happen today. It's based on uncertain, shifting identities. Is John Milicant really Emily's brother, for example. This question would be trivial to answer today, not just with DNA but with easy access to records of all sorts.
No Hamilton Burger, essentially no Holcomb, really no named policemen. Good use of Della with romantic hints. Exceptional use of Paul Drake, who works overtime. Romantic location, the Klondike.
Recurring themes: Perry sets up an ingenious subterfuge.
The cross-examination scenes are good, even above average.
The cast:
Phyllis Leeds: young woman concerned about her uncle Alden.
Alden Leeds: 60+ wealthy uncle of Phyllis, had been gone for years in the Klondike prospecting.
Emily Milicant: well preserved 50ish woman in love with Alden Leeds, and he with her.
Ned Barkler: old friend of Alden Leeds.
L. C. Conway: makes loaded dice. Beneficiary of a large check from Alden Leeds.
Marcia Whittaker: girl friend of L. C. Conway, expects to marry him.
John Milicant: brother of Emily.
Jason Carrel: cousin of Phyllis.
Guy T. Serle: just bought a business from L. C. Conway.
Freeman Leeds: brother of Alden.
Harold Leeds: son of Freeman.
Bill Hogarty: who died thirty years ago -- or did he?
Inez Colton: girl friend of -- well who?
Hazel Strickland: waitress who knows Guy Searle.
Highly recommended.
March 22, 2019
Usually when reading a series I won't review every book. I'll rate it but not review it because how much can I say about what essentially is a formulated approach. I'll make an exception for this one. ESG had great talent and imagination. The plot here is ingenious and complex. Complicated and with twists and turn all over the place. That ESG could just crank these out is amazing.
December 21, 2015
Not among Gardner's better work. Convoluted plot, with too many characters and one of them with far too many aliases.
January 5, 2022
I intend to continue my reread (or, more precisely, the listening) of books in the Perry Mason series. I just had a conversation with a friend who was considering picking them up because she has only minimal time and wanted something light and familiar. That conversation made me realise I had not yet written a review for this installment.
The mystery part here is stronger than in many others. We have a plethora of suspects and even victims (since Perry Mason is involved). It made my head spin. Usually, I am aware of the roads we might take in a book where someone comes to the lawyer for help. This time around, I was unsure almost to the very end who he was telling the truth to and what it was exactly.
We have a dysfunctional family with only one member seemingly having the best interest of the wealthy resident scion. She asks for Perry's help in setting things right and letting people make the decisions they want. As I mentioned earlier, this is easier said than done since everyone is playing a game of their own. This essentially means there were tons of narratives to follow, each as complicated as the other.
Finally, it is the kind of short work that is snappy and action-packed that makes the listening experience complete and fun. I hope to get to other books in the extra-long series more often this year and recommend it to anyone who thinks my descriptions sound like something they'd enjoy.
https://superfluousreading.wordpress....
The mystery part here is stronger than in many others. We have a plethora of suspects and even victims (since Perry Mason is involved). It made my head spin. Usually, I am aware of the roads we might take in a book where someone comes to the lawyer for help. This time around, I was unsure almost to the very end who he was telling the truth to and what it was exactly.
We have a dysfunctional family with only one member seemingly having the best interest of the wealthy resident scion. She asks for Perry's help in setting things right and letting people make the decisions they want. As I mentioned earlier, this is easier said than done since everyone is playing a game of their own. This essentially means there were tons of narratives to follow, each as complicated as the other.
Finally, it is the kind of short work that is snappy and action-packed that makes the listening experience complete and fun. I hope to get to other books in the extra-long series more often this year and recommend it to anyone who thinks my descriptions sound like something they'd enjoy.
https://superfluousreading.wordpress....
November 19, 2020
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, such as Ross Macdonald, may find the writing style here a bit 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 1950 are the best. This one was written in 1939, and is very good, and also rather complicated. Of course, many of the Perry Mason stories are complicated.
The story begins one day when a young woman comes to Perry's office with two older adults, all relatives or friends of Alden Leeds. Leeds is an older man who had made a lot of money prospecting for gold in the Klondike during the gold rush early in the twentieth century. The young woman, Phyllis Leeds, is Alden's niece. Accompanying her are Emily Milicant, 50ish paramour of Alden Leeds, and Ned Barkler, an old friend of Alden Leeds from the Klondike days. They are afraid that someone is blackmailing Alden Leeds, as they know he just wrote a check for $20000 that was cashed by some mysterious person.
Phyllis's cousin Jason Carrel and Alden's brother Freeman think Leeds is senile. They act agressively and force Alden into a sanitarium to "protect" him. Perry gets a writ of habeas corpus. At the court hearing, Perry does some very good cross-examination and the judge orders the court to go to the sanitarium so he can personally interview Alden Leeds. But when they get there, Leeds is gone! He escaped with the help of Ned Barkler.
That's not the end of it though. The big check was cashed by one Marcia Whittaker, a young woman in love with a gambler and maker of loaded dice named L. C. Conway. There is a lot of talk of dice playing, "rolling the bones." It turns out that Conway is the one behind the blackmailing. Adding more complication, Conway has just sold his crooked dice business to one Guy T. Serle. Serle has reason to be upset, it turns out.
The complications pile up. Conway is really John Millicant, Emily's brother. The blackmail has to do with a murder that occurred thirty years earlier in the Klondike (actually on the Tanana, as Ned Barkler points out). Who exactly was murdered then? Was it a man named Bill Hogarty, or was it in fact Alden Leeds? If so, is Alden Leeds really Hogarty?
As happens often in the Perry Mason canon, things come to a head in a hotel room or apartment as many people go in and out and a murder occurs. Here it is Conway's apartment. Paul Drake had the lobby under surveillance, so we have quite a detailed record of who went in. Suspicion falls on Alden Leeds, who is arrested. Cross-examination at the trial reveals the real culprit.
"Rolling bones" is a play on words, as it refers both to playing dice and to figuring out whose skeleton is buried in the Klondike.
This is a lively, well-written book, full of interesting details, such as Paul Drake is a habitual gum chewer. I don't recall this being mentioned in later stories. Gertrude Lade, "Gertie" of the switchboard, is introduced. She plays a small role in court.
Gardner goes quite far in this story in castigating the police for unethical actions in gathering evidence and pressuring the accused. For example, there is telephone wire tapping of Perry's and Paul Drake's lines. The police and posecutors really become the "bad guys." I wonder if he got some criticism for this, and maybe that is why he later introduced Lt. Tragg as a competent educated policeman.
