The Case Of The Fabulous Fake

Perry Mason #80

by Erle Stanley Gardner

First paperback edition. Pocket Books#75581. states 'FIRST January 1971".

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Detective, Mystery Thriller, Novels, Legal

180 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Erle 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...

Reviews

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one. It did not have a full court jury, and initially had a judge not on Mason's side at the preliminary hearing, which isn't always the norm. A murder doesn't happen until after 3/4 of the book is through, but another confusing aspect and tangle of the case catches the lawyer's attention. Thankfully it's not as convoluted as a few of these books. We don't get the usual police force such as Trask, or the usual District Attorney, Burger, but it's a solid story that kept me reading, and you see a softer side of Mason that comes out from time to time.

[Richa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit repetetive and also, the usual Mason style of suddenly providing the correct solution at the very end of the book. One would feel, Mason is not a legal eagle but a clairvoyant.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

De niña veía la serie de televisión y siempre lo consideré un gran Abogado, que podía defender los casos más raros y difíciles. Es por eso que me animé a leer sus libros y me compre una colección de segunda mano. Este es el primero que leo.

Realmente lo disfruté. Te cautiva desde el comienzo porque sabes que su cliente le está ocultando algo grande. Conociendo lo curioso que es Perry Mason, eso llamará mucho más su atención.

Me gustó que no pudieras imaginarte el final hasta que el mismo Perry Mason te lo explica, considerando que te fue dando las piezas para resolver el caso durante todo el libro.

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been reading Gardner's Perry Mason books off and on for decades. Many years ago, I was an intense fan of the series, and read them all. Now, after a lot of water over the dam, I'm looking at them again. 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.

This is number 80 in the long series, from 1969. It is among the last written, and it shows. There are a few interesting parts, but on the whole, it is quite dryly written. It also has holes in the plot.

Vey briefly, Diana Douglas and her brother Edgar are both employees of an import business in San Francisco. Money is missing and Edgar may have embezzled it. There seems to be a blackmailer in LA who has wind of the story, and uses the code name 36-24-36, evidently someone's measurements. Edgar was involved in an auto accident and is in a coma. Mason agrees to help Diana. Before long there is a murder in a hotel room and Diana is arrested. The murder weapon, a gun, was owned by Edgar.

Characters:

Franklin Gage, runs the Escobar Importing company in San Francisco.
Homer Gage, nephew who helps run it.
Diana Douglas: employee of Escobar.
Edgar Douglas: brother of Diana, also employee at Escobar, now in a coma.
Moray Cassel: the blackmailer.
Stella Grimes: female operative of Paul Drake.
Joyce Baffin: secretary at Escobar.

We meet some policemen and a trial deputy. No Hamilton Burger.

I did not much like reading this book. The writing is bare bones, too dry. The plot is clever however, and has some interesting features I won't go into to avoid spoilers. But there is also a big coincidence that fuels the plot.

It's striking to see "modern" features in a Perry Mason novel (this was written in 1969), such as mention of a computer system, credit cards, Miranda rights, and reference to a telephone in a car (extremely rare in 1969).

Why are the police so impersonal? Where's Sgt. Holcomb? There are no interesting interactions with Della or Paul Drake.

There aren't many suspects, and the real murderer is not a surprise, but the plot gets quite involved at the end. An extra aspect of the plot is revealed very late. Perry dopes it all out - quite unrealistically I'd say.

And the title -- what "fake"? Diana goes under an alias for a while, but there is nothing "fabulous" about that.

There is a brief interesting side case: Mason defends a young Negro from robbery charges. He would have been convicted except the real robber confesses. Is Gardner saying something about civil rights and racism? That even Perry Mason can’t overcome bias?

On the whole, in spite of a few novel aspects, I can't recommend it. I have the sense that the complicated plot could have been better handled in a longer book.

