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Perry Mason #26
The Case of the Golddigger's Purse
In order to help her seriously ill boyfriend, gorgeous Sally Madison sets out to separate wealthy Harrington Faulkner from some of his money by offering him a cure for his ailing exotic fish, but her plan goes awry when the fish mysteriously vanish and Faulkner turns up dead.
“You want to consult me about a goldfish?”
Perry Mason couldn’t believe his ears. Prospective clients had come to see him about many things but never a matter as seemingly silly as this.
He didn’t even have time to tell Harrington Faulkner that he wouldn’t take the case before a process server slapped on a summons and complaint for $100,000.
During the evening, a golddigger got Faulkner to write a check for $5,000.
Before two days had passed there was a murder.
And both Perry Mason and Della Street were in danger of being convicted as accessories.
“You want to consult me about a goldfish?”
Perry Mason couldn’t believe his ears. Prospective clients had come to see him about many things but never a matter as seemingly silly as this.
He didn’t even have time to tell Harrington Faulkner that he wouldn’t take the case before a process server slapped on a summons and complaint for $100,000.
During the evening, a golddigger got Faulkner to write a check for $5,000.
Before two days had passed there was a murder.
And both Perry Mason and Della Street were in danger of being convicted as accessories.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1945
132 people are currently reading
408 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,390 books828 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 67 reviews
March 28, 2022
Over the course of a long and distinguished career, Erle Stanley Gardner wrote some of the most convoluted mysteries in the history of crime fiction, perhaps none more so than The Case of the Golddigger's Purse from 1945. It starts out simply enough when the alleged golddigger, Sally Madison, attempts to play hardball with a wealthy businessman named Harrison Faulkner. Sally is attempting to get Faulkner to pony up some money so that Sally's boyfriend, Bob, who has TB, can go off somewhere for a much-needed rest that is critical to his recovery.
The story also involves two feuding businessmen, Faulkner's present and former wives, both of whom are still very much in his life, a couple of very valuable goldfish who get kidnapped (fishnapped?), a burglary, an important missing check, a passel of liars, secret formulas, a murder, a client who appears to be guilty as sin, and, of course, the golddigger's purse, which turns out to be critical to the mystery. And to top it off, unless Perry can find the truth in all of this craziness, he and his secretary, Della Street, may be on the way to prison as accessories after the fact to the afore-mentioned murder.
This is only the twenty-sixth book in the Perry Mason series, and since there are still another fifty-nine to go, we can assume that Perry is not going to be spending a lot of time in the slammer. But can he sort through this extremely confusing mess of a plot to somehow save a client who looks guilty as sin? Why would anyone even ask the question?
The story also involves two feuding businessmen, Faulkner's present and former wives, both of whom are still very much in his life, a couple of very valuable goldfish who get kidnapped (fishnapped?), a burglary, an important missing check, a passel of liars, secret formulas, a murder, a client who appears to be guilty as sin, and, of course, the golddigger's purse, which turns out to be critical to the mystery. And to top it off, unless Perry can find the truth in all of this craziness, he and his secretary, Della Street, may be on the way to prison as accessories after the fact to the afore-mentioned murder.
This is only the twenty-sixth book in the Perry Mason series, and since there are still another fifty-nine to go, we can assume that Perry is not going to be spending a lot of time in the slammer. But can he sort through this extremely confusing mess of a plot to somehow save a client who looks guilty as sin? Why would anyone even ask the question?
February 27, 2026
It might as well have been titled the Case of the World’s Most Valuable Goldfish. Out to dinner one nights that (because Perry Mason and devoted secretary Della Street are inseparable and together on and off duty), Mason is greeted by a businessman who wants to somehow engage Mason in a dispute over goldfish and a cure fur ailing goldfish. Harrington Faulkner explained: “The goldfish in question is a very fine specimen of the Veiltail Moor Telescope. The case also concerns a crooked partner, a secret formula for controlling gill disease, and a golddigger.” Referring to Sally Madison, Faulkner explained she was the golddigger. Sally, for her part, after blinking her long lashes, explains that her boyfriend Tom Gridley has tuberculosis and deserves rest and relaxation and thus she is seeing to it that Faulkner pays for the goldfish cure.
Meanwhile, Faulkner’s real estate partner sues for $100,000 for falsely claiming the partner is interfering with the valued goldfish. Intrigued by it all, Mason agrees to take a look at the goldfish, which are missing and it appears stolen, although the police do not take the case of the kidnapped goldfish too seriously, noting that goldfish aren’t people and thus can’t be kidnapped.
While Mason is running around with Sally, Faulkner is murdered in his own home with Mrs. Faulkner finding the body when Mason and Sally appear looking for Faulkner. While the wife has hysterics, Mason decides to spirit Sally Madison (the golddigger) away to a hotel because Sally is sort of now possibly the client.
The thing is that, after Della and Sally fall asleep, Della spots Sally’s purse (the legendary golddigger’s purse) flies open with a bundle of thousands of dollars and a gun (which Della mistakenly grabs in the darkness of the hotel room). She calls Mason who goes up to the room, but before they can wipe Della’s prints off the gun, all hell breaks loose with the hotel clerk throwing a fit because he thinks two loose women invited a man up and he would have none of that in his hotel.
When the police arrive, Sally walks off into the night – only to be picked up moments later by Lieutenant Tragg and it turns out the gun in the purse is the murder weapon and Mason and Della are in a jam because her prints are on it, making them possibly accessories after the fact.