This is one of those stories that really couldn't happen today. It's based on uncertain, shifting identities. Is John Milicant really Emily's brother, for example. This question would be trivial to answer today, not just with DNA but with easy access to records of all sorts.
No Hamilton Burger, essentially no Holcomb, really no named policemen. Good use of Della with romantic hints. Exceptional use of Paul Drake, who works overtime. Romantic location, the Klondike.
Recurring themes: Perry sets up an ingenious subterfuge.
The cross-examination scenes are good, even above average.
The cast:
Phyllis Leeds: young woman concerned about her uncle Alden.
Alden Leeds: 60+ wealthy uncle of Phyllis, had been gone for years in the Klondike prospecting.
Emily Milicant: well preserved 50ish woman in love with Alden Leeds, and he with her.
Ned Barkler: old friend of Alden Leeds.
L. C. Conway: makes loaded dice. Beneficiary of a large check from Alden Leeds.
Marcia Whittaker: girl friend of L. C. Conway, expects to marry him.
John Milicant: brother of Emily.
Jason Carrel: cousin of Phyllis.
Guy T. Serle: just bought a business from L. C. Conway.
Freeman Leeds: brother of Alden.
Harold Leeds: son of Freeman.
Bill Hogarty: who died thirty years ago -- or did he?
Inez Colton: girl friend of -- well who?
Hazel Strickland: waitress who knows Guy Searle.
Highly recommended.
Those who are used to really fine mystery writers, such as Ross Macdonald, may find the writing style here a bit 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 1950 are the best. This one was written in 1939, and is very good, and also rather complicated. Of course, many of the Perry Mason stories are complicated.
The story begins one day when a young woman comes to Perry's office with two older adults, all relatives or friends of Alden Leeds. Leeds is an older man who had made a lot of money prospecting for gold in the Klondike during the gold rush early in the twentieth century. The young woman, Phyllis Leeds, is Alden's niece. Accompanying her are Emily Milicant, 50ish paramour of Alden Leeds, and Ned Barkler, an old friend of Alden Leeds from the Klondike days. They are afraid that someone is blackmailing Alden Leeds, as they know he just wrote a check for $20000 that was cashed by some mysterious person.
Phyllis's cousin Jason Carrel and Alden's brother Freeman think Leeds is senile. They act agressively and force Alden into a sanitarium to "protect" him. Perry gets a writ of habeas corpus. At the court hearing, Perry does some very good cross-examination and the judge orders the court to go to the sanitarium so he can personally interview Alden Leeds. But when they get there, Leeds is gone! He escaped with the help of Ned Barkler.
That's not the end of it though. The big check was cashed by one Marcia Whittaker, a young woman in love with a gambler and maker of loaded dice named L. C. Conway. There is a lot of talk of dice playing, "rolling the bones." It turns out that Conway is the one behind the blackmailing. Adding more complication, Conway has just sold his crooked dice business to one Guy T. Serle. Serle has reason to be upset, it turns out.
The complications pile up. Conway is really John Millicant, Emily's brother. The blackmail has to do with a murder that occurred thirty years earlier in the Klondike (actually on the Tanana, as Ned Barkler points out). Who exactly was murdered then? Was it a man named Bill Hogarty, or was it in fact Alden Leeds? If so, is Alden Leeds really Hogarty?
As happens often in the Perry Mason canon, things come to a head in a hotel room or apartment as many people go in and out and a murder occurs. Here it is Conway's apartment. Paul Drake had the lobby under surveillance, so we have quite a detailed record of who went in. Suspicion falls on Alden Leeds, who is arrested. Cross-examination at the trial reveals the real culprit.
"Rolling bones" is a play on words, as it refers both to playing dice and to figuring out whose skeleton is buried in the Klondike.
This is a lively, well-written book, full of interesting details, such as Paul Drake is a habitual gum chewer. I don't recall this being mentioned in later stories. Gertrude Lade, "Gertie" of the switchboard, is introduced. She plays a small role in court.
Gardner goes quite far in this story in castigating the police for unethical actions in gathering evidence and pressuring the accused. For example, there is telephone wire tapping of Perry's and Paul Drake's lines. The police and posecutors really become the "bad guys." I wonder if he got some criticism for this, and maybe that is why he later introduced Lt. Tragg as a competent educated policeman.
This is one of those stories that really couldn't happen today. It's based on uncertain, shifting identities. Is John Milicant really Emily's brother, for example. This question would be trivial to answer today, not just with DNA but with easy access to records of all sorts.
No Hamilton Burger, essentially no Holcomb, really no named policemen. Good use of Della with romantic hints. Exceptional use of Paul Drake, who works overtime. Romantic location, the Klondike.
Recurring themes: Perry sets up an ingenious subterfuge.
The cross-examination scenes are good, even above average.
The cast:
Phyllis Leeds: young woman concerned about her uncle Alden.
Alden Leeds: 60+ wealthy uncle of Phyllis, had been gone for years in the Klondike prospecting.
Emily Milicant: well preserved 50ish woman in love with Alden Leeds, and he with her.
Ned Barkler: old friend of Alden Leeds.
L. C. Conway: makes loaded dice. Beneficiary of a large check from Alden Leeds.
Marcia Whittaker: girl friend of L. C. Conway, expects to marry him.
John Milicant: brother of Emily.
Jason Carrel: cousin of Phyllis.
Guy T. Serle: just bought a business from L. C. Conway.
Freeman Leeds: brother of Alden.
Harold Leeds: son of Freeman.
Bill Hogarty: who died thirty years ago -- or did he?
Inez Colton: girl friend of -- well who?
Hazel Strickland: waitress who knows Guy Searle.
Highly recommended.
September 18, 2014
I just want to mention what a satisfying book this was on a physical level. It was a 1947 Pocket Book edition I read, and it was indeed just that - a paperback of a perfect shape to slip into one's pocket. There was a spicy synopsis on the back, and a wonderfully lurid cover with a pair of dice rolling out from a dead man's hand, the snake-eyes replaced by grinning skulls. And then the best part. A list of all the characters with snappy descriptions (Della Street - who is not only Mason's girl Friday but all other days of the week), and best of all, the page number where the character first appears!!!! For Olds like myself, this is perfection itself.
So a quote, because Gardner may not have been at Hammett levels, but he had his moments.
"Well, John knew that I had spotted the dice. He came back later, and said, 'Sister, you've got a nice mouth.' I said, 'Most men talk about my eyes.' He said, 'I'm talking about your mouth. It stays closed at the right time.' " *rim shot*
So a quote, because Gardner may not have been at Hammett levels, but he had his moments.
