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Perry Mason #36
The Case of the One-Eyed Witness
Perry Mason is dining peacefully at the Golden Goose cafe when he receives a mysterious phone call. The frantic woman on the other end of the line is desperate to retain Mason's services, but suddenly vanishes during their cryptic phone conversation.
The only clues: a newspaper clipping about a blackmail case, and the combination to a safe scrawled on a paper. The case: a tangled web indeed, strung between an eccentric widower with something to hide, a sexy cigarette girl with plenty to cry about, a real estate broker with his own home on the selling block, a wife, a lover, and too many loose ends. The common denominator: murder, of course.
The only clues: a newspaper clipping about a blackmail case, and the combination to a safe scrawled on a paper. The case: a tangled web indeed, strung between an eccentric widower with something to hide, a sexy cigarette girl with plenty to cry about, a real estate broker with his own home on the selling block, a wife, a lover, and too many loose ends. The common denominator: murder, of course.
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1950
52 people are currently reading
728 people want to read
About the author
Erle Stanley Gardner
1,354 books819 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 80 reviews
December 23, 2022
Over the last forty years I've read all of the Mason novels at least once, and most several times. This is one of the best.
It was written in 1950, during probably Gardner's strongest period, roughly 1939 - 1953. The earliest novels have a distinct "film noir" feel. By 1939, Gardner was transitioning into his mature period, when he (and Mason) mellowed a bit. Later, after the TV series became a huge hit, the novels became mechanical, the writing almost sterile, though the great plots remained.
As I reread the stories, I'm constantly amazed by Gardner's creativity. This one starts uniquely, with a woman (who's name we don't learn for sure until near the end) making a frantic phone call to Perry and Della at a restaurant. She convinces Perry to wait there for a package containing money. Sure enough, it comes a short time later. How did she know they were there, as this was not a regular restaurant for them? Why is she so upset? As they wait for the package and eat, one of the young women employees tells them a strange story about HER life. Only Perry Mason would have so unusual a dinner!
Based on the contents of the package, soon thereafter Perry and Della interview a strange older man in his house, Medford D. Carlin. He seems to have no idea why they are there. Yet within hours, the house has burned down and he is dead. Is it arson?
There follows a (second?) murder and a strange bus and airplane ride to Sacramento, as the "plot thickens." Perry soon learns who his client is, the woman who sent him the package at the restaurant -- or so he thinks; the woman refuses to confirm it. Even facing the death penalty for murder, she won't say much. She refuses to say much of anything! What is she hiding?
This is one of the most puzzling of all the Mason stories, and believe me, that is saying a lot. About three quarters of the way through, I was forming some hypotheses about what was going on. I was partially right, but no one -- no one -- could possibly figure out the whole story, or even most of it, before the revelation. In that sense, it is bit unfair, which is why I do not give it five stars.
Oh yes, about the "one eyed witness". Perry's client, the woman defendant, who rode to Sacramento, was apparently seen by another woman on the bus. But this witness says she (the defendant) got on the bus about half way, not in LA as she claims. That fits into the prosecution's theory of the murder. The witness appears in court with an odd bandage over her eye. A sudden eye disease? And why did she hurriedly order a new pair of glasses? She is quite sure of herself on the witness stand and contemptuous of Perry.
Mason doesn't pull any switches of evidence and is never in any legal jeopardy, unlike in many of the better novels. There is bit of flirting with Della. Paul Drake doesn't do much. There is some good Burger and Tragg but not exceptional. The "Case of the Angry Mourner" is also named for a difficult witness.
We learn that Lt. Tragg is built like a boxer: "a tall, well-knit man, whose shoulders bore the unmistakable stamp of a trained boxer." Mason smokes Raleighs.
The plot is ingenious. I wonder if it was based on some actual news story? Twenty-first century readers will need to keep in mind that this was written in 1950, soon after the end of World War II. It was a different culture in some ways.
There is no reference to exotic locations or long ago events. There aren't many suspects. There is not much emotional kick at the end, as there is in the best books, because we never get to know the client very well.
Recommended.
Recurring themes: a sharp-witted young woman who tries to outwit Mason. That also occurs in the Lazy Lover and the Angry Mourner.
Characters:
Pierre, waiter at the restaurant where the story opens.
Medford D. Carlin, rather mysterious, urbane man, whose house soon burns down.
Arthman D. Fargo, real estate agent with many plans.
Myrtle Fargo, wife of Arthman.
Helen Hampton, woman mentoned in a newpaper clipping.
Celinda Gilson, friend of Arthman Fargo.
Mrs. Newton Maynard, the one-eyed witness.
It was written in 1950, during probably Gardner's strongest period, roughly 1939 - 1953. The earliest novels have a distinct "film noir" feel. By 1939, Gardner was transitioning into his mature period, when he (and Mason) mellowed a bit. Later, after the TV series became a huge hit, the novels became mechanical, the writing almost sterile, though the great plots remained.
As I reread the stories, I'm constantly amazed by Gardner's creativity. This one starts uniquely, with a woman (who's name we don't learn for sure until near the end) making a frantic phone call to Perry and Della at a restaurant. She convinces Perry to wait there for a package containing money. Sure enough, it comes a short time later. How did she know they were there, as this was not a regular restaurant for them? Why is she so upset? As they wait for the package and eat, one of the young women employees tells them a strange story about HER life. Only Perry Mason would have so unusual a dinner!
Based on the contents of the package, soon thereafter Perry and Della interview a strange older man in his house, Medford D. Carlin. He seems to have no idea why they are there. Yet within hours, the house has burned down and he is dead. Is it arson?
There follows a (second?) murder and a strange bus and airplane ride to Sacramento, as the "plot thickens." Perry soon learns who his client is, the woman who sent him the package at the restaurant -- or so he thinks; the woman refuses to confirm it. Even facing the death penalty for murder, she won't say much. She refuses to say much of anything! What is she hiding?
This is one of the most puzzling of all the Mason stories, and believe me, that is saying a lot. About three quarters of the way through, I was forming some hypotheses about what was going on. I was partially right, but no one -- no one -- could possibly figure out the whole story, or even most of it, before the revelation. In that sense, it is bit unfair, which is why I do not give it five stars.