Erle Stanley Gardner spent forty years penning 82 of these Perry Mason novels, often following an established formula with the opening being all sorts of misdirection until the case ends up in court following a murder. Golddigger’s purse may not be the best if these, but these novels never fail to fascinate and entertain the reader.
Meanwhile, Faulkner’s real estate partner sues for $100,000 for falsely claiming the partner is interfering with the valued goldfish. Intrigued by it all, Mason agrees to take a look at the goldfish, which are missing and it appears stolen, although the police do not take the case of the kidnapped goldfish too seriously, noting that goldfish aren’t people and thus can’t be kidnapped.
While Mason is running around with Sally, Faulkner is murdered in his own home with Mrs. Faulkner finding the body when Mason and Sally appear looking for Faulkner. While the wife has hysterics, Mason decides to spirit Sally Madison (the golddigger) away to a hotel because Sally is sort of now possibly the client.
The thing is that, after Della and Sally fall asleep, Della spots Sally’s purse (the legendary golddigger’s purse) flies open with a bundle of thousands of dollars and a gun (which Della mistakenly grabs in the darkness of the hotel room). She calls Mason who goes up to the room, but before they can wipe Della’s prints off the gun, all hell breaks loose with the hotel clerk throwing a fit because he thinks two loose women invited a man up and he would have none of that in his hotel.
When the police arrive, Sally walks off into the night – only to be picked up moments later by Lieutenant Tragg and it turns out the gun in the purse is the murder weapon and Mason and Della are in a jam because her prints are on it, making them possibly accessories after the fact.
Erle Stanley Gardner spent forty years penning 82 of these Perry Mason novels, often following an established formula with the opening being all sorts of misdirection until the case ends up in court following a murder. Golddigger’s purse may not be the best if these, but these novels never fail to fascinate and entertain the reader.
June 9, 2015
"You can't blame a client for lying, any more than you can blame a cat for catching canaries". By that line one can tell that Erle Stanley Gardner was the Scott Turow of his time, a practicing lawyer who was able to use his professional experience to create well written, compelling fiction. While Turow is arguably more of a literary read, a Perry Mason book can be relied upon to deliver a gripping mystery with some laughs and a deep appreciation of human foibles and triumph.
December 15, 2020
This novel felt like a relatively mild murder mystery compared to the one just prior to this one, of the Black-eyed Blonde, the last few lines of which heralded this plot, with a business man named Mr. Harrington Faulkner approaching Mason over a case related to his rare goldfish. The shrewd and ruthless magnate didn't seem that concerned about a defamation case slapped on him by his partner though, which eventually piqued Mason's attention. Also present there was a 'golddigger' as described by Faulkner, by the name of Sally Madison, who turns out to be person framed of murder some days later. Later on, many more characters are introduced, and for a time, Mason seemingly found his match in Dixon, which was an interesting scene to read.
The plot is quite complicated and relies on many small clues rather than one vital clue, and the number of red herrings seem to run into the double digits. Some vital clues are revealed towards the end of the book, which gives the reader not much of a chance to find out the murderer on her own. Even then, I was extremely pleased to have caught onto two important clues which did play a major role in catching the killer. Gardner also makes a point to explain two different ways of picking up fingerprints and to describe the murder scene in great details, helping the reader to get an excellent visualization. The client eventually ends up lying to Mason's face and also to the police(a grave mistake) but the lawyer rather loves such clients, pinning the trait of lying down to the clients being humans who can't tell a truth when cornered.
Even with a lengthy courtroom scene with Mason's back against the wall, Mason didn't feel like going in looking for a fight, and for the first time, I felt Mason struggling to find some clues to make his theory work in the court. Also there were a few plot points which were quite coincidential. But with all honesty, there were no major plot holes and I am tempted to give the book four stars (Della calling Mason 'darling' clinching the deal for me)
The plot is quite complicated and relies on many small clues rather than one vital clue, and the number of red herrings seem to run into the double digits. Some vital clues are revealed towards the end of the book, which gives the reader not much of a chance to find out the murderer on her own. Even then, I was extremely pleased to have caught onto two important clues which did play a major role in catching the killer. Gardner also makes a point to explain two different ways of picking up fingerprints and to describe the murder scene in great details, helping the reader to get an excellent visualization. The client eventually ends up lying to Mason's face and also to the police(a grave mistake) but the lawyer rather loves such clients, pinning the trait of lying down to the clients being humans who can't tell a truth when cornered.
Even with a lengthy courtroom scene with Mason's back against the wall, Mason didn't feel like going in looking for a fight, and for the first time, I felt Mason struggling to find some clues to make his theory work in the court. Also there were a few plot points which were quite coincidential. But with all honesty, there were no major plot holes and I am tempted to give the book four stars (Della calling Mason 'darling' clinching the deal for me)
July 21, 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 1945, but is not very good. It is just too complicated to enjoy.
The story begins one evening when Perry, Della, and Paul Drake are at a restaurant having dinner. (This is a very common beginning of stories written after 1950.) A well dressed tense-looking man gets up from a neighboring table and accosts Perry, saying he wants legal advice about some goldfish(!) Perry is amazed at the remark, but before he can say much another man walks up to the table and serves a legal summons on the first man. Evidently one Elmer Carson is suing the first man, Harrington Faulkner, for defamation of character, because Faulkner has said in public that Carson has deliberately harmed the goldfish. Thus begins the "great goldfish caper" as Paul Drake remarks.