"Well, John knew that I had spotted the dice. He came back later, and said, 'Sister, you've got a nice mouth.' I said, 'Most men talk about my eyes.' He said, 'I'm talking about your mouth. It stays closed at the right time.' " *rim shot*
December 12, 2020
The story and characters were unnecessarily complicated. I'm reading the Perry Mason series in order, and I hope that book #16 is not such a frustrating read for me.
May 13, 2024
A solid story, although a bit complicated. There are multiple layers of hidden or mistaken identity and the story goes in a completely different direction than expected after some basic steps. Perry Mason goes way off the reservation in his quest for "justice" rather than law, and to protect his client from trouble or embarrassment.
This one was a bit different in that the police play no role at all. They are in the background, working against Perry, but there are none of the usual confrontations or a clear attempt to jail Perry like the previous novels featured so often.
The story has Alaskan prospecting, a May/December millionaire romance, rigged dice, murder, fraud, and much more. The court scenes are shorter than most of these books, and a bit different in tone.
This one was a bit different in that the police play no role at all. They are in the background, working against Perry, but there are none of the usual confrontations or a clear attempt to jail Perry like the previous novels featured so often.
The story has Alaskan prospecting, a May/December millionaire romance, rigged dice, murder, fraud, and much more. The court scenes are shorter than most of these books, and a bit different in tone.
July 28, 2017
This book is an another enjoyable case which involves a wealthy 72 year old man whose relatives are trying to prevent his marriage as well as to maintain their position as his heirs. The man gets embroiled in the murder of his colleague who was blackmailing him. Perry Mason,the lawyer unwinds the mystery & proves his client innocent. One has to read carefully in order to follow the twists of this fast paced mystery. EXCITING.
April 15, 2018
A wealthy man wishes to marry, but his family assume that she's after his money. The lock him in a sanatorium, Perry Mason is asked by his niece to help. However, the case turns into murder, characters who are not who they say they are and gold.
Entertaining as always, but you need to follow the plot.
Entertaining as always, but you need to follow the plot.
August 26, 2024
The dice didn't have a huge role in this book. Puns aside, this was a fun book with a twisted mystery. Lots of characters, some with more than one name, were at times hard to keep track of.
March 4, 2022
Entretenido, me gustan las historias donde van atando cabos y cosas que parecen insignificantes resuelven el caso.
October 10, 2024
1939, so we are still in the 'everyone chain smokes through the book' era of Perry Mason. The plot was too muddled with too many characters. Though I come to these for the main cast and their interactions, and I got that in full. So everyone was happy.
November 5, 2022
The story takes place in 1939, in Los Angeles, and then moves up to Seattle, down to San Francisco, then back down to L.A.
Erle Stanley Gardner employs intricate plot turns to arrive at the end of his story.. His character Perry Mason is an extremely clever and astute detective and lawyer , who weeds out human duplicity to find The truth.
In this episode of Perry Mason and the case of the rolling bones, A young woman who is the niece of uncle Alden Comes into his office concerned that he is the victim of blackmailers. Uncle Alden had a large gold strike back in the Yukon days, and struck it rich.
A nephew of Uncle Alden kidnapped him, Saying he was taking him for a ride in his car coming and stopping in front of the psychological sanitarium, Where's the male nurses muscled him out of the car and into the facility, in order to have him declared incompetent and get his hands on his money.
Perry Mason Sues to get Uncle Alden released from the facility, and having carefully chosen which judge to hear his case, today they're in court.
Doctor Londonderry is up on the stand, explaining to Mason why Uncle Alden has been diagnosed with dementia, and retained at his facility.
"...'The only other symptom which you noted, I believe, was an arcus senilis.'
'well, that was sufficient.'
'an arcus senilis, in your opinion, denotes a mental deterioration?'
'it is a symptom, yes,'
'and just what is an arcus senilis, not in technical terms, but describe it'
'It appears as a Crescent shaped ring in the outer periphery of the cornea.'
Mason suddenly raised his head. 'similar to the white Crescent shape in the eye of His Honor, judge Treadwell?' he asked.
Coincident with the asking of the question, judge treadwell Leaned across the bench to stare at the witness.
Doctor LondonBerry, startled, glancedsup at the judge, then suddenly became confused. 'of course,' he said, 'an Arcus senilus is not in itself indicative of a psychosis. It is a symptom.'
'symptom of what?' judge Treadwell asked acidly.
'a symptom of physical deterioration which, taken in connection with other symptoms, may indicate a mental deterioration.'
'in other words,' judge Treadwell said, 'if I should be taking a ride in an automobile, and 2 male nurses dragged me from the car, and I showed intense anger, that, coupled with my arcus senilus, would lead you to believe I was suffering from senile dementia, would it not?' "
John milicant is supposedly the brother of Emily milicant, who is to marry Alden Leeds. but John Milicant is a con man. He had told Alden leeds he had photographs and papers, that showed He was a killer up in the Yukon country. Milicant gives them to Marcia to hold on to, and milicant had got $20,000 from Alden leeds, as blackmail money.
In this excerpt, Marcia Whittaker, the young woman who cashed a check at the bank from Alden Leeds, And alerted Uncle Alden's family that he was being blackmailed, has been stood up by John Milicant, who promised to marry her. When she doesn't hear from him, when they are to be married in the morning, she goes up to his apartment, Finds him dead, and leaves. She goes to Perry Mason, afraid she'll be charged with his murder.
Mason tells her to call the cops and ... ' Act crazy. Be hysterical over the telephone. Ask them to please send someone out to the apartment to make sure he's all right. Tell them you've been trying to sleep, and couldn't, that you knew he was afraid of something, that he'd been gambling, and he was afraid men were going to kidnap him. And don't, under any circumstances, mention the name of milicant.' "(his alias is Louie Conway.)
"...' In the morning when the thing breaks, that call will get you as much in the clear as you can get. With that call, they'll never think of trying to check up on the airports.'
her tear-reddened eyes blinked as she digested the lawyer's advice.
'then,' Mason went on, 'when the law does come, you'll have plenty of excuse for having had a sleepless night and putting on the weep act. Remember, you were to be married . The man's sister has been trying to break up the match.' "
Alden Leeds disappears with Emily milicant, but Perry Mason finds them in a hotel in San Francisco, where he warns leeds that if he's to represent him, he needs to know the truth. But Alden leeds is holding back.