Oh yes, about the "one eyed witness". Perry's client, the woman defendant, who rode to Sacramento, was apparently seen by another woman on the bus. But this witness says she (the defendant) got on the bus about half way, not in LA as she claims. That fits into the prosecution's theory of the murder. The witness appears in court with an odd bandage over her eye. A sudden eye disease? And why did she hurriedly order a new pair of glasses? She is quite sure of herself on the witness stand and contemptuous of Perry.
Mason doesn't pull any switches of evidence and is never in any legal jeopardy, unlike in many of the better novels. There is bit of flirting with Della. Paul Drake doesn't do much. There is some good Burger and Tragg but not exceptional. The "Case of the Angry Mourner" is also named for a difficult witness.
We learn that Lt. Tragg is built like a boxer: "a tall, well-knit man, whose shoulders bore the unmistakable stamp of a trained boxer." Mason smokes Raleighs.
The plot is ingenious. I wonder if it was based on some actual news story? Twenty-first century readers will need to keep in mind that this was written in 1950, soon after the end of World War II. It was a different culture in some ways.
There is no reference to exotic locations or long ago events. There aren't many suspects. There is not much emotional kick at the end, as there is in the best books, because we never get to know the client very well.
Recommended.
Recurring themes: a sharp-witted young woman who tries to outwit Mason. That also occurs in the Lazy Lover and the Angry Mourner.
Characters:
Pierre, waiter at the restaurant where the story opens.
Medford D. Carlin, rather mysterious, urbane man, whose house soon burns down.
Arthman D. Fargo, real estate agent with many plans.
Myrtle Fargo, wife of Arthman.
Helen Hampton, woman mentoned in a newpaper clipping.
Celinda Gilson, friend of Arthman Fargo.
Mrs. Newton Maynard, the one-eyed witness.
June 27, 2020
Terrific read! This was the first Perry Mason novel I've read and I'll definitely pick up more when I see them.
At a club for a late dinner with secretary Della Street, a mysterious phone call comes for Perry from a distraught woman. Before he can get any specifics from her she drops the phone on her end. An envelope containing over five hundred dollars is then delivered to his table as his retainer for services. An extremely tangled tale follows with Perry working closely with Paul Drake and his men, a suspicious bachelor, an equally odd real estate agent, a missing woman, and the title character.
This was a read I could not put down and featured several great twists and turns.
Given the old television series, I was expecting only a court room battle, but that's only the last quarter of the book. Very clever plot with great characters and excellent dialogue. I need to read more by Gardner.
At a club for a late dinner with secretary Della Street, a mysterious phone call comes for Perry from a distraught woman. Before he can get any specifics from her she drops the phone on her end. An envelope containing over five hundred dollars is then delivered to his table as his retainer for services. An extremely tangled tale follows with Perry working closely with Paul Drake and his men, a suspicious bachelor, an equally odd real estate agent, a missing woman, and the title character.
This was a read I could not put down and featured several great twists and turns.
Given the old television series, I was expecting only a court room battle, but that's only the last quarter of the book. Very clever plot with great characters and excellent dialogue. I need to read more by Gardner.
January 28, 2016
This Perry Mason is great. There is a bit of everything you read them for, the court room haggling, sparring between Lt.Tragg and Perry, Clients that hide the truth and obvious 1940s mindsets. This one also has some hilarious and improbable scenes that delighted me.
My favorite is a bit of dialogue between Perry and an officer who is trying to pull Perry over for speeding. I will get an accurate quote here later, but the main just is as follows
'Hey, Buddy Where's the Fire?"
"1690 Delaney St."
"In all my years on the force, no speeder has ever given the right address..."
My favorite is a bit of dialogue between Perry and an officer who is trying to pull Perry over for speeding. I will get an accurate quote here later, but the main just is as follows
'Hey, Buddy Where's the Fire?"
"1690 Delaney St."
"In all my years on the force, no speeder has ever given the right address..."
April 24, 2024
I always enjoy these, Mason, Street, and the PI Drake are all great characters and the cases are always interesting. This one is interesting but the conclusion is one of the silliest and flimsiest I've read in any of the ones I've read so far. Definitely hurt it a bit for me, a lot of things that only fit together if you stomp on them while looking at them kind of cross eyed. Basically a woman, out of the blue, phones Mason at a restaurant to tell him a package was coming and she wanted him to do a favor for her, then she fell silent. The package was around 500 bucks and a newspaper clipping that he was to show to someone. It all ends up with Mason sticking his neck out like usual when arson and murder takes place around him.
Recommended over all, not one of his best by any means but even a lesser Mason is a good read.
Recommended over all, not one of his best by any means but even a lesser Mason is a good read.
February 18, 2024
When Two Dramas Finally Intersect
In the first chapter, you are introduced to two dramas that seem unrelated. By the time you get halfway through the book, you’ve forgotten about one of the dramas and are focused on the other one. Only at the end of the book do you come to appreciate the connection between the two.
If you have watched the episodes of the Perry Mason TV series, you might wrongly conclude that reading the books is a waste of time. First of all, the solution in the TV series episodes doesn’t always come out the same as in the books. Second, the TV series, while entertaining, does not begin to do justice to the novels. Indeed, in a 60-minute episode that is punctuated with commercial breaks, it would be quite impossible to do justice to the complex plots of the novels. This book is a case in point.
And by the way, in the books, the killer doesn’t get up and confess in court. That happens only in the TV series for dramatic effect.
In the first chapter, you are introduced to two dramas that seem unrelated. By the time you get halfway through the book, you’ve forgotten about one of the dramas and are focused on the other one. Only at the end of the book do you come to appreciate the connection between the two.
If you have watched the episodes of the Perry Mason TV series, you might wrongly conclude that reading the books is a waste of time. First of all, the solution in the TV series episodes doesn’t always come out the same as in the books. Second, the TV series, while entertaining, does not begin to do justice to the novels. Indeed, in a 60-minute episode that is punctuated with commercial breaks, it would be quite impossible to do justice to the complex plots of the novels. This book is a case in point.