Faulkner is dazed and returns to his table, where he was dining with a stunning young woman. He soon gets up and returns to Mason's table to explain some more.
It turns out that Faulkner is a rich ruthless businessman (a recurring character in the Perry Mason opus). His passionate hobby is raising rare goldfish called Veiltail Moor Telescopes. (Yes, there really is such a fish; look it up. It is indeed a prized fish.) He keeps them in a tank at his office that he shares with partner Elmer Carson. He thinks that Carson is deliberately giving them gill disease. (How he could do that is not so clear.)
So who is the attractive young woman? She is Sally Madison, a golddigger - but a strange one. Her boy friend Tom has developed a cure for gill disease. She is pressuring Faulkner to pay Tom a great deal of money for the cure. Being a ruthless businessman, Faulkner wants to get the cure and pay very little for it.
Mason is interested enough that he agrees to visit Faulkner's office to see the fish tanks. He, Della, Paul, and later Sally and Tom all go after dinner. They find a strange scene: the tank is empty and next to it is a soup ladle that has a section of wooden handle attached. Did someone use the ladle to reach into the tank and steal the fish? But the place was locked. Who could have done it?
Mason loses interest. Then a few days later Sally Madison contacts him again with a new development. A man named James Staunton seems to have the very same rare Veiltail Moor Telescopes in his possession. He is an insurance man acquainted with Harrington Faulkner. Mason goes with her to visit Staunton and they learn that Faulkner gave Staunton the fish! Were they never stolen at all? So then they go to visit Faulkner. Just as they arrive so does Faulkner's present wife, Jane. They enter and find Faulkner murdered. The murder scene is intricately described. The police arrive.
Thinking that Sally Madison will be a suspect, Perry tells her to leave, phone Della Street, and spend the night with her in a hotel somewhere.
This is one of the more complex and hard to follow plots in the Perry Mason opus. We soon meet the previous Mrs. Faulkner, Genevieve, and her business advisor, Wilfred Dixon. It turns out that a week or so earlier there had been an attempt on Faulkner's life that failed. A lot of people hated Faulkner.
Why is the story called the Golddigger's Purse? Near dawn in the hotel room where Della and Sally are staying, Della notices that Sally's purse contains a great deal of money and a gun. Where did Sally get these? Is this the murder weapon? Della accidentally touches it, leaving fingerprints. Tragg learns about it, and now Perry and Della are in danger of being charged as accessories in the murder!
No Hamilton Burger, a lot of Tragg, no Holcomb; instead there is a Sgt. Dorset who acts like Holcomb. Average use of Della and Drake.
Recurring themes: Perry and Della in danger of being accessories. Ruthless businessman.
The cross-examination scenes are good, even above average. The ending is disappointing. It would be very hard for the reader to guess all the important features. Indeed, it's hard to understand them all even upon rereading! To top it off, out of the blue a person named Charles Menlo is suddenly mentioned by Perry during cross examination of Lt. Tragg, then never again. Weird.
This book is just too complicated to enjoy. Some of the subplots should have been dropped. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.
The cast:
Harrington Faulkner, wealthy businessman whose one weakness is exotic goldfish.
Elmer Carson, business partner of Faulkner.
Sally Madison, the "golddigger"; wants to protect boyfriend Tom.
Tom Gridley, boyfriend of Sally Madison, has invented a cure for gill disease.
Mrs. Jane Faulkner, present wife of Harrington.
Genevieve Faulkner, ex-wife of Harrington.
Wilfred Dixon, business advisor or Genevieve.
David Rawlins, owner of the pet store that employs Tom Gridley.
James L. Staunton, insurance man, also owns a fish tank.
Miss Stanley, stenographer at the Faulkner-Carson office.
Adele Fairbanks, friend of Jane Faulkner.
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 1945, but is not very good. It is just too complicated to enjoy.
The story begins one evening when Perry, Della, and Paul Drake are at a restaurant having dinner. (This is a very common beginning of stories written after 1950.) A well dressed tense-looking man gets up from a neighboring table and accosts Perry, saying he wants legal advice about some goldfish(!) Perry is amazed at the remark, but before he can say much another man walks up to the table and serves a legal summons on the first man. Evidently one Elmer Carson is suing the first man, Harrington Faulkner, for defamation of character, because Faulkner has said in public that Carson has deliberately harmed the goldfish. Thus begins the "great goldfish caper" as Paul Drake remarks.
Faulkner is dazed and returns to his table, where he was dining with a stunning young woman. He soon gets up and returns to Mason's table to explain some more.
It turns out that Faulkner is a rich ruthless businessman (a recurring character in the Perry Mason opus). His passionate hobby is raising rare goldfish called Veiltail Moor Telescopes. (Yes, there really is such a fish; look it up. It is indeed a prized fish.) He keeps them in a tank at his office that he shares with partner Elmer Carson. He thinks that Carson is deliberately giving them gill disease. (How he could do that is not so clear.)
So who is the attractive young woman? She is Sally Madison, a golddigger - but a strange one. Her boy friend Tom has developed a cure for gill disease. She is pressuring Faulkner to pay Tom a great deal of money for the cure. Being a ruthless businessman, Faulkner wants to get the cure and pay very little for it.