[Serdar Poirot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adını vermek istemeyen sarışın bir genç kadın Mason'a gelir ve gizlenmek istediğini söyleyip bunun için yardım ister. Mason kimliğini bile vermeyen bu kıza yardım edecektir. Çünkü Gertie kaşla göz arasında kızın çantasında tıka basa dolar olduğunu görmüştür ve bu durum Mason'ın ilgisini çeker. Ama yine de Paul Drake ile bir araştırma yapar ve kızn adının Diana Douglas olduğunu öğrenir. Kaldığı otele Drake'in dedektiflerinden Stella adında birini gönderir. Stella odadayken Moray Cassel adında biri gelir. Şantaj niyetindedir ama Mason buna mahal vermez. Diana ve Kardeşi Edgar Franklin ve Homer Fage'in şirketinde çalışmaktadır. Edgar bir kazaya karışmıştır ve bu para onun çantasından çıkmıştır. Daha önce de kumar oynadığı için kardeşi de parayı alıp gelmiştir. Edgar hastanede ölür. Şirketin nakit kasasında 20 bin dolar eksik çıkar. Ama bunun yarısını Franklin almışti ve sonra yerine koymuştur. Bu sırada haber gelir. Cassel öldürülmüştür. O gün uçağı kaçıran Diana aslında Cassel'in evine gitmiştir. Parmak izi bırakır ve kardeşine ait cinayet silahını da alır. Ama silah bulunur. Mason şahitleri zorlar. Terzi önemli bir tanık olacaktır. Dolapta terzi işi olmayan bir palto vardır. Acaba bu kime uyacaktır? 5 bin dolar Diana'da olduğuna göre diğer 5 bin doları kim almıştır? Mason Katili bulabilecek midir? Keyifle okunan bir roman.

[👀 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one where Mason was running after his client for giving her a bad advice. The book consists mostly of mystery. No murder is mentioned until 68% of the book, which must a record for Gardner. Preliminary trial starts at 77%. Overall, it's a nice read, I enjoyed it as always. It's ridiculous how easy it used to be to fly. It involves hit and run, intrigues, blackmail, embankment, affairs and a gun.

Mason is visited by a mysterious young woman who refuses to give her name. She is to disappear and wants the lawyer to be able to represent her on case anything anticipated happens. Gertie is all excited about the client due to little show with mirrors and currency that the client made in the waiting room. Unclear why, but the case is accepted and soon the newspaper reveals that there might be more to it than the young lady made it appear to be.

Garder also makes a case against police method of identification, especially of minorities, which is a glimpse of his real life experiences. DA's attitude, especially taking everything with poor grace is a bit overused. It doesn't matter if the accessed is guilty or not, the DA always wants a conviction.

[Tom Donaghey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Fabulous Fake (1969) (P. Mason #80) by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason is faced with one of the cases yet. A young woman shows up in his office asking him to represent her but she doesn’t want to give away any details about herself. She wants to disappear. And she wi;; contact him if she needs his help. Intrigued, perry takes her case but asks how he will know it is her. She suggests something he won’t forget. She will use the code name “36–24-26.
Curious, Perry has Paul Drake investigate.
A personal as appears with the code name embedded. Soon a man is dead, the client is doing her best to ignore Perry’s solutions, and Lt. Tragg is after her.
Another man dies and things manage to get more complicated.
As usual this is a fast paced mystery featuring colorful characters, and surprisingly, embezzlement. There’re two courtroom scenes, and personally I enjoy them very much, perhaps knowing that Perry will come up with a brilliant solution to the crimes.
As always this is a complicated plot and an excellent solution. A must read.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am really annoyed at having to give this novel a 3-star, but I had to find a way to state my disgust with the publisher of these reprints of Gardner's books. This is yet another one in the series that has missing words, missing letters, wrong or no punctuation, and wrong words (unless they are just misspelled. There is so much of this it takes the pleasure out of reading what is a really good novel, although the who-did-it is telegraphed. I can only say I'm glad I have bought these books at a very low price because in this state, they are not worth more. And yet the story is fun and cute and Perry Mason makes a couple of mistakes that he fixes but that's fun because we see him as more human, less of a lawyer-god. I hope the publisher sees this review and fixes these novels. It's only having someone read them and fix the errors, but then that might cost something. Honestly, it's discouraging how fiction is treated sometimes.

[Sherry Schwabacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gardner had a well-honed pattern and didn't vary it. Why should he? He sold millions of copies all over the world and his creation, Perry Mason, is still popping up on the TV screen at all hours. The dialog from the novels is exactly like the dialog on TV! Perry is a master of mansplaining, something we had no word for back in the 50s and 60s. I can just imagine Della's eyes rolling back when he starts pontificating. Not to mention the blatant sexism and racism on display. Still, it was a fun read, a quick dive into our recent (to me, anyway) past. I read this for Monday Morning Mystery Book Club at the library.