And by the way, in the books, the killer doesn’t get up and confess in court. That happens only in the TV series for dramatic effect.
January 14, 2025
Not like his other books.
August 22, 2017
This otherwise enjoyable book was spoiled for me by the casual racism on which the plot was based.
December 23, 2021
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE CASE OF THE ONE-EYED WITNESS
While out for dinner with Della Street, Perry Mason gets a call from an unidentified person wanting to hire him for a job. She's even arranged for some money for a retainer to be delivered to him at the restaurant—she just needs him to act on some information included with the cash. It's a matter of life and death, she says, before the call ends.
Trying to earn his (pretty small) retainer, after he gets the delivery, Mason tries to track down his new client—and then he completes his assignment.
In the course of trying to figure out who his client is, Mason comes across a murder, and then another. He finally finds someone who he thinks is the client—and she denies that up until she gets arrested for murder, and then she's more than ready to hire him.
Mason goes up against the Washington Generals of the legal system, Hamilton Burger and Lt. Tragg, as well as some pretty clever witnesses in his efforts to get to the bottom of this mystery. But while things frequently look grim for his client, it's a sure bet that Mason will make sure justice is done.
PERRY MASON, MICROMANAGER
So Paul Drake is supposedly one of the best P.I.'s around—he's got a sizeable agency of capable detectives, too. But you wouldn't know it, the way that Mason ordered him around the investigation. I was taken aback by it, I have to say. It'd be different if this was Drake's first case for Mason—or at all—but for a guy with his kind of experience? Sorry, Perry, trust the man to do it right.
THERE'S A LOT OF UGLY HERE
This was originally published in 1950, and you can tell in many ways. One of which is the casual usage of ethnic slurs about Japanese people. It's not the first time I've read a book from this era (or earlier), I know this stuff is there—and I normally wince and move on. But it seemed a bit heavy in this book. I think—I don't know, but I think—it's there purposefully. That doesn't make it easier to read. But if I'm right, it allows me to want to read more Gardner.
The reason I think the racist language is intentional is that prejudice against Japanese people is at the core of the plot—I'm not saying it's a hate crime. But this story is only possible in a society where this prejudice is this prevalent.
I don't know why I'm being cagey with spoilers for a book seven decades ago, but old habits, I guess.
At the end of the day, I can still enjoy this and see the racism as a disturbing cultural relic. And maybe as a sign of how far we've come (though, we obviously have further to go).
NOSTALGIA TRIP
As best as I can remember, a few months after I fell in love with the Perry Mason show in syndication, I girded my loins and crossed that line between the "Juvenile" and "Adult" shelves at my library for the first time to see if I could find some books by the guy listed in the credits. They didn't have a complete set—but boy howdy, they had a lot of them. A few years later, when we moved to a new city, I was disappointed to see that their Gardner collection was smaller—but at least they had a couple I hadn't read.
For some reason, about the time I left college, I stopped hunting down unread novels and stopped re-reading them, too. I've thought about dipping my toes back in, but hadn't gotten around to it. Until a couple of months ago and I found myself in front of a large selection of used paperbacks—including one that was new to me.
Reading this took me back—from the list of the Cast of Characters through to the end, it was like stepping back into a world I'd forgotten. I remembered the characters (and how they differed from their TV portrayals), the snappy dialogue, and quiet humor. I got a huge hit of nostalgic warm and fuzzies from reading this one.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE CASE OF THE ONE-EYED WITNESS?
I don't think this was one of Gardner's best, but it's like what they say about pizza. Even if it's bad, it's still pretty good. And this wasn't bad—it just wasn't great.
I do think the plot was unnecessarily convoluted, but it was necessary to get Mason exposed to everything he needed to lead up to the big gotcha moments in the courtroom, and to Mason solving it. It was a satisfying conclusion, too. Enough that I don't care about how complicated the trip to the conclusion was.
I had a great time reading this—and I think anyone who loves a good bit of courtroom drama will, too. If you haven't read a Perry Mason novel before, this might not be the best one to start with. But you should give one of them a shot—I can't imagine it'll be another two-and-a-half decades before I try another.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE CASE OF THE ONE-EYED WITNESS
While out for dinner with Della Street, Perry Mason gets a call from an unidentified person wanting to hire him for a job. She's even arranged for some money for a retainer to be delivered to him at the restaurant—she just needs him to act on some information included with the cash. It's a matter of life and death, she says, before the call ends.
Trying to earn his (pretty small) retainer, after he gets the delivery, Mason tries to track down his new client—and then he completes his assignment.
In the course of trying to figure out who his client is, Mason comes across a murder, and then another. He finally finds someone who he thinks is the client—and she denies that up until she gets arrested for murder, and then she's more than ready to hire him.
Mason goes up against the Washington Generals of the legal system, Hamilton Burger and Lt. Tragg, as well as some pretty clever witnesses in his efforts to get to the bottom of this mystery. But while things frequently look grim for his client, it's a sure bet that Mason will make sure justice is done.
PERRY MASON, MICROMANAGER
So Paul Drake is supposedly one of the best P.I.'s around—he's got a sizeable agency of capable detectives, too. But you wouldn't know it, the way that Mason ordered him around the investigation. I was taken aback by it, I have to say. It'd be different if this was Drake's first case for Mason—or at all—but for a guy with his kind of experience? Sorry, Perry, trust the man to do it right.
THERE'S A LOT OF UGLY HERE
This was originally published in 1950, and you can tell in many ways. One of which is the casual usage of ethnic slurs about Japanese people. It's not the first time I've read a book from this era (or earlier), I know this stuff is there—and I normally wince and move on. But it seemed a bit heavy in this book. I think—I don't know, but I think—it's there purposefully. That doesn't make it easier to read. But if I'm right, it allows me to want to read more Gardner.
The reason I think the racist language is intentional is that prejudice against Japanese people is at the core of the plot—I'm not saying it's a hate crime. But this story is only possible in a society where this prejudice is this prevalent.