Mason is interested enough that he agrees to visit Faulkner's office to see the fish tanks. He, Della, Paul, and later Sally and Tom all go after dinner. They find a strange scene: the tank is empty and next to it is a soup ladle that has a section of wooden handle attached. Did someone use the ladle to reach into the tank and steal the fish? But the place was locked. Who could have done it?
Mason loses interest. Then a few days later Sally Madison contacts him again with a new development. A man named James Staunton seems to have the very same rare Veiltail Moor Telescopes in his possession. He is an insurance man acquainted with Harrington Faulkner. Mason goes with her to visit Staunton and they learn that Faulkner gave Staunton the fish! Were they never stolen at all? So then they go to visit Faulkner. Just as they arrive so does Faulkner's present wife, Jane. They enter and find Faulkner murdered. The murder scene is intricately described. The police arrive.
Thinking that Sally Madison will be a suspect, Perry tells her to leave, phone Della Street, and spend the night with her in a hotel somewhere.
This is one of the more complex and hard to follow plots in the Perry Mason opus. We soon meet the previous Mrs. Faulkner, Genevieve, and her business advisor, Wilfred Dixon. It turns out that a week or so earlier there had been an attempt on Faulkner's life that failed. A lot of people hated Faulkner.
Why is the story called the Golddigger's Purse? Near dawn in the hotel room where Della and Sally are staying, Della notices that Sally's purse contains a great deal of money and a gun. Where did Sally get these? Is this the murder weapon? Della accidentally touches it, leaving fingerprints. Tragg learns about it, and now Perry and Della are in danger of being charged as accessories in the murder!
No Hamilton Burger, a lot of Tragg, no Holcomb; instead there is a Sgt. Dorset who acts like Holcomb. Average use of Della and Drake.
Recurring themes: Perry and Della in danger of being accessories. Ruthless businessman.
The cross-examination scenes are good, even above average. The ending is disappointing. It would be very hard for the reader to guess all the important features. Indeed, it's hard to understand them all even upon rereading! To top it off, out of the blue a person named Charles Menlo is suddenly mentioned by Perry during cross examination of Lt. Tragg, then never again. Weird.
This book is just too complicated to enjoy. Some of the subplots should have been dropped. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.
The cast:
Harrington Faulkner, wealthy businessman whose one weakness is exotic goldfish.
Elmer Carson, business partner of Faulkner.
Sally Madison, the "golddigger"; wants to protect boyfriend Tom.
Tom Gridley, boyfriend of Sally Madison, has invented a cure for gill disease.
Mrs. Jane Faulkner, present wife of Harrington.
Genevieve Faulkner, ex-wife of Harrington.
Wilfred Dixon, business advisor or Genevieve.
David Rawlins, owner of the pet store that employs Tom Gridley.
James L. Staunton, insurance man, also owns a fish tank.
Miss Stanley, stenographer at the Faulkner-Carson office.
Adele Fairbanks, friend of Jane Faulkner.
May 16, 2024
and what did the gold digger have in her purse?
The murder weapon! And two thousand in cash. And a pretty story about they got there. But she has a bulldog for a lawyer and he worries the truth from her and the incriminating evidence. And the goldfish - Ceiled Moor Telescopes - featured in the story are real!
The murder weapon! And two thousand in cash. And a pretty story about they got there. But she has a bulldog for a lawyer and he worries the truth from her and the incriminating evidence. And the goldfish - Ceiled Moor Telescopes - featured in the story are real!
July 9, 2015
Perhaps not my favorite Perry Mason, but good just the same. Perry's client is a girl trying to get money so her boyfriend can get treatment for TB and she's willing to do almost anything to help him--including keeping secrets from Mason. This is a crazy case involving rare goldfish with gill disease, a ruthless businessman with two wives (one former, one current), and lots of money. Perry's usual plan to get the suspect out of circulation nearly puts Della in jail as an accessory after the fact. Not totally "fair play" with the clues, but an excellent courtroom scene.
November 16, 2022
Major characters:
Harrington Faulkner, real estate agent and goldfish hobbyist
Jane Faulker, his second wife
Genevieve Faulkner, his first wife
Elmer Carson, real estate agent, Harrington's partner
David Rawlins, pet shop owner
Tom Gridley, pet shop employee, boyfriend of Sally Madison
Sally Madison, the elegant golddigger, and Mason's client
James L. Staunton, insurance agent
Adele Fairbanks, friend of Jane Faulkner
Alberta Stanley, stenographer for the real estate office
Wilfred Dixon, financial advisor for Genevieve Faulkner
Locale: Los Angeles
Synopsis: Real estate agent and goldfish fancier Harrington Faulkner approaches Perry Mason in a restaurant. He wants to Mason to deal with a lawsuit against him by his partner Elmer Carson. Faulkner has two problems: Carson is suing him for defamation, and Faulkner's dinner companion, sexy Sally Madison (the golddigger) is charging him more and more money for the services of her boyfriend, Tom Gridley. Gridley, a pet shop employee, has developed a secret cure for the gill disease which Falukner's exotic fish have contracted.
The defamation suit stems from Faulkner's accusal of Carson having entered their joint office and making off with a pair of his precious Veiltail Moor Telescope fish. Ownership of this fish is a bit ambiguous: while the tank is a fixure of the office (therefore jointly owned), Faulkner had placed his personal fish in it.