(Everybody in this book is always smoking like crazy.)
"leeds tamped tobacco down into his pipe. 'I'll tell him about me, and leave you out of it, Emily,' he said.
'don't be silly,' Emily milicant retorted. 'tell him the whole thing.'
he shook his head.
'all right. I'll tell him about me,' she said. She turned to Perry Mason. 'I was a dance hall girl,' she went on. 'I went up into the Klondike as a dancer for the "M and N." that was before the days of taxi dancers as we know them nowadays. Dance hall girls were all kinds, straight and crooked. I was Filled with the spirit of adventure, and wanted to go places and do things. Well, I went places, and I did things, and I'm not ashamed of anything I ever did. They told me when I left Seattle, I could work in the dance hall and be straight. I could, but I couldn't make any money at it. I'm no angel, but I never in my life gave myself to a man for money. I was 19 when I went up to the Klondike in 1906. That makes me 52 years old now. Now then, Alden, you go on from there.'
Alden Leeds said, 'I went into the Yukon in 1906. I picked up a partner by the name of hogarty. We went up in the Tanana district, and made a pretty good strike. Hogarty had got acquainted with Emily coming in on the boat. He fell for her hard, and kept writing to her.
Emily went into the dance hall, and didn't like it. She decided to quit and buy an interest in a claim. Bill wrote her to come on up, and he thought he could Get my consent to selling her a 3rd interest in our claim.'
' She came up. I'll never forget how Emily looked when I 1st saw her in our cabin. I looked at her, and fell head-over-heels in love with her.' "
Emily took off when she couldn't patch things up between the 2 of them. hogarty blamed her leaving on Leeds, and Leeds could tell that he was going to kill him. That night, Hogarty tried to shoot leeds, but he missed . Leeds grabbed the rifle and shot him. He buried him in a shallow grave, and then got his gold out. He took the name of bill hogarty. All these years later, he meant to go back and clear up his name.
Perry Mason cracks me up with his court antics. Alden leeds' brother, Freeman leeds, is up on the stand,
"Freeman leeds became silent for several uneasy seconds.
'no,' he said at length.
'and no talk about the possibility of any of you inheriting a part of the defendant's fortune?'
leeds hesitated. 'no,' he said.
'the defendant is your older brother?'
'yes.'
'how old were you when the defendant left home?'
'I was 7 years old.'
'when did you next see him again?'
'about 5 years ago.'
'and you had no contact with him in the meantime?'
'No.'
'you didn't hear from him?'
'no.'
'didn't know where he was?'
'no.'
'how do you know this defendant is your brother?'
'I recognized him' leeds said.
Mason smiled. 'would you,' he asked suavely,' have a recognized him if he had been broke?' "
This book has more twists and turns than a maze does, and I'm too lazy to write anymore about it, but the story wasn't exactly the way that Allen leeds told it.
Erle Stanley Gardner employs intricate plot turns to arrive at the end of his story.. His character Perry Mason is an extremely clever and astute detective and lawyer , who weeds out human duplicity to find The truth.
In this episode of Perry Mason and the case of the rolling bones, A young woman who is the niece of uncle Alden Comes into his office concerned that he is the victim of blackmailers. Uncle Alden had a large gold strike back in the Yukon days, and struck it rich.
A nephew of Uncle Alden kidnapped him, Saying he was taking him for a ride in his car coming and stopping in front of the psychological sanitarium, Where's the male nurses muscled him out of the car and into the facility, in order to have him declared incompetent and get his hands on his money.
Perry Mason Sues to get Uncle Alden released from the facility, and having carefully chosen which judge to hear his case, today they're in court.
Doctor Londonderry is up on the stand, explaining to Mason why Uncle Alden has been diagnosed with dementia, and retained at his facility.
"...'The only other symptom which you noted, I believe, was an arcus senilis.'
'well, that was sufficient.'
'an arcus senilis, in your opinion, denotes a mental deterioration?'
'it is a symptom, yes,'
'and just what is an arcus senilis, not in technical terms, but describe it'
'It appears as a Crescent shaped ring in the outer periphery of the cornea.'
Mason suddenly raised his head. 'similar to the white Crescent shape in the eye of His Honor, judge Treadwell?' he asked.
Coincident with the asking of the question, judge treadwell Leaned across the bench to stare at the witness.
Doctor LondonBerry, startled, glancedsup at the judge, then suddenly became confused. 'of course,' he said, 'an Arcus senilus is not in itself indicative of a psychosis. It is a symptom.'
'symptom of what?' judge Treadwell asked acidly.
'a symptom of physical deterioration which, taken in connection with other symptoms, may indicate a mental deterioration.'
'in other words,' judge Treadwell said, 'if I should be taking a ride in an automobile, and 2 male nurses dragged me from the car, and I showed intense anger, that, coupled with my arcus senilus, would lead you to believe I was suffering from senile dementia, would it not?' "
John milicant is supposedly the brother of Emily milicant, who is to marry Alden Leeds. but John Milicant is a con man. He had told Alden leeds he had photographs and papers, that showed He was a killer up in the Yukon country. Milicant gives them to Marcia to hold on to, and milicant had got $20,000 from Alden leeds, as blackmail money.
In this excerpt, Marcia Whittaker, the young woman who cashed a check at the bank from Alden Leeds, And alerted Uncle Alden's family that he was being blackmailed, has been stood up by John Milicant, who promised to marry her. When she doesn't hear from him, when they are to be married in the morning, she goes up to his apartment, Finds him dead, and leaves. She goes to Perry Mason, afraid she'll be charged with his murder.
Mason tells her to call the cops and ... ' Act crazy. Be hysterical over the telephone. Ask them to please send someone out to the apartment to make sure he's all right. Tell them you've been trying to sleep, and couldn't, that you knew he was afraid of something, that he'd been gambling, and he was afraid men were going to kidnap him. And don't, under any circumstances, mention the name of milicant.' "(his alias is Louie Conway.)
"...' In the morning when the thing breaks, that call will get you as much in the clear as you can get. With that call, they'll never think of trying to check up on the airports.'
her tear-reddened eyes blinked as she digested the lawyer's advice.
'then,' Mason went on, 'when the law does come, you'll have plenty of excuse for having had a sleepless night and putting on the weep act. Remember, you were to be married . The man's sister has been trying to break up the match.' "
Alden Leeds disappears with Emily milicant, but Perry Mason finds them in a hotel in San Francisco, where he warns leeds that if he's to represent him, he needs to know the truth. But Alden leeds is holding back.