I don't know why I'm being cagey with spoilers for a book seven decades ago, but old habits, I guess.
At the end of the day, I can still enjoy this and see the racism as a disturbing cultural relic. And maybe as a sign of how far we've come (though, we obviously have further to go).
NOSTALGIA TRIP
As best as I can remember, a few months after I fell in love with the Perry Mason show in syndication, I girded my loins and crossed that line between the "Juvenile" and "Adult" shelves at my library for the first time to see if I could find some books by the guy listed in the credits. They didn't have a complete set—but boy howdy, they had a lot of them. A few years later, when we moved to a new city, I was disappointed to see that their Gardner collection was smaller—but at least they had a couple I hadn't read.
For some reason, about the time I left college, I stopped hunting down unread novels and stopped re-reading them, too. I've thought about dipping my toes back in, but hadn't gotten around to it. Until a couple of months ago and I found myself in front of a large selection of used paperbacks—including one that was new to me.
Reading this took me back—from the list of the Cast of Characters through to the end, it was like stepping back into a world I'd forgotten. I remembered the characters (and how they differed from their TV portrayals), the snappy dialogue, and quiet humor. I got a huge hit of nostalgic warm and fuzzies from reading this one.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE CASE OF THE ONE-EYED WITNESS?
I don't think this was one of Gardner's best, but it's like what they say about pizza. Even if it's bad, it's still pretty good. And this wasn't bad—it just wasn't great.
I do think the plot was unnecessarily convoluted, but it was necessary to get Mason exposed to everything he needed to lead up to the big gotcha moments in the courtroom, and to Mason solving it. It was a satisfying conclusion, too. Enough that I don't care about how complicated the trip to the conclusion was.
I had a great time reading this—and I think anyone who loves a good bit of courtroom drama will, too. If you haven't read a Perry Mason novel before, this might not be the best one to start with. But you should give one of them a shot—I can't imagine it'll be another two-and-a-half decades before I try another.
June 11, 2017
Stars: 4 / 5
Recommendation: For everyone who have fetish for courtroom drama, this is the lawyer's case files that one would definitely want to read.
The Case of the One-Eyed Witness is the 36th installment of the Perry Mason series by Erle Stanley Gardner published in 1950.
The case opens with a phone call that Perry mason receives at the restaurant he and Della were having dinner from a woman who urges him to go meet a certain Medford D. Carlin with a message to find a new partner and that a package with money and details were going to be delivered to him. While they were pondering on it, a cigarette girl at the restaurant drops by their table and inadvertently talks about her Japanese heritage and that a person posing as the father of her baby had released the baby in for adoption some four years ago. A few hours after Perry Mason and Della deliver the message to Medford D. Carlin, Carlin's house gets burned down and a dead body is found in the house - who looks very much like Carlin. Firemen rule it out as a homicide and Lieutenant Tragg is assigned to the case. Why was Carlin killed? Detective Paul Drake's men had reported that they had seen a woman enter the house a little before the bomb went off. Who was that woman? Did she plant the bomb? Who was the woman in the first place who had called Perry Mason at Golden Goose restaurant? Are both these woman the same?
Baffled at how the events of the night were turning, Mason along with Paul and Della trudge forward in unraveling this very weird case, with Lieutenant Tragg hot on their trail - for whichever lead they turn up, that lead ends up getting killed. How will they unravel it? What will they find? Will they know who their client is eventually? Will she be the one to kill all those people?
The weird case of cat and mouse chase but in this case Mason chasing two mice - one his client and one the murderer - continues the rest of the plot. It is very interesting to see how Mason unravels all this although there are a few scenes that are very elaborate and could have been shortened. Other than that another successful Perry Mason mystery that thoroughly keeps you gripped.
Spoiler Alerts:
1) The book being written in 1950, 9 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, it was surprising to see still that the Japanese weren't treated well. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised at all.
2) I am always interested in learning the old English and do come across in period setting books or in older books. Some of them I came across here:
a. Chevy was spelled as "Chevvie" then. I suppose it got further shortened as years passed.
b. Mason uses the phrase "blue funk" to depict the depressed state of the caller on the phone.
c. Bird dog - another phrase not commonly used lately, meaning a gun dog trained to retrieve birds.
d. I have heard "act your age" being used a lot, but never "be your age" which I see it being used in this book.
e. One of the characters Celinda Gilson uses the phrase "you're trying to thimblerig something…". The word thimblerig made me pause and look it up. Per Wiki it is an olde world word for "Shell Game" or "Three Shells and a Pea". Very interesting history behind this word can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_game
3) Some of the inventions that the characters talk about in this book seem so rudimentary now, yet they are the powerful ancestors of today's technology:
a. Two-way radio cars that Lieutenant Tragg finds a great invention.
4) Lieutenant Tragg uses the phrase "Elemental, my dear Miss Street" which so close to "Elementary, my dear Watson" used by the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Of course it is said that he never used that phrase although one has to read all works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to see the truth. I am digressing now. But what I was trying to point out is that Erle Stanley Gardner mimicked the phrase in this book. :)
5) Grammatical / Historical / Location / Character Errors:
a. On Pg. 83, fourth line from top, there is a word "se" in the beginning which doesn’t connect to the previous word in the sentence above nor the word next. Wonder what the author wanted to mention here.
6) The TV episode based on this book had quite a few changes yet kept the basic essence of the case:
Perry Mason 1- 23 The Case of the One-Eyed... by perry-mason1
Recommendation: For everyone who have fetish for courtroom drama, this is the lawyer's case files that one would definitely want to read.
The Case of the One-Eyed Witness is the 36th installment of the Perry Mason series by Erle Stanley Gardner published in 1950.