Their office is one half of a duplex. The other half is Faulkner's residence. Mason initially declines getting involved, but reconsiders after a call from Sally Madison. They find the fish in the possession of James L. Staunton, an insurance agent who writes policies for the Faulkner-Carson agency. They go to tell Faulkner and arrive the same time as his (second) wife, Jane Faulkner. They all go inside and find Faulkner shot to death in the bathroom. Next, Mason finds the murder gun in Sally's purse. The gun winds up with the police, and they find Della Street's fingerprints on it!
Review: My notes show I read this years ago, but I did not remember anything about this plot, certainly the most absurd I have found in the Perry Mason series. It is hard to believe, on the face of it, that so much to-do and murder occurs over two goldfish.
Some authors I like to take my time with - particularly Manning Coles (my reviews) and Leslie Charteris (my reviews) - as I enjoy their use of language so much and like to savor them slowly. But Gardner's works don't emphasize language so much as action, and once you start one you have to keep gulping it down as fast as you can until it's done.
For additional reviews indexed by author, please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!
Harrington Faulkner, real estate agent and goldfish hobbyist
Jane Faulker, his second wife
Genevieve Faulkner, his first wife
Elmer Carson, real estate agent, Harrington's partner
David Rawlins, pet shop owner
Tom Gridley, pet shop employee, boyfriend of Sally Madison
Sally Madison, the elegant golddigger, and Mason's client
James L. Staunton, insurance agent
Adele Fairbanks, friend of Jane Faulkner
Alberta Stanley, stenographer for the real estate office
Wilfred Dixon, financial advisor for Genevieve Faulkner
Locale: Los Angeles
Synopsis: Real estate agent and goldfish fancier Harrington Faulkner approaches Perry Mason in a restaurant. He wants to Mason to deal with a lawsuit against him by his partner Elmer Carson. Faulkner has two problems: Carson is suing him for defamation, and Faulkner's dinner companion, sexy Sally Madison (the golddigger) is charging him more and more money for the services of her boyfriend, Tom Gridley. Gridley, a pet shop employee, has developed a secret cure for the gill disease which Falukner's exotic fish have contracted.
The defamation suit stems from Faulkner's accusal of Carson having entered their joint office and making off with a pair of his precious Veiltail Moor Telescope fish. Ownership of this fish is a bit ambiguous: while the tank is a fixure of the office (therefore jointly owned), Faulkner had placed his personal fish in it.
Their office is one half of a duplex. The other half is Faulkner's residence. Mason initially declines getting involved, but reconsiders after a call from Sally Madison. They find the fish in the possession of James L. Staunton, an insurance agent who writes policies for the Faulkner-Carson agency. They go to tell Faulkner and arrive the same time as his (second) wife, Jane Faulkner. They all go inside and find Faulkner shot to death in the bathroom. Next, Mason finds the murder gun in Sally's purse. The gun winds up with the police, and they find Della Street's fingerprints on it!
Review: My notes show I read this years ago, but I did not remember anything about this plot, certainly the most absurd I have found in the Perry Mason series. It is hard to believe, on the face of it, that so much to-do and murder occurs over two goldfish.
Some authors I like to take my time with - particularly Manning Coles (my reviews) and Leslie Charteris (my reviews) - as I enjoy their use of language so much and like to savor them slowly. But Gardner's works don't emphasize language so much as action, and once you start one you have to keep gulping it down as fast as you can until it's done.
For additional reviews indexed by author, please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!
July 6, 2023
Bir gün Mason'a Harrington Faulkner adında bir adam gelir ve lokantada yardım ister. Bir hafta önce kurşunlandığını, ortağı Elmer Carson ile sorunlarının olduğunu, en büyük hobisi olan akvaryum balıkları ile ilgili hastalık olduğunu, bunu tedavi etmesi için Tom Gridley adında bir çocukla anlaşacağını, masasındaki Sally Madison adlı Golddigger hanımın da onun sevgilisi olduğunu söyler. Mason bu konu ile çok ilgilenmediğini söyler ve Sally'nin yanına gider. O da para sızdırmaya çalıştığını doğrular ama bunu Tom için yapmaktadır. Faulkner, ilk karısı olan Genevieve'den boşanıp Jane ile evlenmiş, ama eski karısı şirketin üçte bir hissesine sahip olduğu için kısıtlanmıştır. Ertesi gün Faulkner balıklarının çalındığını söyleyip ortalığı ayağa kaldırır. Mason, Della ve Drake ile yaptığı araştırmalar sonucunda Staunton adlı bir adama ulaşır. Onun evine gittiğinde balıkları görür. Sonra Sally ile beraber Faulkner evine gider ama kapı kapalıdır. Jane gelir ve içeri girerler. Ama Faulkner öldürülmüştür. Olay yerine Drake gelir. Sonrasında da Çavuş Dorset gelir ve Jane kötü olduğunu öne sürerek oradan ayrılır. Sally ile Della bir otele kayıt yaparlar ve ertesi gün Mason gittiğinde ortalığın karıştığını görür. Sally'nin çantasında binlerce dolar para ve bir silah vardır. Della da bu silaha dokunduğu için şüpheli olacaktır. Otelden çıkarlar ama Tragg Sally'yi yakalar ve ifadesini alır. İşin içinde Della da olduğu için Sally'nin avukatı olur. Savunma yapması zor bir dava olacaktır. Biri önceki kurşunlama olayından kalma kurşunu büyük bir akvaryumda çalmıştır. Tom cinayet günü hastadır ve evindedir. Staunton'un o gün eşinin odasındaki telefon çalışmamaktadır. Genevieve ve avukatı Dixon, hisselerini satmak veya Faulkner hisselerini almak için çalışmıştır? Carson, Faulkner evine yakın bir yerde kalmaktadır. Jane arabasını bir otoparka bırakmış ve orada pek çok sigara içmiştir. 25000 dolar para çeken Harrington, merhaba bu parayı bir çantaya koymuştur ve para kesilmiştir. Silahta sadece Sally ve Della parmak izleri vardır. Staunton ile Faulkner bir maden işine girmiştir ve Faulkner balıkları saklamasını ondan istemiştir. Katil kimdir ve cinayeti neden işlemiştir? Mermiyi kim çalmıştır? Mason Sally ve Della'yı kurtarabilecek midir? Teğmen Tragg'e düşündüklerini anlatacak mıdır? Keyifle soluksuz okunan bir roman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2018
I've got to be honest and admit I couldn't really follow the plot of this. I often can't with Perry Mason's complicated white-collar crimes - so many middle-aged businessmen with financial interest in each others' assets and over-complicated partnership deals which supply elaborate motives for murder. But I also prefer unravelling over-complex cases of fraud to wading through yet another gruesome child murder (hello, 21st century crime genre) and I just enjoy the ride through 1930s-50s crime, with its guns, blondes, cars and in the case of Perry Mason, fascinating courtroom battles.