(Everybody in this book is always smoking like crazy.)
"leeds tamped tobacco down into his pipe. 'I'll tell him about me, and leave you out of it, Emily,' he said.
'don't be silly,' Emily milicant retorted. 'tell him the whole thing.'
he shook his head.
'all right. I'll tell him about me,' she said. She turned to Perry Mason. 'I was a dance hall girl,' she went on. 'I went up into the Klondike as a dancer for the "M and N." that was before the days of taxi dancers as we know them nowadays. Dance hall girls were all kinds, straight and crooked. I was Filled with the spirit of adventure, and wanted to go places and do things. Well, I went places, and I did things, and I'm not ashamed of anything I ever did. They told me when I left Seattle, I could work in the dance hall and be straight. I could, but I couldn't make any money at it. I'm no angel, but I never in my life gave myself to a man for money. I was 19 when I went up to the Klondike in 1906. That makes me 52 years old now. Now then, Alden, you go on from there.'
Alden Leeds said, 'I went into the Yukon in 1906. I picked up a partner by the name of hogarty. We went up in the Tanana district, and made a pretty good strike. Hogarty had got acquainted with Emily coming in on the boat. He fell for her hard, and kept writing to her.
Emily went into the dance hall, and didn't like it. She decided to quit and buy an interest in a claim. Bill wrote her to come on up, and he thought he could Get my consent to selling her a 3rd interest in our claim.'
' She came up. I'll never forget how Emily looked when I 1st saw her in our cabin. I looked at her, and fell head-over-heels in love with her.' "
Emily took off when she couldn't patch things up between the 2 of them. hogarty blamed her leaving on Leeds, and Leeds could tell that he was going to kill him. That night, Hogarty tried to shoot leeds, but he missed . Leeds grabbed the rifle and shot him. He buried him in a shallow grave, and then got his gold out. He took the name of bill hogarty. All these years later, he meant to go back and clear up his name.
Perry Mason cracks me up with his court antics. Alden leeds' brother, Freeman leeds, is up on the stand,
"Freeman leeds became silent for several uneasy seconds.
'no,' he said at length.
'and no talk about the possibility of any of you inheriting a part of the defendant's fortune?'
leeds hesitated. 'no,' he said.
'the defendant is your older brother?'
'yes.'
'how old were you when the defendant left home?'
'I was 7 years old.'
'when did you next see him again?'
'about 5 years ago.'
'and you had no contact with him in the meantime?'
'No.'
'you didn't hear from him?'
'no.'
'didn't know where he was?'
'no.'
'how do you know this defendant is your brother?'
'I recognized him' leeds said.
Mason smiled. 'would you,' he asked suavely,' have a recognized him if he had been broke?' "
This book has more twists and turns than a maze does, and I'm too lazy to write anymore about it, but the story wasn't exactly the way that Allen leeds told it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2024
If someone asked people to name the most famous fictional American detective of all time, Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason would get quite a few votes (even though Mason wasn’t technically a detective). If you took that poll 60 years ago, Mason would have been number one. Gardner’s Perry Mason books are still popular, with reprints frequently issued. And the vintage TV series with Raymond Burr still attracts a lot of viewers (as did a more recent HBO revival). The primary reason is Gardner’s style, with lots of dialogue, bizarre plots, and a core set of likable characters. “The Case of the Rolling Bones,” first published in 1939, is a fine, albeit rather complicated, example of the Mason series.
Perry Mason’s books almost invariably have two things in common. First, Mason’s client is on trial for murder, with the state having built an apparently ironclad case against them. Second, they are innocent (a fact Mason notes with amusement when he boasts to the judge at the novel’s end). In “Rolling Bones,” the client is wealthy Alden Leeds, who struck it rich in the 1906 Klondike Gold Rush. Leeds has been blackmailed by his girlfriend’s brother. The man claims to have evidence showing Leeds murdered his former Klondike partner years earlier and then stole all the gold. Naturally, the blackmailer winds up dead, and Leeds was seemingly sharing a dinner in the victim’s apartment when he died.
“Rolling Bones” is a classic example of the so-called “fair play” mystery, in which the author reveals all the clues Mason and the reader need to solve the murder. This task is more difficult for a writer like Gardner, whose minimalist writing style avoids unnecessary details. But he does so brilliantly here. When I first read the passages where Gardner revealed the critical clue, I felt something was wrong with the author’s description. However, I couldn’t put my finger on it until Mason revealed it to the court and the killer on the witness stand in one of his famous “gotcha” moments. While Gardner’s style is minimalist, his plotting isn’t. As the Cast of Characters page indicates, Mason and the readers have a lot of characters to keep track of, several of whom have multiple identities (in the physical, not the psychological sense). Readers may sometimes have difficulty separating what Mason wants the police to believe and what he actually believes at a particular time. However, readers who can bear some momentary confusion will get a reward at the end when Mason ensnares the killer.
Erle Stanley Gardner was an accomplished trial attorney when he started the Perry Mason series and a champion for social justice at a time when the constitutional rights we take for granted today were almost non-existent. Gardner uses Mason several times as a mouthpiece for the author’s views about the justice system. For example, in the first chapter of “Rolling Bones,” Mason talks about the type of clients he prefers: “I don’t like rich people. I like poor people… Rich people worry too much, and their problems are too damn petty. They stew up a high blood pressure over a one-point drop in the interest rate. Poor people get right down to brass tacks: love, hunger, murder, forgery, embezzlement—things a man can sink his teeth into, things he can sympathize with.” Considering Leeds’s wealth, that statement proves somewhat ironic in this case.
Gardner also used the Mason books (and, later, the TV series) to educate readers about the justice system. Most Americans in 1939 were unaware of how trials were conducted, and Gardner usually gave pointers in his early books. In “Rolling Bones,” he discusses how the prosecution must establish a case against the defendant in a preliminary hearing. (Non-spoiler: they don’t do so here.) In the Leeds case, the victim’s actual identity was an issue, and the district attorney and Mason discussed with the judge what the prosecution must do to establish it. This lengthy discussion would be unnecessary at an actual trial with experienced counsel. But these details could be fascinating for lay readers, even more so in 1939 than today.
“Rolling Bones” also has an interesting subplot in the first few chapters that’s relevant today. Leeds’s relatives commit him to a mental institute by claiming the 70-year-old man has dementia. One relative drives the unknowing Leeds to the facility, where two large nurses grab him and take him inside. When Mason learns about it, he gets a habeas corpus hearing where he shows how flimsy the “documentation” of Leeds’s dementia actually is. While much has changed in the 85 years since the book was written, the issue of involuntary guardianships and conservatorships for possibly mentally unfit people remains a hot topic today.
