Perry Mason is a grown-up Encyclopaedia Brown and especially so in this one, where the case-breaking clue was so offhandedly waved across the reader's face. Also, I wouldn't say that I love it but the old-timey objectifying of the assorted ingénues and dames in the series is very funny to me. Not to mention Delia the enabler! Why, yes, Perry, your next appointment is extremely suspicious but she does have all them curves that you appreciate! Camera cuts to me having a snorting chuckle. ( )

Audrey Bicknell visits Perry Mason’s office to hire Perry to collect her winnings at the track on Dough Boy, a horse who is a long shot to win. She presents her case, leaves the tickets for her bets and leaves without any further information. Perry know there is more to the story, he just isn’t sure how much more.

Turns out there are embezzlement, murder, financial fiddling, and a lot of lies. The tangled web involves a brother, sister, crooked bookkeeping and dry ice.

This time out, Perry seems to skirt the legal limit without going past it. The fact that he kept his client, even when he doubted her explanations, made me shake my head and wonder.

I did enjoy the courtroom skirmishes between Perry and Burger. The judge was good on calling the shots and keeping the sides in line.

The Perry Mason books have long been one of my favourite series. ( )

Original price: $0.60. ( )

always like these

quite a complicated story line

but he gets there in teh end

I like the interplay between Mason and Della

Big Ship
30 May 2015 ( )

I really enjoyed the bit of legal trickery employed here. This was a good mystery. ( )