In this particular story, it hardly helps that the main characters have the surnames of Dixon, Carson, Staunton and Madison. Or that the only one who doesn't, Faulkner, has two wives, both referred to throughout as Mrs Faulkner. At first it seems to be a case about goldfish and then it becomes a case about the aforementioned business deals. The murder itself is cleverly, if implausibly, hedged about with clues relating to the timing of phone-calls, ink-blots and the aforementioned goldfish and this could have been quite enjoyable if I had paid more attention. As it was, I drifted somnolently to the end of the story with a continual sense of vague surprise, but it was entertaining enough and as always, the courtroom scene was a cracker.
Perry and Della watch:
In this particular story, it hardly helps that the main characters have the surnames of Dixon, Carson, Staunton and Madison. Or that the only one who doesn't, Faulkner, has two wives, both referred to throughout as Mrs Faulkner. At first it seems to be a case about goldfish and then it becomes a case about the aforementioned business deals. The murder itself is cleverly, if implausibly, hedged about with clues relating to the timing of phone-calls, ink-blots and the aforementioned goldfish and this could have been quite enjoyable if I had paid more attention. As it was, I drifted somnolently to the end of the story with a continual sense of vague surprise, but it was entertaining enough and as always, the courtroom scene was a cracker.
Perry and Della watch:
September 17, 2023
Could there be a more ‘30s - ’50s term than golddigger? Anyone who has watched classic movies of that period knows exactly who she is - a woman looking for a wealthy sugar daddy. Think Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, or maybe Some Like It Hot. And generally in these films, not only is she in the market for gold, but more often than not, she also has a heart of gold.
And a good thing in this tale, since she was the only sympathetic character in this “wretched hive of scum and villainy”, as Obi-Wan expressed it so well. Harrison Faulkner has been shot, and no one seems to be particularly put out. Especially not his wife. Not surprising since the only things he cared ab0ut were a pair of black goldfish with extravagant tails and rather bulgy eyes. Seems they had some sort of fin disease, and Tom Gridley, the golddigger’s sickly boyfriend, has a cure. Which involves painting plastic screens with some sort of paste and sticking them in the fish tank. Seriously? Is that how it works?
Well apparently there are major bucks in a cure for fin disease, and everybody wants to be in on the act. So all sorts of skullduggery ensue, and all Sally Madison wants is to make sure Tom collects his payment so that they can both take off for a healthier clime to cure young Tom. But here’s Faulkner shot dead, and the murder weapon is in Sally’s purse with her fingerprints on it as well as those from, wait for it, Della Street! Let’s just say, shit starts to get real for Perry!
But, spoiler alert, anyone who has seen enough old movies know that a good hearted golddigger always comes out ahead. Let’s just say, though, that Perry is not his usually cocky self. Giving it a 4 because no fun location (generic Los Angeles residential, probably Hollywood), characters are mostly irredeemable, and Paul Drake had nothing fun to do.
And a good thing in this tale, since she was the only sympathetic character in this “wretched hive of scum and villainy”, as Obi-Wan expressed it so well. Harrison Faulkner has been shot, and no one seems to be particularly put out. Especially not his wife. Not surprising since the only things he cared ab0ut were a pair of black goldfish with extravagant tails and rather bulgy eyes. Seems they had some sort of fin disease, and Tom Gridley, the golddigger’s sickly boyfriend, has a cure. Which involves painting plastic screens with some sort of paste and sticking them in the fish tank. Seriously? Is that how it works?
Well apparently there are major bucks in a cure for fin disease, and everybody wants to be in on the act. So all sorts of skullduggery ensue, and all Sally Madison wants is to make sure Tom collects his payment so that they can both take off for a healthier clime to cure young Tom. But here’s Faulkner shot dead, and the murder weapon is in Sally’s purse with her fingerprints on it as well as those from, wait for it, Della Street! Let’s just say, shit starts to get real for Perry!
But, spoiler alert, anyone who has seen enough old movies know that a good hearted golddigger always comes out ahead. Let’s just say, though, that Perry is not his usually cocky self. Giving it a 4 because no fun location (generic Los Angeles residential, probably Hollywood), characters are mostly irredeemable, and Paul Drake had nothing fun to do.
