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Perry Mason #30
The Case of the Lazy Lover
A runaway witness leads a lawyer into a "The only dull pages in this book are the blank ones" (The New York Times).
Defense lawyer Perry Mason is surprised to receive two checks from a stranger named Lola Allred. And when he speaks with Lola's husband, he discovers the woman has run off with her daughter's boyfriend--who happens to be an important witness in a lawsuit. Soon Mason's caught up in a complicated case involving not only a missing witness but forgery and murder as well . . .
This mystery is part of Edgar Award-winning author Erle Stanley Gardner's classic, long-running Perry Mason series, which has sold three hundred million copies and serves as the inspiration for the HBO show starring Matthew Rhys and Tatiana Maslany.
DON'T MISS THE NEW HBO ORIGINAL SERIES PERRY MASON, BASED ON CHARACTERS FROM ERLE STANLEY GARDNER'S NOVELS, STARRING EMMY AWARD WINNER MATTHEW RHYS.
Defense lawyer Perry Mason is surprised to receive two checks from a stranger named Lola Allred. And when he speaks with Lola's husband, he discovers the woman has run off with her daughter's boyfriend--who happens to be an important witness in a lawsuit. Soon Mason's caught up in a complicated case involving not only a missing witness but forgery and murder as well . . .
This mystery is part of Edgar Award-winning author Erle Stanley Gardner's classic, long-running Perry Mason series, which has sold three hundred million copies and serves as the inspiration for the HBO show starring Matthew Rhys and Tatiana Maslany.
DON'T MISS THE NEW HBO ORIGINAL SERIES PERRY MASON, BASED ON CHARACTERS FROM ERLE STANLEY GARDNER'S NOVELS, STARRING EMMY AWARD WINNER MATTHEW RHYS.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1947
1066 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,381 books804 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 137 reviews
June 27, 2021
The Case of the Lazy Lover
The Case of the Lazy Lover was the 30th book in Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason series. First published in 1947, it became episode 35 in the long running television series starring Raymond Burr.
This mystery series featured a lawyer, Perry Mason, rather than a detective, and, instead of fedoras and handguns and back alley brawls, it was all about wit and reasoning. The books would take Mason through some twists and turns, but always end in a courtroom with Mason's brilliant cross-examination. Gardner, of course, was himself a criminal defense attorney in Ventura, well-known, well-respected, but also managed to Churn out 82 of these novels plus others such as the Cool and Lam series.
The title of this one merely captures one quick scene where a gas station attendant describes one of the suspects. The story begins rather convoluted with Mason not even meeting his client until well into the story or even getting an inkling of what he was hired to do. All he knows is he got two checks in the mail, one good and one forged.
The story is filled to the brim with liars. In fact, just about everyone who matters tells lie after lie and it's up to Mason to sort it out, which he doesn't do until his client is nearly held to answer at preliminary examination for murder. It's really a tale of everyone involved being all too clever for their own good, trying to cover up what really happened and nearly flummoxing it for themselves in the process.
Gardner tells a clever tale and it's amazing how he makes it a fascinating puzzle from beginning to end without much in the way of action.
The Case of the Lazy Lover was the 30th book in Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason series. First published in 1947, it became episode 35 in the long running television series starring Raymond Burr.
This mystery series featured a lawyer, Perry Mason, rather than a detective, and, instead of fedoras and handguns and back alley brawls, it was all about wit and reasoning. The books would take Mason through some twists and turns, but always end in a courtroom with Mason's brilliant cross-examination. Gardner, of course, was himself a criminal defense attorney in Ventura, well-known, well-respected, but also managed to Churn out 82 of these novels plus others such as the Cool and Lam series.
The title of this one merely captures one quick scene where a gas station attendant describes one of the suspects. The story begins rather convoluted with Mason not even meeting his client until well into the story or even getting an inkling of what he was hired to do. All he knows is he got two checks in the mail, one good and one forged.
The story is filled to the brim with liars. In fact, just about everyone who matters tells lie after lie and it's up to Mason to sort it out, which he doesn't do until his client is nearly held to answer at preliminary examination for murder. It's really a tale of everyone involved being all too clever for their own good, trying to cover up what really happened and nearly flummoxing it for themselves in the process.
Gardner tells a clever tale and it's amazing how he makes it a fascinating puzzle from beginning to end without much in the way of action.