The case opens with a phone call that Perry mason receives at the restaurant he and Della were having dinner from a woman who urges him to go meet a certain Medford D. Carlin with a message to find a new partner and that a package with money and details were going to be delivered to him. While they were pondering on it, a cigarette girl at the restaurant drops by their table and inadvertently talks about her Japanese heritage and that a person posing as the father of her baby had released the baby in for adoption some four years ago. A few hours after Perry Mason and Della deliver the message to Medford D. Carlin, Carlin's house gets burned down and a dead body is found in the house - who looks very much like Carlin. Firemen rule it out as a homicide and Lieutenant Tragg is assigned to the case. Why was Carlin killed? Detective Paul Drake's men had reported that they had seen a woman enter the house a little before the bomb went off. Who was that woman? Did she plant the bomb? Who was the woman in the first place who had called Perry Mason at Golden Goose restaurant? Are both these woman the same?
Baffled at how the events of the night were turning, Mason along with Paul and Della trudge forward in unraveling this very weird case, with Lieutenant Tragg hot on their trail - for whichever lead they turn up, that lead ends up getting killed. How will they unravel it? What will they find? Will they know who their client is eventually? Will she be the one to kill all those people?
The weird case of cat and mouse chase but in this case Mason chasing two mice - one his client and one the murderer - continues the rest of the plot. It is very interesting to see how Mason unravels all this although there are a few scenes that are very elaborate and could have been shortened. Other than that another successful Perry Mason mystery that thoroughly keeps you gripped.
Spoiler Alerts:
1) The book being written in 1950, 9 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, it was surprising to see still that the Japanese weren't treated well. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised at all.
2) I am always interested in learning the old English and do come across in period setting books or in older books. Some of them I came across here:
a. Chevy was spelled as "Chevvie" then. I suppose it got further shortened as years passed.
b. Mason uses the phrase "blue funk" to depict the depressed state of the caller on the phone.
c. Bird dog - another phrase not commonly used lately, meaning a gun dog trained to retrieve birds.
d. I have heard "act your age" being used a lot, but never "be your age" which I see it being used in this book.
e. One of the characters Celinda Gilson uses the phrase "you're trying to thimblerig something…". The word thimblerig made me pause and look it up. Per Wiki it is an olde world word for "Shell Game" or "Three Shells and a Pea". Very interesting history behind this word can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_game
3) Some of the inventions that the characters talk about in this book seem so rudimentary now, yet they are the powerful ancestors of today's technology:
a. Two-way radio cars that Lieutenant Tragg finds a great invention.
4) Lieutenant Tragg uses the phrase "Elemental, my dear Miss Street" which so close to "Elementary, my dear Watson" used by the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Of course it is said that he never used that phrase although one has to read all works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to see the truth. I am digressing now. But what I was trying to point out is that Erle Stanley Gardner mimicked the phrase in this book. :)
5) Grammatical / Historical / Location / Character Errors:
a. On Pg. 83, fourth line from top, there is a word "se" in the beginning which doesn’t connect to the previous word in the sentence above nor the word next. Wonder what the author wanted to mention here.
6) The TV episode based on this book had quite a few changes yet kept the basic essence of the case:
Perry Mason 1- 23 The Case of the One-Eyed... by perry-mason1
February 1, 2024
Another fun court room mystery romp featuring Perry and the gang. This time Mason is hired by an unknown woman over the telephone, who of course ends up suspected and tried for a murder – of her husband in this case. A classic adoption scheme is also involved, resulting in a confusion of who is related to whom. Of course, Perry himself is suspected as an accessory to the crime.
June 21, 2022
Molto interessante, come sempre. Però per una volta non ho capito il finale, è tutto molto intrecciato. Un po perché strano ma vero i personaggi non mi sono rimasti bene in testa, quindi spesso non capivo chi fosse la Fargo per esempio o chi fosse Carlin. E quest'ultimo ancora non riesco a ricordare chi sia. Ma poi quando Mason spiega il tutto a Della, e che sarebbe la soluzione anche per noi non ne vengo a capo. Quindi la sua testimone è davvero quella che gli ha mandato il plico? è davvero colpevole? e la testimone guercia se ho ben capito è l'amante di uno dei personaggi quello che inizialmente serve il The a Della e Mason?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2021
This installment of the Perry Mason series starts off in a unique manner, with Mason having a quite dinner with his secretary, Della, when a mysterious woman calls him on the restaurant telephone to desperately plead to him about taking her case and accepting a package that she had sent via a messenger. Mason, being the inquisitive man that he is, waits for the package and in the meantime, another lady bumps into the lawyer secretary duo, telling a very personal and emotional story about a Japanese kid. Having been written in 1950, the book brought out the usual discrimination and persecution against Japanese Americans during and after the Second World War.
The plot is easily one of the most complicated that I have come across in the series so far, and two murders certainly amps up the sinister vibes. And, as usual, the police is unable to connect the two cases together. To be fair, Mason is also found shooting in the dark for a majority of the court scene and it is only towards the end that he is able to unravel the webs of deception to get at the truth. The all important reveal feels like a let down given the buildup just prior to it. Somehow a Mason monologue explaining the intricacies of how the crime was committed seems less exciting than the same thing being revealed via cross examination of witnesses.
Mason's client, for the umpteenth time, is found innocent at the very end. I honestly wonder if ESG ever wrote a Mason book where his client was the criminal after all. But no complaints on that front, as Mason is at his best when he is pushed against the wall and sees a tiny opening that he can barge through, which wouldn't be the case if his client was actually guilty. In this case, it does look like Mason's fast thinking and actions, for once, have blown up in his face, but it is his 'being on the front foot' attitude that helps him pull through at the end.
Overall, I would have rated the book an usual 4 stars, had it not been for a below par reveal. The plot being really complicated didn't help much in this case.
The plot is easily one of the most complicated that I have come across in the series so far, and two murders certainly amps up the sinister vibes. And, as usual, the police is unable to connect the two cases together. To be fair, Mason is also found shooting in the dark for a majority of the court scene and it is only towards the end that he is able to unravel the webs of deception to get at the truth. The all important reveal feels like a let down given the buildup just prior to it. Somehow a Mason monologue explaining the intricacies of how the crime was committed seems less exciting than the same thing being revealed via cross examination of witnesses.