November 26, 2018
Mixed feelings about this one. I was pretty uninterested initially, since goldfish do not fascinate me. The fish involved turn out to be real ones (see the picture in another goodreads review) but that did not count for much. But the story ends up being not really about goldfish, and it is a pretty good story.
I love the social history in these books. Everyone smokes. Cars have clutches (and one clutch provides an important clue). People remove their hats when they enter a room. A cab ride cost 80 cents; a hotel room, $6, and a day's work for a private detective paid $12.
I also some irritations with the plot. First, the minor ones. Why is Harrington Faulkner having dinner with Sally Madison when the story opens? They have no serious social connection, and he would have met with her more naturally in an office. Why is a girl of limited means like Sally carrying an alligator purse?
But the bigger issues are what keeps be from four stars, even though this was in general fun to read. The plot is very complicated, and even taking notes, it was a challenge to keep straight. But most of all, it is not worth trying to solve this your self, since the critical information to do so is not revealed until very late in the book.
If you like this series, this is worth reading (I am plowing through all of them, at least so far) but this is not one where I would start.
I love the social history in these books. Everyone smokes. Cars have clutches (and one clutch provides an important clue). People remove their hats when they enter a room. A cab ride cost 80 cents; a hotel room, $6, and a day's work for a private detective paid $12.
I also some irritations with the plot. First, the minor ones. Why is Harrington Faulkner having dinner with Sally Madison when the story opens? They have no serious social connection, and he would have met with her more naturally in an office. Why is a girl of limited means like Sally carrying an alligator purse?
But the bigger issues are what keeps be from four stars, even though this was in general fun to read. The plot is very complicated, and even taking notes, it was a challenge to keep straight. But most of all, it is not worth trying to solve this your self, since the critical information to do so is not revealed until very late in the book.
If you like this series, this is worth reading (I am plowing through all of them, at least so far) but this is not one where I would start.
December 10, 2022
I still intend to read the whole series but I need to space them out more, which is what Gardner should have done. He could probably write one better book in a year instead of forcing out two.
The plot of toys one is just too convoluted and the actions of the characters a bit ridiculous. The situation with the missing bullet, for example, is just poorly contrived.
Perry again commits a crime and involves Della and then has to get his client freed in order to save himself. But it seems to me he’s still guilty of withholding evidence and obstructing the police. But stragglers lets him off.
Plus: There is courtroom action in this one
Minus: Perry at one point tells Paul Drake to “call Della Street” and at another tells Della to “call Paul Drake”.
Later he calls Drake and says “This is Perry Mason”. This is just put writing and not the only example of where Gardner could use some editing time.
The plot of toys one is just too convoluted and the actions of the characters a bit ridiculous. The situation with the missing bullet, for example, is just poorly contrived.
Perry again commits a crime and involves Della and then has to get his client freed in order to save himself. But it seems to me he’s still guilty of withholding evidence and obstructing the police. But stragglers lets him off.
Plus: There is courtroom action in this one
Minus: Perry at one point tells Paul Drake to “call Della Street” and at another tells Della to “call Paul Drake”.
Later he calls Drake and says “This is Perry Mason”. This is just put writing and not the only example of where Gardner could use some editing time.
May 22, 2020
The Case of The Golddigger's Purse is a mystery of a wealthy man, Harrington Faulkner who is infatuated with his rare black gold fish called The Veiltail Moor Telescope. He wants to save his fishes from a disease at any cost. Sally Madison, a gorgeous Gold Digger's boyfriend has a secret medicine which can cure the fish. In order to help her seriously ill boyfriend who is suffering from TB Sally sets up a deal with Harrington Faulkner. But her plans go haywire when the fish mysteriously disappear and Faulkner is murdered. Perry Mason is compelled to defend the client, Sally Madison, of whose innocence he is not confident in order to save Della Street, his secretary from going to jail. ADMIRABLE
August 3, 2020
Two many people in this book are unnerved by the sight of a black goldfish.
This one hums along. The victim and the woman accused of his murder are really interesting, quirky characters. There are actual romantic moments between Perry and Della (at one point she calls him "darling", which made the book for me). The plot is . . . let me put it this way. Five minutes after the murder Gardner just starts shooting spitballs at the wall to see what sticks. Perry and Della have been inveigled into doing something shady in support of a client, and Perry fights like hell to keep her out of trouble. There is a nice scene at a diner between the two of them and Tragg, and Della has a lot to do (and say) for a change.
Good enough read to recommend.
This one hums along. The victim and the woman accused of his murder are really interesting, quirky characters. There are actual romantic moments between Perry and Della (at one point she calls him "darling", which made the book for me). The plot is . . . let me put it this way. Five minutes after the murder Gardner just starts shooting spitballs at the wall to see what sticks. Perry and Della have been inveigled into doing something shady in support of a client, and Perry fights like hell to keep her out of trouble. There is a nice scene at a diner between the two of them and Tragg, and Della has a lot to do (and say) for a change.
Good enough read to recommend.
March 20, 2021
One of the longest stories with as usual so many twists and turns to daze and confuse the reader as well as the police and Mason. We again see how Gardner had little respect for many police of the time as there is another over jealous and egocentric officer as the lead investigator. Many of the CSI type officers are also in for more trouble as they keep putting their first impressions into their testimony and not studying the evidence as it is rather than how they want it to be. Even Tragg gets a bit of a jab although he is respected by Mason as the smartest man on the force. He also is presented in the best light as compared to another assistant DA with lots of issues.