July 1, 2023
Perry Mason, a defense attorney, is perplexed to receive a $2500 cheque made out to him in the mail on a Monday morning without any instructions. A total stranger called Lola Faxon Allred has signed the cheque. Later on, he gets another cheque from the same woman of whom he had never heard of before. The mystery further intensifies when the bank finds that one of the cheques is a forgery. The same day, Bertrand Allred, her wealthy husband, visits Perry Mason and informs him that his wife has absconded with Robert Fleetwood, his assistant, who also happens to be a crucial witness in an ongoing legal case. Bertrand Allred is discovered dead in his car at the base of a cliff under suspicious circumstances. Lola is taken into custody for the crime. Mason fights her case. Despite having a somewhat convoluted plot, the novel is made into a wonderful thriller thanks to some clever writing, great dialogue, humor, and quick action. The conclusion wasn't what I had anticipated. DELIGHTFUL.
April 13, 2020
An unsolicited check for $2500 is enough to arouse Perry Mason's suspicions, but two checks from the same person are enough to send him into overdrive.
When the woman who sent the checks is accused of murder, Mason must use every trick in the book to unmask the real culprit and save his client.
Gardner has written another exciting adventure but, on reflection, the clues aren't really there to unravel the mystery. Best to be read in one quick session where readers don't give themselves time to question the normally impeccable logic.
When the woman who sent the checks is accused of murder, Mason must use every trick in the book to unmask the real culprit and save his client.
Gardner has written another exciting adventure but, on reflection, the clues aren't really there to unravel the mystery. Best to be read in one quick session where readers don't give themselves time to question the normally impeccable logic.
March 5, 2021
Reading Perry Mason - in this instance, The Case of the Lazy Lover - is a different experience than watching one of the 271 popular TV episodes. I have watched the series for years: As a kid in the '60s, during 1980s syndication, now in a MeTV arc of episode coming faster than I can keep up. The players are the same with Perry, Della and Paul on the side of Justice and Lt. Tragg and Hamilton Berger shuffling to catch up. One of my viewing pastimes is to shout Ham, Ham, Ham when the District Attorney rolls his eyes at Perry, or expresses his exasperation when bested by the master in a preliminary hearing.
With the book, I can pick up subtleties. Like Perry exclaiming "Bosh." Or using the term bullyrag. Or treating Paul Drake like Perry is his only client when the Paul Drake Agency is probably bigger than Perry Mason, Esq. So The Case of the Lazy Lover plays out like the TV plot. With Perry Mason, it's no so much the plot or the players or even the legal machinations - all of which are stellar, and stand the test of time. It's that justice prevails, the defendant comes home from lockup, the real culprit not only comes forward, but in an Exuberant Outburst confesses all. And all's right in the world, although we know it's a lot more messier in our world, and a lot less righteous.
With the book, I can pick up subtleties. Like Perry exclaiming "Bosh." Or using the term bullyrag. Or treating Paul Drake like Perry is his only client when the Paul Drake Agency is probably bigger than Perry Mason, Esq. So The Case of the Lazy Lover plays out like the TV plot. With Perry Mason, it's no so much the plot or the players or even the legal machinations - all of which are stellar, and stand the test of time. It's that justice prevails, the defendant comes home from lockup, the real culprit not only comes forward, but in an Exuberant Outburst confesses all. And all's right in the world, although we know it's a lot more messier in our world, and a lot less righteous.
September 16, 2017
Ummm, a good case. The end wasn't completely unexpected so I'd say Gardner logically led up to the conclusion. No court room antics here. Della is hardly noticeable in this one. Enjoyed it though, having read a Mason after a break.
December 14, 2023
Refreshing. A fun read.
October 13, 2020
When Perry Mason receives two unsolicited retainer checks from a woman he’s never met, he’s pretty sure that something’s fishy. When he learns that the woman is missing, he’s even more suspicious. With his team, detective Paul Drake and confidential secretary Della Street, he begins to investigate.
The team succeeds in locating the client, but the police soon arrest her for murder. Unfortunately, her story doesn’t quite add up, and the evidence does seem to point to her as the killer.
The client insists that she’s innocent, but Mason thinks she’s lying, and he urges her to tell him the truth. He reminds her that “a good lie can sometimes have all the grace of artistry, but only the truth can have the ring of sincerity.”
Meanwhile, Mason and Drake continue to chase down the evidence, which is by no means clear. As Mason tells Drake, “Circumstantial evidence never lies, but it isn’t always easy to interpret it correctly.”