[Lola · Rating 2 out of 5]

A woman comes into the office but won't tell Perry Mason her name or anything about her case. She just wants to pay him a retaining fee "in case" she needs him in the next few days. She's also carrying a bag with lots of money in it.
Her brother's unconscious in the hospital after a car accident. Money is missing from their job.
She thinks she needs to use the money to get him out of trouble but not knowing what trouble he may be in.
I don't find suspense in Perry Mason stories. It's more about how clever he is in figuring out clues.

[Andy Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I invariably enjoy the Perry Mason books for good light entertainment. Once again Mason's client is lying to him from the start for reasons that are not immediately clear. The ingredients are blackmail, a car crash, a company involved in smuggling artefacts and of course a murder (the blackmailer). The fake is, I suppose, the female detective brought in to play the part of the hapless, soon-to-be, main suspect. The final post courtroom stage of the denouement begins with his client telling Mason - "I don't know how on Earth you worked it out". Readers will no doubt agree.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mysterious young client asks Perry Mason to represent her but will only give a code name. Gertie tells Mason that she saw a bag full of cash and when he discovers the firm she works for is being audited, he suspects that she may have embezzled them. When a would-be blackmailer winds up dead, Mason must use all his legal knowledge to keep his client away from the rigours of a full trial.

Gardner's formula is well worked out by now, but this does not stop the novel from being a fun and fulfilling mystery.

[John Bunyan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Least interesting of the series that I’ve read in a while. very little action. Mason is never on the hot seat. Lieutenant Tragg and Hamilton Burger are not involved. Boring descriptions of what the shady import export company does. Mason’s explanation of the crime in the end is the most unbelievable I’ve seen. The “36-24-36” code is silly and also hard to believe that it would have been used as it was.

It’s humorous that Gardner can use “bitch” and “pimp” as insults against characters but can’t use the word “pregnant” to describe a woman who is “…in trouble…”.

[Girard Bowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best in the series - some confusing aspects to the plot - maybe it's me, reading during my bout with bronchitis. Nonetheless, thoroughly enjoyable. If you like Perry Mason, you'll like this.

Mason: "I explain nothing."

Police: "Do you know when your client first noticed that her Bank-Americard was missing?"

Mason laughed into the telephone.

Officer: "What's so funny?"

"You are," Mason said, and hung up.

Gotta love Perry!

[Race Bannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another peculiar but interesting case for Perry
Mason. It always fascinates me how intricate
and strange the presentation of the "set up" is,
but in this case the resolution is not so clever
or at least the actual facts of the case allow
Mason to come to the conclusions that he does.

Still very dated for today's world, but an
entertaining quick read.

[Danny Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the more frustrating/unpleasant of Mason's clients muck up this tail of blackmail and murder, with one crucial piece of evidence being far too oh-so-convenient. I did appreciate Mason getting a nice fat paycheck at the end of the tale, as well as not pushing too far against the obviously duplicitous import/export company.

[Juan Carlos Santillán · Rating 3 out of 5]

”El caso de la simpática impostora" (3/5)

Una guapa muchacha acude al despacho de Perry Mason para contratarlo sin contarle nada de su problema. Junto a su secretaria, Della Street, y su amigo detective, Paul Drake, Mason se hará cargo del caso. Como siempre, ligero y fluido.

31.12.18

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A case of embezzlement and murder comes the famous lawyer’s way. But our man quickly got to the bottom of the case. Ah yes, just like in the old TV series, Perry Mason always gets the culprit in the end. Recommended

[Charles R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow the Clues

Just follow the clues, and you’ll have the killer. What is interesting is the way that Perry Mason demolishes the case against his client even before he nails the actual killer.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read back in the 70s

[Jeff Correll · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow starter, but things picked up as it went along.

[Mare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perry's mind is always fascinating to encounter.

[Carl Buehler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the better efforts

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. I remember watching Perry Mason Tv series when I was younger. So this was interesting to read one of the books that the Tv series was based on.

[James Vest · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick book, with an even quicker trip to court, the book mainly focuses on Perry Mason hunting for clues due to his client’s reluctance to share anything truthful.

[Wonderful Me · Rating 3 out of 5]

listening to audiobook is better than reading, although I sometimes fell asleep while listening. XD

[Dr Hanif Hassan Barbhuiya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Perry Mason classic.

[Bill Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perry Mason always give a glimpse of the world pre 1960. Not a lot of preaching just good story telling.

[Zara A. Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice murder mystery to get you through the day or 2 days...

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading Erle Stanley Gardner's books. There are lots of twists and turns involved with the Perry Mason series and this case kept you guessing.