“Rolling Bones” is also a time capsule allowing modern-day readers a look into the social mores of the pre-World War II era. From a legal standpoint, some tactics both the district attorney and Mason use would get sharp ethical condemnation today (and would earn the prosecution a reversal if done in an actual trial). At the book’s conclusion, Mason and the judge discuss to what extent the ends justify the means of achieving justice. Some of Mason’s other actions are eye-opening for different reasons. He and Paul Drake smoke constantly, and Mason even keeps a humidor on his desk with four different popular brands of cigarettes for visitors. The book also contains some highly outdated references and descriptions of various female characters that some readers may find offensive.
After I read “The Case of the Rolling Bones,” I watched its dramatization as an episode of the “Perry Mason” TV series. The TV show was good, but the book is better. The mystery is more complex and will please most genre fans, even if they don’t figure out the killer. And Earl Stanley Gardner’s style makes for a fast-paced, enjoyable read. Because of the plot complexity, newcomers to the Mason series may want to try another book first. However, those who enjoy the series will want to roll along with “The Case of the Rolling Bones.”
Perry Mason’s books almost invariably have two things in common. First, Mason’s client is on trial for murder, with the state having built an apparently ironclad case against them. Second, they are innocent (a fact Mason notes with amusement when he boasts to the judge at the novel’s end). In “Rolling Bones,” the client is wealthy Alden Leeds, who struck it rich in the 1906 Klondike Gold Rush. Leeds has been blackmailed by his girlfriend’s brother. The man claims to have evidence showing Leeds murdered his former Klondike partner years earlier and then stole all the gold. Naturally, the blackmailer winds up dead, and Leeds was seemingly sharing a dinner in the victim’s apartment when he died.
“Rolling Bones” is a classic example of the so-called “fair play” mystery, in which the author reveals all the clues Mason and the reader need to solve the murder. This task is more difficult for a writer like Gardner, whose minimalist writing style avoids unnecessary details. But he does so brilliantly here. When I first read the passages where Gardner revealed the critical clue, I felt something was wrong with the author’s description. However, I couldn’t put my finger on it until Mason revealed it to the court and the killer on the witness stand in one of his famous “gotcha” moments. While Gardner’s style is minimalist, his plotting isn’t. As the Cast of Characters page indicates, Mason and the readers have a lot of characters to keep track of, several of whom have multiple identities (in the physical, not the psychological sense). Readers may sometimes have difficulty separating what Mason wants the police to believe and what he actually believes at a particular time. However, readers who can bear some momentary confusion will get a reward at the end when Mason ensnares the killer.
Erle Stanley Gardner was an accomplished trial attorney when he started the Perry Mason series and a champion for social justice at a time when the constitutional rights we take for granted today were almost non-existent. Gardner uses Mason several times as a mouthpiece for the author’s views about the justice system. For example, in the first chapter of “Rolling Bones,” Mason talks about the type of clients he prefers: “I don’t like rich people. I like poor people… Rich people worry too much, and their problems are too damn petty. They stew up a high blood pressure over a one-point drop in the interest rate. Poor people get right down to brass tacks: love, hunger, murder, forgery, embezzlement—things a man can sink his teeth into, things he can sympathize with.” Considering Leeds’s wealth, that statement proves somewhat ironic in this case.
Gardner also used the Mason books (and, later, the TV series) to educate readers about the justice system. Most Americans in 1939 were unaware of how trials were conducted, and Gardner usually gave pointers in his early books. In “Rolling Bones,” he discusses how the prosecution must establish a case against the defendant in a preliminary hearing. (Non-spoiler: they don’t do so here.) In the Leeds case, the victim’s actual identity was an issue, and the district attorney and Mason discussed with the judge what the prosecution must do to establish it. This lengthy discussion would be unnecessary at an actual trial with experienced counsel. But these details could be fascinating for lay readers, even more so in 1939 than today.
“Rolling Bones” also has an interesting subplot in the first few chapters that’s relevant today. Leeds’s relatives commit him to a mental institute by claiming the 70-year-old man has dementia. One relative drives the unknowing Leeds to the facility, where two large nurses grab him and take him inside. When Mason learns about it, he gets a habeas corpus hearing where he shows how flimsy the “documentation” of Leeds’s dementia actually is. While much has changed in the 85 years since the book was written, the issue of involuntary guardianships and conservatorships for possibly mentally unfit people remains a hot topic today.
“Rolling Bones” is also a time capsule allowing modern-day readers a look into the social mores of the pre-World War II era. From a legal standpoint, some tactics both the district attorney and Mason use would get sharp ethical condemnation today (and would earn the prosecution a reversal if done in an actual trial). At the book’s conclusion, Mason and the judge discuss to what extent the ends justify the means of achieving justice. Some of Mason’s other actions are eye-opening for different reasons. He and Paul Drake smoke constantly, and Mason even keeps a humidor on his desk with four different popular brands of cigarettes for visitors. The book also contains some highly outdated references and descriptions of various female characters that some readers may find offensive.
After I read “The Case of the Rolling Bones,” I watched its dramatization as an episode of the “Perry Mason” TV series. The TV show was good, but the book is better. The mystery is more complex and will please most genre fans, even if they don’t figure out the killer. And Earl Stanley Gardner’s style makes for a fast-paced, enjoyable read. Because of the plot complexity, newcomers to the Mason series may want to try another book first. However, those who enjoy the series will want to roll along with “The Case of the Rolling Bones.”
February 10, 2023
The Case of the Rolling Bones by Erle Stanley Gardner is the 15th book in the Perry Mason Mystery series. Perry mason is initially hired to help Aiden Leeds, whose greedy relatives were tryng to stop him marrying by having him committed for senile dementia, only to end up defending him for murder of his blackmailer. Another complex and convoluted Perry Mason case involving multiple mysteries, fraud and identity issues. Strange that police were able to get away with bugging the detectives and lawyers phones. I loved how Perry managed to avoid his speeding fine and the way that he is able to unravel the mystery. It is interesting to see how things have changed from when the book was written in 1939, but it is still enjoyable and entertaining to read.
February 26, 2015
Several of the more striking incidents from the files of Perry Mason transpire in this story. Not only "Where's the fire?" and "That's him!" but also the arcus senilus testimony scene. My note shows it was 2002 the last time I read this, but those clever little plot points, as well as the way Perry figures out how the time of death has been confused, I greeted as old friends.