However, this is Perry Mason we’re dealing with, so it’s no surprise that he does ultimately figure out the truth. But Gardner is a skillful storyteller, and the truth is as surprising to the reader as it is to Mason. All in all, The Case of the Lazy Lover is a good detective yarn that will keep you guessing most of the way through.
The team succeeds in locating the client, but the police soon arrest her for murder. Unfortunately, her story doesn’t quite add up, and the evidence does seem to point to her as the killer.
The client insists that she’s innocent, but Mason thinks she’s lying, and he urges her to tell him the truth. He reminds her that “a good lie can sometimes have all the grace of artistry, but only the truth can have the ring of sincerity.”
Meanwhile, Mason and Drake continue to chase down the evidence, which is by no means clear. As Mason tells Drake, “Circumstantial evidence never lies, but it isn’t always easy to interpret it correctly.”
However, this is Perry Mason we’re dealing with, so it’s no surprise that he does ultimately figure out the truth. But Gardner is a skillful storyteller, and the truth is as surprising to the reader as it is to Mason. All in all, The Case of the Lazy Lover is a good detective yarn that will keep you guessing most of the way through.
March 28, 2017
Perry Mason is what I do for lightweight reading when I am out of town. There's a reason -- most Masons are like other Masons, the plots are good, always fast moving, but never terribly memorable. And, usually, I keep through to the end because I never guess the killer. (I am bad at guessing the killer. Probably because I usually am enjoying the ride too much to scour the book for clues.)
This may be the best Mason book I have bumped into -- Gardner has stepped up the characterization a bit, and has allowed some humor into the mix which works surprisingly well. The machinations are complex, involving mining companies, real estate scams and shady dealings that evoke a pre-politically correct California. The one problem, actually, is that the probable murderer himself is way too easy to identify. (But, even on this, Gardner throws a bit of a curve ball, as he has Perry refuse to actually solve the murder, because his job is just to get his client out of the charge.)
Definitely one to seek out.
This may be the best Mason book I have bumped into -- Gardner has stepped up the characterization a bit, and has allowed some humor into the mix which works surprisingly well. The machinations are complex, involving mining companies, real estate scams and shady dealings that evoke a pre-politically correct California. The one problem, actually, is that the probable murderer himself is way too easy to identify. (But, even on this, Gardner throws a bit of a curve ball, as he has Perry refuse to actually solve the murder, because his job is just to get his client out of the charge.)
Definitely one to seek out.
Read
November 7, 2020So I picked this up thinking
1. It would be a quick read
2. It's Perry mason, a childhood fav and I can reminisce
3. I like detective and murder mysteries
I couldn't be more wrong. It's with complete disappointment I had to speed read it just for the sake of finishing it.
Guess some books just don't age well. Right down to derogatory language and racist connotations and the way ladies are addressed to the mystery itself being convoluted. Plus the language and dialogs just didn't cut it for me anymore.
Some books and authors probably are meant to be remembered as how our memory holds them and we shouldnt expect to carry them along with us.
1. It would be a quick read
2. It's Perry mason, a childhood fav and I can reminisce
3. I like detective and murder mysteries
I couldn't be more wrong. It's with complete disappointment I had to speed read it just for the sake of finishing it.
Guess some books just don't age well. Right down to derogatory language and racist connotations and the way ladies are addressed to the mystery itself being convoluted. Plus the language and dialogs just didn't cut it for me anymore.
Some books and authors probably are meant to be remembered as how our memory holds them and we shouldnt expect to carry them along with us.
November 3, 2020
This is my first time reading a Perry Mason book. The story was fast paced. In the end, Perry Mason had figured things out. It was a good story.
October 2, 2020
First sentence: There was usually a big pile of mail on Monday morning. Della Street, Perry Mason’s confidential secretary, having arrived a full half hour before the office was scheduled to open, deftly inserted the paper knife under the flaps of the envelopes, cut them open with one swift wrist motion, read the letters and sorted them into three piles.
Premise/plot: Perry Mason stars in the Case of the Lazy Lover. In this vintage mystery, Perry Mason is surprised to discover two checks in the mail. They are not from a client or anyone he's ever spoken to. Obviously the sender will most likely be seeking his services. But what kind of case will it be? (Though readers of any Perry Mason book can tell you MURDER.)
Lola Faxon Allred is in a bit of a pickle. Can Perry Mason keep her out of prison?