Mason's client, for the umpteenth time, is found innocent at the very end. I honestly wonder if ESG ever wrote a Mason book where his client was the criminal after all. But no complaints on that front, as Mason is at his best when he is pushed against the wall and sees a tiny opening that he can barge through, which wouldn't be the case if his client was actually guilty. In this case, it does look like Mason's fast thinking and actions, for once, have blown up in his face, but it is his 'being on the front foot' attitude that helps him pull through at the end.
Overall, I would have rated the book an usual 4 stars, had it not been for a below par reveal. The plot being really complicated didn't help much in this case.
May 10, 2019
Seemingly by chance, Perry Mason receives a mysterious phone call in the Golden Goose Night Club: a restaurant he had picked at random. The call brings him to a house which, a few hours later, is set alight. When a dead body is found in the embers, Mason races to uncover the culprit because this time it's his head in the nose.
Gardner's fast paced thriller is chock full of witty dialogue and a mystery which, in the manner of all good mysteries, makes complete sense when the crime is explained.
Gardner's fast paced thriller is chock full of witty dialogue and a mystery which, in the manner of all good mysteries, makes complete sense when the crime is explained.
April 2, 2021
Well well what a load of fun! This was my first read in the Perry Mason world and no way will it be my last! This was fast moving, entertaining, funny at times and absolutely captivating. Time to hunt down some more!
July 17, 2012
This is a classic Perry Mason Book and one of his first book that I had read.
WIll keep you on your toes till the finale
WIll keep you on your toes till the finale
September 12, 2015
Definitely one of the better novels in the Perry Mason series. Not so formulaic, and the style is more colorful and descriptive.
February 17, 2023
Well, you would never guess who committed the murder!
💥 Recommended.
🟣
📺
💥 Recommended.
🟣
📺
September 7, 2025
The Case of the One-Eyed Witness
Perry Mason accepts a client over the telephone, and delivers a message on her behalf; but soon, the person he delivered the message to his dead, and his client is both under arrest, and denying that she hired him. He represents her anyway, of course.
I liked this novel. Partly, that's just good luck on its part, because this is the first Perry Mason novel I've read with Lieutenant Tragg in it, and I really like Lieutenant Tragg---while Hamilton Burger tends to come off as incompetent and limited, Tragg is a fantastic foil; he's friendly (up to a point), he keeps his cool in the face of Mason's (sometimes rather tedious, let's be honest) “wit,” and is at times more than a match for him; several of Mason's carefully set plans simply fall on their face thanks to him, which is necessary if there's supposed to be any actual tension, and absent from several of the earlier novels. So that was a welcome surprise.
But also, this is genuine propulsive, and does things right that aren't always done right across the series. Gardner returns, again and again, to the idea of Perry Mason getting in trouble; the idea that he has to fight not just for his client, but to ensure that he himself is not prosecuted or debarred. But while Gardner loves the idea, he only sporadically can think of convincing reasons it should be so, leading to novels where Perry acts in bizarre ways for no clear reason except that the author needs him to do something that could come back to bite him. This is one of the more successful examples---the things Mason does make sense, but they still cause problems for him.
It does things wrong, too---I like Perry Mason to listen to on my walks, but I think Gardner simply wrote too many novels to produce masterpieces. Here, the client is a cypher, and the trick that Mason uses to get to the truth would be more at home in an Encyclopedia Brown story than a “real” mystery novel.
Finally, I'll say that although I can't really give my thumbs up or thumbs down on the matter---I'm a White dude, after all---it's a lot less clear to me than it seems to be to some other reviewers that the novel is intended to be racist. It uses racism as a plot point---the idea that having Japanese ancestry could ruin someone's life in post-WWII America is an accepted fact---but Perry Mason doesn't exactly look at the camera and say he thinks that's a good thing, does he? And, admittedly, he doesn't give a speech condemning it, either, but while Erle Stanley Gardner wasn't perfect on those issues, he was a real lawyer who specialized in helping impoverished Mexican and Chinese clients, so make of that what you will.
Perry Mason accepts a client over the telephone, and delivers a message on her behalf; but soon, the person he delivered the message to his dead, and his client is both under arrest, and denying that she hired him. He represents her anyway, of course.
I liked this novel. Partly, that's just good luck on its part, because this is the first Perry Mason novel I've read with Lieutenant Tragg in it, and I really like Lieutenant Tragg---while Hamilton Burger tends to come off as incompetent and limited, Tragg is a fantastic foil; he's friendly (up to a point), he keeps his cool in the face of Mason's (sometimes rather tedious, let's be honest) “wit,” and is at times more than a match for him; several of Mason's carefully set plans simply fall on their face thanks to him, which is necessary if there's supposed to be any actual tension, and absent from several of the earlier novels. So that was a welcome surprise.
But also, this is genuine propulsive, and does things right that aren't always done right across the series. Gardner returns, again and again, to the idea of Perry Mason getting in trouble; the idea that he has to fight not just for his client, but to ensure that he himself is not prosecuted or debarred. But while Gardner loves the idea, he only sporadically can think of convincing reasons it should be so, leading to novels where Perry acts in bizarre ways for no clear reason except that the author needs him to do something that could come back to bite him. This is one of the more successful examples---the things Mason does make sense, but they still cause problems for him.
It does things wrong, too---I like Perry Mason to listen to on my walks, but I think Gardner simply wrote too many novels to produce masterpieces. Here, the client is a cypher, and the trick that Mason uses to get to the truth would be more at home in an Encyclopedia Brown story than a “real” mystery novel.
Finally, I'll say that although I can't really give my thumbs up or thumbs down on the matter---I'm a White dude, after all---it's a lot less clear to me than it seems to be to some other reviewers that the novel is intended to be racist. It uses racism as a plot point---the idea that having Japanese ancestry could ruin someone's life in post-WWII America is an accepted fact---but Perry Mason doesn't exactly look at the camera and say he thinks that's a good thing, does he? And, admittedly, he doesn't give a speech condemning it, either, but while Erle Stanley Gardner wasn't perfect on those issues, he was a real lawyer who specialized in helping impoverished Mexican and Chinese clients, so make of that what you will.