September 7, 2009
This is a really, really confusing case with many people assuming multiple aliases and two murders of the same person. It's a TV episode and, as I recall, pretty confusing that way too. The "rolling bones" have virtually nothing to do with the story.
April 14, 2020
Attorney Perry Mason is having a slow week with no real meaty cases, just ongoing matters that require boring paperwork. So he’s thrilled when a delegation of three people associated with Gold Rush millionaire Alden Leeds appears. They believe Mr. Leeds may be being blackmailed, but Alden won’t tell them anything, so want a lawyer to look into it. Perry is only too happy to accept a retainer and put his detective Paul Drake on the investigation.
The case takes an almost immediate twist when other relatives of Alden Leeds abduct him for commitment to an asylum for the senile. Perry shows his gift for legal legerdemain by making sure the commitment hearing is before a judge who has personal reasons for being extra skeptical about doctors declaring patients senile. The judge orders Mr. Leeds produced, but the patient has vanished from the asylum!
Meanwhile, it turns out one of the people involved in the case owned a firm that made loaded dice (the “rolling bones” of the title) until very recently, and may have been the blackmailer. He turns up murdered, and there are a number of people with both motives and opportunity, one of whom Perry must now defend!
This is a complicated case, with a key witness missing, several people having gone by more than one name, and a shallow grave in Alaska that may or may not be connected to the current matter.
I had little problem following the convoluted red herrings, but I have seen reviews from other people who got confused, and at least one loose thread never gets tied up.
As always, the actual law cited is correct for California in 1939, but Perry Mason plays fast and loose extrajudicially and it’s made clear his license might have been yanked if the judges involved didn’t think he was working for justice.
This is a relatively early case, and it is strongly hinted in one scene that Perry and his secretary Della Street were involved in heavy making out while waiting for a suspect to appear.
Overall, a fun mystery story with plenty of puzzle pieces. Recommended to mystery fans.
The case takes an almost immediate twist when other relatives of Alden Leeds abduct him for commitment to an asylum for the senile. Perry shows his gift for legal legerdemain by making sure the commitment hearing is before a judge who has personal reasons for being extra skeptical about doctors declaring patients senile. The judge orders Mr. Leeds produced, but the patient has vanished from the asylum!
Meanwhile, it turns out one of the people involved in the case owned a firm that made loaded dice (the “rolling bones” of the title) until very recently, and may have been the blackmailer. He turns up murdered, and there are a number of people with both motives and opportunity, one of whom Perry must now defend!
This is a complicated case, with a key witness missing, several people having gone by more than one name, and a shallow grave in Alaska that may or may not be connected to the current matter.
I had little problem following the convoluted red herrings, but I have seen reviews from other people who got confused, and at least one loose thread never gets tied up.
As always, the actual law cited is correct for California in 1939, but Perry Mason plays fast and loose extrajudicially and it’s made clear his license might have been yanked if the judges involved didn’t think he was working for justice.
This is a relatively early case, and it is strongly hinted in one scene that Perry and his secretary Della Street were involved in heavy making out while waiting for a suspect to appear.
Overall, a fun mystery story with plenty of puzzle pieces. Recommended to mystery fans.
May 1, 2023
Perry Mason'a bir gün Phyllis Leeds adında genç bir kız gelir. Amcası olan Alden Leeds'in çok zengin bir adam olduğunu, Emily Millicant adında bir kadınla evlenmek istediği için, akrabaları olan ve aynı evde yaşayan diğer insanların onun akli dengesinin yerinde olmadığına dair rapor alacağını, bunu engellemesini söyler. Amcasının arkadaşı Ned Barkler da yanında gelmiştir. Mason bunu kabul eder. Bu arada bir çek işi ortaya çıkmıştır. L. A. Conway adında biri bir süredir Alden'dan para sızdırmaktadır. Serle adında bir adamla ortak olan bu Conway, Paul Drake'e de bir zar gönderir 25 dolar karşılığı. Della Street, Paul Drake ve yeni ofis kızı Gertie ile yapılan çalışmalar sonunda Conway'in Emily'nin kardeşi John Millicant olduğu ortaya çıkar. Alden'in gençliği de sorgulanır. Yurt dışında zengin olacağı dönem Bill Hogarty adında bir ortağı vardır ama bu kişi kayıptır. Bir gün Serle ve Conway akşam yemeği yerler ancak Conway yani Millicant ölü bulunur. Eve Alden da dahil olmak üzere pek çok kişi girmiştir. Alden cinayet zanlısı olarak tutuklanır. Savcı Kettling ve Çavuş Holcomb araştırmalara hız vermiştir. Emily ve Barkler kaybolur. Serle'nin yemek yediği lokantadaki garson kız Hazel de kayıptır. Bütün deliller Alden aleyhinde gibi durmaktadır. Savcı da aynı zamanda Drake ve Mason'un ofis telefonlarını dinlemektedir. Doktorun dediğine göre Conway akşam ondan sonra öldürülmüştür. Serle ve conway yemek sipariş ettiği ve her şeyi silip süpürdüğü için buna göre bir tahmin yürütmüştür. Alden'in parmak izleri de evde çıkmıştır. Ama Harold Leeds ve pek çok farklı kişiyi sorgulayarak kafada şüpheler oluşturur Mason. En sonunda da Bir şahit sorgulanırken Gertie'yi devreye sokar. Mahkeme salonu karışır. Katil kimdir? Mason katili bulabilecek midir? Hogarty'yi kim öldürmüştür? Conway gerçekten Hogarty midir? Emily ve Alden mutlu olabilecek midir? Mason ince bir buz tabakasında mı kaymaktadır? Bir akşam yemeği cinayet soruşturmasında ne kadar önemlidir? Keyifle soluksuz okunan bir roman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2019
Erle stanley gardener's Perry Mason novels are a series of detective stories. The leading character, Perry Mason is a trial lawyer specialized in murder cases who uses unconventional method and tricks to get his clients out. These novels are often characterized by great Court room scenes, but behind that there is a lot of work to uncover the truth behind the crime by doing true investigation with the help of private detectives. As most detective novels, the author keeps us guessing by switching the vendi suspicion from one person but to another, but Perry Mason novels does this is in very high pace and never bore the reader. The fact that this was written some 80 years before makes it even great.