My thoughts: I absolutely love and adore the classic television show. I have enjoyed some of the Perry Mason novels as well. Some better than others. But all prove worth reading for one reason or another. I enjoy the banter between Mason and Drake, for example. And it's always fun to see Lieutenant Tragg as well!
Not all mysteries are quotable. I enjoy when they are.
Favorite quotes:
“How old is she?” “Forty-two.” “I believe,” Mason said, “that psychologists agree that that is one of the most dangerous ages for a woman.”
Mason said, “We’re allergic to questions until we know what happened.” Inman said, “What the hell! I can take these women down and throw them in the hoosegow if I have to.” “Sure you can,” Mason said, “and I can get a writ of habeas corpus if I have to.”
Gertie said, “Gee that’s swell. I just started one of those diets and I’ve counted calories until I feel like my belt buckle is scraping against my backbone. I’ve just been looking for a good excuse to throw the whole thing overboard, and I think this is it! You always did like tenderloin steaks, Mr. Mason, and my butcher said he’d been saving some for me.
“What the hell,” Mason told him. “Do you want to look a gift horse in the mouth?” “You’re damn right, I do!” Tragg said. “Any time you give me a horse, I’m going to look in his mouth.”
“Tomorrow morning Tragg is going to interview you. You’re going to talk with him freely and frankly. You’re going to try and talk your way out of a murder rap. It isn’t going to be easy. If you’re telling the truth, you can do it. If you’re not telling the truth, you’d better do a lot of revising …” “I’m telling the truth, Mr. Mason.” “Then,” Mason told her, “that’s all there is to it.” “And I’m to talk to Lieutenant Tragg?” “Sing like a skylark,” Mason told her. “Bare your soul to him. Pose for pictures in the newspapers. Tell everybody everything. Have nothing to conceal. Only be sure that it’s the truth, because if you try to lie, you’ll get caught, and if they catch you in a he it’ll mean life imprisonment, perhaps the death penalty.”
“There are times,” Mason said, “when an artistic lie can crowd the truth right off the stage.
“And don’t ever forget, a good lie can sometimes have all the grace of artistry, but only the truth can have the ring of sincerity.”
“But I’m afraid to have her tie to something unless it’s the truth. Believe me, Paul, when you’re in a jam the truth is the only thing solid enough and substantial enough to rely on.”
“Circumstantial evidence never lies, but it isn’t always easy to interpret it correctly.”
Premise/plot: Perry Mason stars in the Case of the Lazy Lover. In this vintage mystery, Perry Mason is surprised to discover two checks in the mail. They are not from a client or anyone he's ever spoken to. Obviously the sender will most likely be seeking his services. But what kind of case will it be? (Though readers of any Perry Mason book can tell you MURDER.)
Lola Faxon Allred is in a bit of a pickle. Can Perry Mason keep her out of prison?
My thoughts: I absolutely love and adore the classic television show. I have enjoyed some of the Perry Mason novels as well. Some better than others. But all prove worth reading for one reason or another. I enjoy the banter between Mason and Drake, for example. And it's always fun to see Lieutenant Tragg as well!
Not all mysteries are quotable. I enjoy when they are.
Favorite quotes:
“How old is she?” “Forty-two.” “I believe,” Mason said, “that psychologists agree that that is one of the most dangerous ages for a woman.”
Mason said, “We’re allergic to questions until we know what happened.” Inman said, “What the hell! I can take these women down and throw them in the hoosegow if I have to.” “Sure you can,” Mason said, “and I can get a writ of habeas corpus if I have to.”
Gertie said, “Gee that’s swell. I just started one of those diets and I’ve counted calories until I feel like my belt buckle is scraping against my backbone. I’ve just been looking for a good excuse to throw the whole thing overboard, and I think this is it! You always did like tenderloin steaks, Mr. Mason, and my butcher said he’d been saving some for me.
“What the hell,” Mason told him. “Do you want to look a gift horse in the mouth?” “You’re damn right, I do!” Tragg said. “Any time you give me a horse, I’m going to look in his mouth.”
“Tomorrow morning Tragg is going to interview you. You’re going to talk with him freely and frankly. You’re going to try and talk your way out of a murder rap. It isn’t going to be easy. If you’re telling the truth, you can do it. If you’re not telling the truth, you’d better do a lot of revising …” “I’m telling the truth, Mr. Mason.” “Then,” Mason told her, “that’s all there is to it.” “And I’m to talk to Lieutenant Tragg?” “Sing like a skylark,” Mason told her. “Bare your soul to him. Pose for pictures in the newspapers. Tell everybody everything. Have nothing to conceal. Only be sure that it’s the truth, because if you try to lie, you’ll get caught, and if they catch you in a he it’ll mean life imprisonment, perhaps the death penalty.”