April 18, 2024
Two apparently separate murder investigations become entangled as Perry isn't even sure who his client is. And why does a hat check girl tell him about her stolen infant given up for adoption? Insanely complex plot kept me guessing until the end. Courtroom theatrics are, as usual, spectacular.
I am developing a particular hatred for the Los Angeles DA's office portrayed in these novels; DA Burger and his minions routinely manipulate evidence, brainwash witnesses, conceal exculpatory evidence, and care more about winning than justice. Their institutionalized malfeasance is appalling, as is Burger's rage that anyone would have the temerity to expose it. Burger's ulcers are because Perry keeps publicly humiliating him and the reputation of the government; the fact that he repeatedly almost sends innocent people to jail or the gas chamber causes him not one iota of guilt. If I were Burger, I would be paralyzed by the thought that in the hundreds of cases that Perry wasn't there to see that justice was done, a large percentage of innocent people were railroaded. Perhaps I am cynical, but I have no doubt that such behavior was common then, and little better now.
The Perry Mason novel I want to read is one where Burger is implicated in a murder, wrapped in a seemingly inescapable web of circumstantial evidence. Burger enlists Perry's aid and watches his former minions and police use every scummy trick to send their boss to the gas chamber. And in the final courtroom scene, I would like Perry to deliberately fail to flip the evidence, lose, and then whisper to Burger as he's being dragged to his fate, "Now you know what your innocent victims felt like. Stew on that till you fry." Then on the day after Burger is executed, Perry would give the real story to the press, allow himself to be disbarred, and go live happily ever after with Della.
I am developing a particular hatred for the Los Angeles DA's office portrayed in these novels; DA Burger and his minions routinely manipulate evidence, brainwash witnesses, conceal exculpatory evidence, and care more about winning than justice. Their institutionalized malfeasance is appalling, as is Burger's rage that anyone would have the temerity to expose it. Burger's ulcers are because Perry keeps publicly humiliating him and the reputation of the government; the fact that he repeatedly almost sends innocent people to jail or the gas chamber causes him not one iota of guilt. If I were Burger, I would be paralyzed by the thought that in the hundreds of cases that Perry wasn't there to see that justice was done, a large percentage of innocent people were railroaded. Perhaps I am cynical, but I have no doubt that such behavior was common then, and little better now.
The Perry Mason novel I want to read is one where Burger is implicated in a murder, wrapped in a seemingly inescapable web of circumstantial evidence. Burger enlists Perry's aid and watches his former minions and police use every scummy trick to send their boss to the gas chamber. And in the final courtroom scene, I would like Perry to deliberately fail to flip the evidence, lose, and then whisper to Burger as he's being dragged to his fate, "Now you know what your innocent victims felt like. Stew on that till you fry." Then on the day after Burger is executed, Perry would give the real story to the press, allow himself to be disbarred, and go live happily ever after with Della.
July 20, 2023
Perry Mason ve Della Street bir akşam Paul Drake'in tavsiye ettiği bir yerde yemek yerken telefon gelir. Heyecanlı bir kadın ona para yolladığınız söyleyip avukatı olmasını ve yardım etmesini söyler. Medlin adında bir adamla ilgilidir. Mekanda Helen adındaki bir görevlinin çocuğunun kaybolduğunu söylemesi ile ilgilenmeyen Mason, Medlin ile görüşür. Ondan şüphelenir ve Paul ile konuşarak evi tarassut altına aldırır. Ama gece evde bir yangın çıkar ve yaşlı bir adam cesedi bulunur. Medlin olduğu düşünülür. Teğmen Tragg olay yerine gelir ve sonra Mason'ı bulur. Bu arada Mason da kimliğini bilmediği müvekkilini arar. Bazı çalışmalardan sonra Fargo ailesinden şüphelenir. Myrtle Fargo ile görüşemez ama kocası ile görüşür. Elindeki kağıtta yazan şifre onun kasasının şifresidir. Açamaz ve evden çıkar. Öğleden sonra Della ile gelince kapıda cesedini bulur ve Tragg de gelir. Myrtle'ın Sacramento otobüsüne bindiğiniz öğrenen Mason, yola çıkar. Otobüsteki tanıklar ile görüşür ama Maynard adındaki kadın sorun çıkaracak gibidir. Myrtle her şeyi inkar eder. Ama ona benzeyen birini herkes görmüştür. Mahkemede Hamilton Burger zafer kazanacağına emin gibidir. Hatta Mason bile meşru müdafaa düşünmektedir. Ama Maynard'ın gözlüklerinin yanında olmaması her şeyi değiştirir. Ayrıca öldü zannedilen Medlin de ölen Fargo'nun kız arkadaşının evinde yakalanır. Tek gözü kapalı gelen Maynard'ın ifadesi paramparça olur. Katil kimdir ve Helen'in bu işle ilgisi nedir? Medlin'in evindeki ceset kimdir? Fargo'yı kim öldürmüştür? Otopark görevlisi kimi görmüştür? Mason müvekkilini kurtarabilecek midir? Bir çocuk çetesi mi vardır? Myrtle'ın oğlu kimdir? Soluksuz okunan bir roman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2017
My husband and I have been watching episodes of the Perry Mason TV show, so I was curious to see what the books are like. I had a hard time getting into the story. The plot was scattered at first and Mason didn't seem to know what he was doing. It became more interesting when they finally entered the courtroom.
The writing was difficult to get used to. Often Gardner would use a comma instead of a conjunction, which threw off the rhythm of the sentence. Also, the conversations were primarily dialogue with very little description. Afterwards, Mason would fill in the discrepancies from his observations. I felt that if those observations had been written in throughout the dialogue, I would have read the scene differently and been able to draw my own conclusions. So much of the fun of reading a mystery is trying to solve it myself.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this story and may even read another in the future. But, I still prefer Agatha Christie.
The writing was difficult to get used to. Often Gardner would use a comma instead of a conjunction, which threw off the rhythm of the sentence. Also, the conversations were primarily dialogue with very little description. Afterwards, Mason would fill in the discrepancies from his observations. I felt that if those observations had been written in throughout the dialogue, I would have read the scene differently and been able to draw my own conclusions. So much of the fun of reading a mystery is trying to solve it myself.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this story and may even read another in the future. But, I still prefer Agatha Christie.