And as we have seen with ducks and canaries, goldfish can be ley witnesses.
And as we have seen with ducks and canaries, goldfish can be ley witnesses.
February 16, 2023
This is an early case for Perry Mason, considering it is #26 out of 82 novels and 4 short stories that featured Perry Mason. It is well written, full of fascinating details, and with the signature mark of Mason solving a case through careful observations with a little bit of luck. It is interesting to see that Perry and Della were already clearly romantically involved, and that was known to all very early on, despite the sanitized television version. That is most telling in this story since Della inadvertently leaves a fingerprint on a murder weapon in the possession of a client, putting herself in deep trouble, so Perry Mason has the motivation to stop at nothing to clear his client.
June 1, 2021
Perry Mason is the consummate professional when it comes to legalese so there was no doubting that he would bring his A game to ensure Della wasn’t inadvertently implicated in a murder trial even when his initial inclination was to have nothing to do with an obvious gold digger and some saga with rare goldfish.
Perry, Drake and Della make an excellent team and Lieutenant Tragg is gracious in having the case laid out so neatly to him.
Perry, Drake and Della make an excellent team and Lieutenant Tragg is gracious in having the case laid out so neatly to him.
July 25, 2021
This book has a pretty lame set up - a real estate businessman who is worried about his exotic goldfish getting stolen. I will be honest, and maybe it's just me, but the goldfish angle wasn't remotely interesting to me and made the first half of the book into quite a slog to read through. Things get better when the murder takes place, and although the solution had some merits, it wasn't as satisfying a solution - or book - as some of the others in the series.
May 8, 2023
Decent Perry Mason story, with a ton of clues, almost none of which are significant. Perry barely has a client through the entire story, finally ending up in court defending a murder suspect. Gardner points out how cops can get caught up hypnotised by a case and do not bother looking at other possibilities, which is handled pretty well because by this point, there are some good, smarter cops in the books.
June 18, 2024
Most of us wouldn’t be nearly as pragmatic and/or kind as Perry Mason when faced with a client who is lying through her teeth. But I guess that’s what makes him special because he believes in justice and that everyone should have fair representation. This is one of those complicated stories with a number of characters and it takes a while for Mason to figure out what’s true and what isn’t and who the murderer really is. Well worth the read.
June 14, 2025
There were parts of this book that just struck me as funny. A fully grown man who loves his goldfish more than anything else is funny, even if they are special goldfish. The fact that he was supposed to attend a "meeting of gold fish experts" made me laugh out loud. The goldfish will come up over and over again in this book which only serves to make the word goldfish funnier.
This book was a lot of fun. Was happy I was able to get it on audible.
This book was a lot of fun. Was happy I was able to get it on audible.
December 20, 2017
Is Harrington Faulkner being blackmailed, or is something more sinister going on?
Perry Mason is forced to choose sides when, in the course of protecting a witness, Della Street's fingerprints end up on a murder weapon.
Erle Stanley Gardner's iconic creation pulls the reader from one clue to the next as he uses all his skill to free his client.
Perry Mason is forced to choose sides when, in the course of protecting a witness, Della Street's fingerprints end up on a murder weapon.
Erle Stanley Gardner's iconic creation pulls the reader from one clue to the next as he uses all his skill to free his client.
September 5, 2019
The only thing that kept bothering me about this one...Why would any boss ( no matter how evil ) keep insisting that an employee suffering from TB keep coming into work. ( to expose his customers, co workers, and the very boss in question to TB...do they not understand disease transmission..you would think they lived in the middle of the 1400s instead of the 1900s)?
October 22, 2020
I love these old Perry Mason books. The author writes so well and there are so many twists and turns in the story. It’s fun to read about running boards on cars, telephone booths and finding a bank that is open to cash a check. Such a different world! I found this book at a used book store. I hope to find more to read.
August 13, 2021
I wasn't too impressed with this book. As the plot thickens, it appears to get complicated and the only person that could see the solution was Perry Mason. I think too much emphasis was placed on the gold digger & minimal on the murder itself. Even though it was all combined, too many suspects had a motive for the murder. Just a slow plot that lost my interest.
May 15, 2023
Fun little tale where Mason is consulted regarding a sick goldfish. Of course, the tale goes much further than that bit, but goldfish are very must at the center of this case where saving the life of some unusual fish may be important to Mason saving his career and that of his friends. Not the best, but still full of the usual Mason et al. fun.
May 22, 2018
Not my favorite Perry Mason. In the end the killer's motivation was explained too little for my liking and it felt a bit off. On the other hand, there's plenty of the stuff I read Perry Mason for - juggling with revolvers and goldfish and bullets and pulling a rabbit out of a hat for the client.
February 1, 2019
The case of the Golddigger's Purse
Great story but so many spelling errors! Good thing I read fast and not every word. When I caught it I started looking closer. Wow lot of errors but great story.
Great story but so many spelling errors! Good thing I read fast and not every word. When I caught it I started looking closer. Wow lot of errors but great story.
February 20, 2019
Enjoyable enough, but the plot of this one felt a little slapped together. The conclusion isn't nearly as satisfying as it is in many others. Mason's exasperatedly telling Tragg to go figure out why the killer committed the crime is pretty emblematic of the plot as a whole.
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