“There are times,” Mason said, “when an artistic lie can crowd the truth right off the stage.
“And don’t ever forget, a good lie can sometimes have all the grace of artistry, but only the truth can have the ring of sincerity.”
“But I’m afraid to have her tie to something unless it’s the truth. Believe me, Paul, when you’re in a jam the truth is the only thing solid enough and substantial enough to rely on.”
“Circumstantial evidence never lies, but it isn’t always easy to interpret it correctly.”
June 18, 2025
Holy moral ambiguity, Batman! Turns out the actual murderer never gets charged, and we are all fine with that. Also, Perry’s client did what most of them do, and never really laid the facts out to him. True, he’s not going to represent them if he’s convinced they are guilty, but the coy runaround never works in their favor, and I can’t blame Perry for getting a little ticked off. They are usually trying to protect and plot come out gradually, as Perry tries to figure out just what the hell is going on. Oh, and in my long-running attempt to pin down the actual settings, I’m gonna call Las Olitas for Ojai. Just a hunch.
The plot is based on a deeply unlovely wealthy middle-aged couple, her daughter by a previous marriage, a possible boyfriend (Fleetwood) of one of the two, and various business partners, all trying to double-deal each other. Amnesia, real or not, plays a role, and murder eventually occurs on a winding mountain road on a stormy night, and footprints end up being a key piece of evidence. First time I’ve seen a map of the scene in one of Gardner’s books.
But I’ve got to give a shoutout to Gertie, Mason’s receptionist. So the office set-up here is Mason, Della Street (his secretary/assistant/girlfriend), and his receptionist, Gertie. Gertie is young, on the plump side, and in awe of the other two. Usually she is just directing traffic, but this time Mason gives her a role to play, Fleetwood’s wife. He pretends not know her, of course, but he’s got amnesia, so what can he say? She gives it her all.
“William!” Gertie screamed, and ran toward him.
Fleetwood drew back a step.
“Oh William, you poor dear boy,” Gertie sobbed, and flung her arms around him, holding him close to her.
Fleetwood doesn’t stand a chance.
Also we still have the cast of characters at the start of the book! They are such a hoot. Here is Jane Smith - “the description matched but the name didn’t” and Bernice Archer, Fleetwood’s actual girlfriend. “Her figure is remarkable, and so is her I. Q.” Very much a complement, by the way.
The plot is based on a deeply unlovely wealthy middle-aged couple, her daughter by a previous marriage, a possible boyfriend (Fleetwood) of one of the two, and various business partners, all trying to double-deal each other. Amnesia, real or not, plays a role, and murder eventually occurs on a winding mountain road on a stormy night, and footprints end up being a key piece of evidence. First time I’ve seen a map of the scene in one of Gardner’s books.
But I’ve got to give a shoutout to Gertie, Mason’s receptionist. So the office set-up here is Mason, Della Street (his secretary/assistant/girlfriend), and his receptionist, Gertie. Gertie is young, on the plump side, and in awe of the other two. Usually she is just directing traffic, but this time Mason gives her a role to play, Fleetwood’s wife. He pretends not know her, of course, but he’s got amnesia, so what can he say? She gives it her all.
“William!” Gertie screamed, and ran toward him.
Fleetwood drew back a step.
“Oh William, you poor dear boy,” Gertie sobbed, and flung her arms around him, holding him close to her.
Fleetwood doesn’t stand a chance.
Also we still have the cast of characters at the start of the book! They are such a hoot. Here is Jane Smith - “the description matched but the name didn’t” and Bernice Archer, Fleetwood’s actual girlfriend. “Her figure is remarkable, and so is her I. Q.” Very much a complement, by the way.
November 3, 2021
This was my first Perry Mason mystery and I loved it. Perry Mason is one of those fictional characters that everyone’s heard of but that I didn’t actually know much about. The case is interesting from moment one when Mason receives a check from a woman he doesn’t know without instructions. Later he receives a second check from the same woman and the lawyer begins to fear something is up. Questioning the checks, he learns one has been forged but the other is legitimate. What’s going on?