Alden Leeds the client of Perry Mason , the latter is an rich old man with greedy relatives. The story starts with the trouble caused by the relatives effort to show him mentally unstable inorder to prevent the Leeds from marrying Emily which would have disinherited them off his assets. The story takes an unexpected turn when a murder happens where Alden Leeds becomes the prime accused. This one is a very good read and is among my favourite in the series. Rate 5/5.
Alden Leeds the client of Perry Mason , the latter is an rich old man with greedy relatives. The story starts with the trouble caused by the relatives effort to show him mentally unstable inorder to prevent the Leeds from marrying Emily which would have disinherited them off his assets. The story takes an unexpected turn when a murder happens where Alden Leeds becomes the prime accused. This one is a very good read and is among my favourite in the series. Rate 5/5.
December 3, 2023
Perfectly enjoyable, workmanlike Perry Mason effort from 1939, with the usual inventive plotting and details and legal maneuverings, including some quite clever courtroom tactics Mason pulls off to get a crucial witness to admit something that are deceptive but not illegal. Fun social-history details about eating restaurant dinners, which is treated as a somewhat bold choice, as well as complaints (in 1939!) about how these kids today are all weak, unlike the hardbitten prospectors of yore (there's a whole backstory set in gold-rush Alaska). Some enjoyably hard-boiled dialogue and conduct by Mason--as Otto Penzler notes in the intro, as a character he moves from a tough, two-fisted investigator to the more suavely intrepid courtroom genius we all know, and this is maybe halfway through. And the best evidence of Gardner's mass-producing of his books (he churned out, Penzler says, about about a million words a year) comes in the dialogue, because wow, does Mason "grin" a lot here; like maybe 15-20 times, which seems like, I don't know, way more than most people do something like that.
June 23, 2020
Around 30 years ago, Alden Leeds made a fortune prospecting for gold in the Yukon. Now Alden is in his seventies, and some of his family members (and heirs) feel that he's getting senile and needs to be committed. Alden's assistant disagrees and asks Perry mason to protect him. Mason takes the case and, since this is an Erle Stanley Gardner novel, there is a murder and the plot goes in anything but a straight line.
The Case of the Rolling Bones was an interesting story. Like many of my generation, I picture Perry mason according to the television series of the late 50s, with the big cars, thin ties, and a straight-laced, sanitized, and orderly society. This novel, however, was written in 1939. The old men spoke about life on the frontier and lament the softness of the younger generation. Mason and the other characters aren't restrained by the Hayes Code, nor do they have to worry about offending their sponsors. It's not great literature, but it is certainly entertaining waiting room material.
The Case of the Rolling Bones was an interesting story. Like many of my generation, I picture Perry mason according to the television series of the late 50s, with the big cars, thin ties, and a straight-laced, sanitized, and orderly society. This novel, however, was written in 1939. The old men spoke about life on the frontier and lament the softness of the younger generation. Mason and the other characters aren't restrained by the Hayes Code, nor do they have to worry about offending their sponsors. It's not great literature, but it is certainly entertaining waiting room material.
February 25, 2021
Mason is again in trouble as he jumps into things too quickly and must tread water to hold off prosecution of his client. And once again his client lies and distorts his talks with his lawyer making it harder and harder to find the truth.
I think too often Gardner has clients and witnesses lie or misspeak on purpose just to stymie Mason and Drake and to prolong the stories. When a client tells the full truth up front, it is a better tale as Mason must confirm that information while the police and DA keep present false testimony. His attempts to confirm or refute such information make for a much better read.
This was another rather simple plot with much false and misleading information that was primarily from the characters viewpoints or interpretations of what they heard or saw rather than a full out and out lie. Almost each presentation had bits of the truth and Mason finally sifts those pieces into one logical result.
I think too often Gardner has clients and witnesses lie or misspeak on purpose just to stymie Mason and Drake and to prolong the stories. When a client tells the full truth up front, it is a better tale as Mason must confirm that information while the police and DA keep present false testimony. His attempts to confirm or refute such information make for a much better read.
This was another rather simple plot with much false and misleading information that was primarily from the characters viewpoints or interpretations of what they heard or saw rather than a full out and out lie. Almost each presentation had bits of the truth and Mason finally sifts those pieces into one logical result.
October 30, 2022
another one bites the dust
Perry Mason rolls the (crooked) bones (ok I didn’t really know that dice were called bones -should I have known about that when I was trying to understand craps when in Nevada?)there are layers of changed identities in this book, reaching back to the Klondike of 1906, dance hall girls, gun fights, toes lost to frostbite and toes lost to gangrene, plenty of people flying up and down the coast from LA to San Francisco to Seattle (but a boat to Skagway), two meals of lamb and baked potato (served twice) and various alibis for various murders. But, Perry’s client was not guilty and the courtroom antics impress the judge AND the journalists, while leaving the assistant DA writhing.
Perry Mason rolls the (crooked) bones (ok I didn’t really know that dice were called bones -should I have known about that when I was trying to understand craps when in Nevada?)there are layers of changed identities in this book, reaching back to the Klondike of 1906, dance hall girls, gun fights, toes lost to frostbite and toes lost to gangrene, plenty of people flying up and down the coast from LA to San Francisco to Seattle (but a boat to Skagway), two meals of lamb and baked potato (served twice) and various alibis for various murders. But, Perry’s client was not guilty and the courtroom antics impress the judge AND the journalists, while leaving the assistant DA writhing.
Read
December 9, 2023This is a 1939 Perry Mason story. It is the most recent release in the American Mystery Classics series.
Mason gets hired by the niece of Alden Leeds. He made a pile of money mining gold in Alaska and now he is surrounded by heirs angling for a piece of the inheritance. Mason starts off fighting an attempt to declare Alden incompetent and ends up trying to unravel a murder.
This is a satisfactorily complicated plots with tangents running back more than twenty years. As in all of the pre-WW2 novels, Mason cuts ethical corners and excuses it by arguing that the prosecution routinely does worse.
This is a fast-paced intricate story with memorable cast of suspects as well as the Mason regulars Della Street and Paul Drake.
Mason gets hired by the niece of Alden Leeds. He made a pile of money mining gold in Alaska and now he is surrounded by heirs angling for a piece of the inheritance. Mason starts off fighting an attempt to declare Alden incompetent and ends up trying to unravel a murder.
This is a satisfactorily complicated plots with tangents running back more than twenty years. As in all of the pre-WW2 novels, Mason cuts ethical corners and excuses it by arguing that the prosecution routinely does worse.
This is a fast-paced intricate story with memorable cast of suspects as well as the Mason regulars Della Street and Paul Drake.
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