October 10, 2017
‘The Case of the One-Eyed Witness’ by Erle Stanley Gardener bugged me plenty in the end. As I read through the book I thought I was steaming to a socko ending. Instead it was more of a smelly sock.
Gardner slowly ambles through a perplexing number of events that seem to go nowhere or connect. The story, characters, settings seem good. Then comes the ending. All that stringing along and Gardner couldn’t unstrung some and better spell out conclusions in a better planned story. There’s a lot of fluff to get through to have the narrative at the end undo a bunch and retell to a conclusion that couldn’t have been figured out until the last few pages.
The writing is, otherwise, good. It’s the plotting that is pure stinky socks.
Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 3 out of ten points.
Gardner slowly ambles through a perplexing number of events that seem to go nowhere or connect. The story, characters, settings seem good. Then comes the ending. All that stringing along and Gardner couldn’t unstrung some and better spell out conclusions in a better planned story. There’s a lot of fluff to get through to have the narrative at the end undo a bunch and retell to a conclusion that couldn’t have been figured out until the last few pages.
The writing is, otherwise, good. It’s the plotting that is pure stinky socks.
Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 3 out of ten points.
March 3, 2020
Sottogenere giudiziario del genere hard boiled. Una delle innumerevoli storie che riguardano l’avvocato Perry Mason, in questo caso impegnato a difendere una cliente di cui fino alla fine non conosce l’identità. La storia procede senza grandi sussulti, secondo uno schema ben collaudato: i protagonisti attraversano vari rovesciamenti di fortuna e piccoli colpi di scena, fino ad arrivare alla risoluzione finale, ovviamente per mezzo di una geniale intuizione del protagonista. Nel complesso svolge il suo compito di intrattenere e di raccontare il marcio che sottende ad una società superficialmente brillante e “per bene” come quella losangelina. Unica nota per il lettore degli anni Duemila: insopportabile il ruolo riservato alla segretaria Della, trattata sempre con condiscendenza e secondo i canoni del più becero maschilismo. Negli anni Cinquanta, probabilmente, ci si faceva meno caso.
June 11, 2025
There are countless twists and turns in this story, and also the requisite miraculous coincidences, leaps of faith on the part of Mason, and snap decisions that prove, usually, helpful in the end. And in the end, all those disparate threads are gathered together into a satisfying ending.
As usual, Mason spends money like it's water in the cause of justice to the point that one wonders how he can keep his practice afloat. All the usual tropes are here in this book, and that's pretty much what we've come to expect from Gardner's depiction of the legendary lawyer and his crew.
I was wondering throughout the book about how the title would come into play. The one-eyed witness doesn't make an appearance until the final chapters. A more on-point title would have been appropriate.
As usual, Mason spends money like it's water in the cause of justice to the point that one wonders how he can keep his practice afloat. All the usual tropes are here in this book, and that's pretty much what we've come to expect from Gardner's depiction of the legendary lawyer and his crew.
I was wondering throughout the book about how the title would come into play. The one-eyed witness doesn't make an appearance until the final chapters. A more on-point title would have been appropriate.
July 22, 2020
This is the first Perry Mason book I've read and really enjoyed it. I'm currently watching the tv series on CBS Justice channel so it's interesting to see how they compare to the book. Erle Stanley Gardner had a great writing technique and obviously with being a lawyer as well as an author knew how to create and write Perry Mason.
A great build up of characters and the courtroom scenes between Mason and Hamilton Burger are quite hilarious in parts, which the tv shows showed perfectly.
Now I've read one Perry Mason book, I want to read them all. Highly recommended and very addictive. 👍👍 10/10
A great build up of characters and the courtroom scenes between Mason and Hamilton Burger are quite hilarious in parts, which the tv shows showed perfectly.
Now I've read one Perry Mason book, I want to read them all. Highly recommended and very addictive. 👍👍 10/10
August 5, 2017
This was written nine years before the TV series began, but it's impossible for me to read a Perry Mason novel without hearing the voices of Raymond Burr, William Hopper, Barbara Hale, and company. I'm sure that helped my enjoyment of this book. The gimmick of Mason receiving an anonymous phone call and not even knowing the identity of his prospective client added to the mystery. The conclusion felt overly complex to me, but otherwise, this is an adequate 1950's mystery to read on a plane.
August 12, 2025
Dopo tutti i telefilm visti da bambino su Perry Mason ho letto uno dei libri da cui erano stati tratti.
Ricordo ancora la deposizione della testimone guercia (parola non proprio di moda, oggi...) nel telefilm con Raymond Burr .... emozionante ... ma ero proprio un bambino.
Il libro? Ritmo serrato, niente pause, sembra già una sceneggiatura (o un fumetto..!). Forse anche troppo...
Ma erano tanti anni fa...
Ricordo ancora la deposizione della testimone guercia (parola non proprio di moda, oggi...) nel telefilm con Raymond Burr .... emozionante ... ma ero proprio un bambino.
Il libro? Ritmo serrato, niente pause, sembra già una sceneggiatura (o un fumetto..!). Forse anche troppo...
Ma erano tanti anni fa...
January 14, 2022
One of the reasons I enjoy reading these Perry Mason books so much is his cultural and historical perspective of the time. It's truly authentic and that appeals to me more than a historian's account of a time period. This book, written in 1950, told of anti Japanese-American views held by many in Los Angeles.
March 3, 2025
I seem to read the Perry Mason series in threes, just enough to entertain and educate myself before taking a break. This novel is an excellent example of his work with strange happenings, odd clues, and surprising misdirections, but it's also a genuine case that's impossible to guess the outcome of.
November 24, 2017
Another of those cases where Gardner narrates the red herring throughout the book, suddenly springing the real story at the very end. To be fair though, he does leave a hint at the very beginning, which gets its rightful place in the story, after Mason's super smart brain guesses the real solution!
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