The woman’s husband reaches out to him and tells him his wife has run off with his assistant and its embarrassing to him. He assumes Mason is her lawyer and wants him to tell her to go to Vegas and get a divorce like a grown up.
And then things start to get really complicated. There’s amnesia, a woman pretending to be someone else, a murder (of course, there has to be a murder, it’s s a Perry Mason case and he always defends people accused of murder), and a heck of a lot of really interesting developments.
I loved every page.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
The woman’s husband reaches out to him and tells him his wife has run off with his assistant and its embarrassing to him. He assumes Mason is her lawyer and wants him to tell her to go to Vegas and get a divorce like a grown up.
And then things start to get really complicated. There’s amnesia, a woman pretending to be someone else, a murder (of course, there has to be a murder, it’s s a Perry Mason case and he always defends people accused of murder), and a heck of a lot of really interesting developments.
I loved every page.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
July 5, 2021
I remember Perry Mason mysteries as being rather stale, with stilted prose and plots that for the large part are somewhat boring. However, giving this a go, I was pleased to find it was a rather taut plot and kept the reader guessing as to which character was the murderer. There are still annoying little things, like telling us in Chapter One that Gertie is Mason's receptionist, and then in Chapter Three, referring to her as Mason's receptionist again, just in case one of the characters in the book is not the only one with amnesia. Gardner also can't seem to refer to the secretary without supplying her full name, Della Street - including twice in the space of four sentences.
January 27, 2022
While I watched the TV series more years ago than I care to remember, I don’t think I’ve ever read a Perry Mason book. It was much as I expected, very 1940s USA, a lot of cigaret smoke and dangerous driving, much circumstantial evidence (mostly planted to mislead), plenty of wealthy scammers and women whose beauty gets them places. Perry Mason does most of his work out of court and the detailed reveal happens out of court with his co-workers.
I enjoyed the development of roles in Mason’s office (‘team’ is hardly appropriate, but there is loyalty and camaraderie), his client focused ethic (even when his client is deceiving him) and pursuit of evidence. At core it was a good story.
I don’t think I want to immerse myself in this world by reading the whole series, but there is a genre here that would be fun to understand.
I enjoyed the development of roles in Mason’s office (‘team’ is hardly appropriate, but there is loyalty and camaraderie), his client focused ethic (even when his client is deceiving him) and pursuit of evidence. At core it was a good story.
I don’t think I want to immerse myself in this world by reading the whole series, but there is a genre here that would be fun to understand.
July 18, 2021
Entertaining light read
One of Perry Mason’s earlier cases. Pretty standard stuff one comes to expect from Erle Stanley Gardner. An entertaining mystery and good, light summer read.
One of Perry Mason’s earlier cases. Pretty standard stuff one comes to expect from Erle Stanley Gardner. An entertaining mystery and good, light summer read.
February 6, 2024
Vibe Agaty Christie
Zakończenie mogło być lepsze
Zakończenie mogło być lepsze
February 21, 2024
It is Perry Mason, need I say more.
February 20, 2021
A post war (1947) Perry Mason story. As usual for Gardner, this is a fun mystery. I certainly was not able to guess or anticipate much of what was coming – a few real surprises! If (as all 130+ Gardner works) the book is rather contrived, it didn't really matter. Who cares if Gardner's many novels are formulaic, contrived, and full of 2-dimensional characters, these are all great rainy day reads!!
October 3, 2020
When I miss my mother, all I need to do is pull one of her beloved mysteries from the shelf. The Case of the Lazy Lover, written in 1947, is a classic; Lawyer Perry Mason defends his client while discovering the real murder while in court.
Like many decades old stories, one is reminded how crime solving has improved. If, there were only mobile phones, DNA testing or miranda rights this case would have evolved much differently. Thank goodness, chain smoking has gone by the wayside and 3 or 4 cocktails is considered excessive drinking, especially when driving.
Like many decades old stories, one is reminded how crime solving has improved. If, there were only mobile phones, DNA testing or miranda rights this case would have evolved much differently. Thank goodness, chain smoking has gone by the wayside and 3 or 4 cocktails is considered excessive drinking, especially when driving.
March 27, 2013
#30 in the Perry Mason series. A complex yarn with a client who has trouble telling the truth. That may sound like a lot of Perry Mason tales, but this one ups the ante. Keep an eye on the daughter, the father says her mother has eloped with her boyfriend. Watch the mother, she sent a retainer check to Perry Mason - or was it two checks - and for what? Check out the father - in litigation with everyone - does he have an ally? And what of the boyfriend - everyone is looking for him, except the girlfriend. A fun read, culminating in the expected last minute, courtroom fireworks.
Perry Mason series - When Perry Mason receives two mysterious checks from Lola Allred, a woman he's never heard of, he smells trouble. A visit from Lola's husband reveals that she has run away with her daughter's boyfriend--a key witness in an ongoing lawsuit.
The mystery deepens when the bank finds that one of the checks is forged. Yet when homicide finally does rear its head, even the unexpected victim isn't as surprised as Perry Mason.
Perry Mason series - When Perry Mason receives two mysterious checks from Lola Allred, a woman he's never heard of, he smells trouble. A visit from Lola's husband reveals that she has run away with her daughter's boyfriend--a key witness in an ongoing lawsuit.
The mystery deepens when the bank finds that one of the checks is forged. Yet when homicide finally does rear its head, even the unexpected victim isn't as surprised as Perry Mason.
June 19, 2020
I've read all of this series but the one before this one, and I would not put this among the better ones.
The first half moves well. It is fun to see Gertie, Mason's receptionist, get a real role in the story.
It also seems a better written book than some of the earliest ones.
But the last third bogged down for me. A lot of it depends on a map, which was unreadable on my kindle. So many people are not telling the truth that it was hard to keep track of what the critical points were. To me, the plot is more complicated than is ideal.
I like this series a lot, and Gardner was so prolific than not every volume will shine. I'll keep on with it.
The first half moves well. It is fun to see Gertie, Mason's receptionist, get a real role in the story.
It also seems a better written book than some of the earliest ones.
But the last third bogged down for me. A lot of it depends on a map, which was unreadable on my kindle. So many people are not telling the truth that it was hard to keep track of what the critical points were. To me, the plot is more complicated than is ideal.
I like this series a lot, and Gardner was so prolific than not every volume will shine. I'll keep on with it.
June 10, 2021
The dialogue, language, logic, and descriptions are so terribly dated that it was difficult to enjoy. It's not just a story that is set in the 40's, it is obviously OF the 40's as well. It lacks the timeless quality of, for example, Agatha Christie's writing.
I was familiar with the character of Perry Mason only very generally, having never seen any of the TV adaptations or read any of the books. In this book, he comes across as an arrogant, self-important jerk, and not very likable or relatable. Referencing Agatha Christie again, her Hercule Poroit has some of the same qualities, but Poroit feels more like someone you'd enjoy spending time with than Perry Mason does.
I was familiar with the character of Perry Mason only very generally, having never seen any of the TV adaptations or read any of the books. In this book, he comes across as an arrogant, self-important jerk, and not very likable or relatable. Referencing Agatha Christie again, her Hercule Poroit has some of the same qualities, but Poroit feels more like someone you'd enjoy spending time with than Perry Mason does.
January 13, 2021
Fast paced and complicated storyline. An excellent introduction to Perry Mason and Paul Drake’s partnership.
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February 27, 2021No stars because I couldn't finish it. I thought I'd pick up this oldie, never having read one of the Perry Mason Mysteries, but it just isn't for me. Got through about 20% and had to stop. Life is too short to read (uninteresting) books.
February 28, 2021
Ridiculously convoluted. Really bogs down.
November 3, 2024
Watching the HBO miniseries, never read any (as I am not an old school mystery guy, generally) and haven't seen the Raymond Burr series (not that old, people), so got a few of these from the public library. Your tax dollars at work, support your local library. Interesting read, almost all dialogue, as though originally written for radio. Fairly entertaining, in a try-and-figure-it-out kind of way. Will read the other two I've got, although I'm not going to go all completionist.
October 27, 2020
My second try of this series and I enjoyed this much more than the first volume I checked out. Good story and a fine introduction to the characters if anyone has missed the various series and movies. Compared to the nuanced character Raymond Burr created, the books still seem adequate, but not exceptional.
June 28, 2021
One of the things that distinguished a certian strain of older pulp fiction is the low stakes. Perry Mason never changed the world, fought Injustice on a large scale. Usually, that's fine. Perry is off and running and that's enough. But this one didn't really grab me. I didn't care much about any of the characters. Flat throughout.
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August 31, 2020I enjoyed it. After the HBO series, it was noted that Perry was very different than the Raymond Burr TV version. I decided to read this old book to see how it stacks up. I found it an easy read, and not as serious as Raymond Burr.
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