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The Case of the Howling Dog (Perry Mason Mystery, Pocket Book 116)
Hi! guys. If you are gonna buy this book, it is the best thing you are going to do. This book is the greatest of all the criminal and courtroom books i have ever read. This book is the perfect example of the ingenuity and imagination of its author, Erle Stanley Gardner. It is due to books like this, that he is listed in the Guiness Book Of World Records as the highest selling author of all times. I personally give this book, the highest rating possible.
The Case of the Howling Dog (Perry Mason Mystery, Pocket Book 116)
The Case of the Silent PartnerMildreth Faulkner owns a small flower shop. Her competitor, Harry Peavis, bought up a few shares in her small corporation. Now he wants to buy up control. Mildreth calls Perry Mason's office for an appointment, then visits her invalid sister Carlotta and her husband Bob. Chapter 2 explains how this nightclub with a PRIVATE door runs a racket. The witness, Esther Dilmeyer, is poisoned by candy but is found in time. Mildreth suspects Bob has given up Carlotta's shares in the corporation. There is another roller-coaster ride of a story where events pop-up as a surprise twist. Complications arise from page to page, chapter to chapter, yet the storyline stays simple to follow.In Chapter 5 Mason visits the nightclub owner's cabin, only to find the police and newspaper reporters covering his murder. Lynk was dead quite a while (the coagulation of blood and rigor mortis). Now the question is who did it from the list of suspects, or an as yet unknown person. Chapter 6 tells how a suspect could refuse to answer questions based on constitutional rights. Lieutenant Tragg plays with Mildreth like a cat with a mouse, and gets her admission (Mason represents her sister Carlotta). Mason points out that husbands and wives are more likely to kill each other than a stranger (Chapter 9). Chapter 13 explains why a claimant in a court of equity must have clean hands; illegal means, entrapment, fraud, or oppression disqualify a suit. Mason learns of facts that lead to the questioning of a witness, and the truth comes out to free his client. Mildreth recovers the missing stock and keeps her business. This all takes place in two fast-paced days. One item dates this novel: a woman wearing "light woolen stockings" (Chapter 3).
The Case of the Howling Dog (Perry Mason Mystery, Pocket Book 116)
a client calls for a will and a howling dog . the next day he runs away with his neighbors wife leaving behind the CORPSE of her husband and perry mason in a very embarrising position.or did he? must read . on of the best gardners book.
The Case of the Howling Dog (Perry Mason Mystery, Pocket Book 116)
Well plotted, and a VERY unexpected end. a must read
The Case of the Howling Dog (Perry Mason Mystery, Pocket Book 116)
Fans of Gardner's Perry Mason stories will quickly recognize that this was one of the first in the long and delightful series of stories featuring the dynamic attorney. There are also references to the economic depression that had enveloped the United States and the world, further serving to date the story in the minds of the knowledgeable reader.At this point the development of the Mason, Street and Drake characters is still in the early stages; Mason has a rough and hard edge and the two primary adversaries, police Lieutenant Tragg and District Attorney Hamilton Burger have yet to appear. Mason is very bold in working along and beyond the border of ethical and legal boundaries, a point that he acknowledges to both Street and Drake. The relationship between Mason and Street is one of affection, yet Street open criticizes Mason's tactics, something that is rarely repeated.The story itself is a modification of the episode of Sherlock Holmes where the key point is what the dog did not do. In this case, the dog supposedly howls but then later does not. This is a key point in the story and like so many others, when it is revealed the conclusion is obvious. Modern readers will be appalled at the racial slurs regarding the Chinese cook as well as the hints of his primitive mental capacity. The best way to deal with these things is to appreciate how far our society has progressed in this area and read on.
The Case of the Howling Dog (Perry Mason Mystery, Pocket Book 116)
First published in 1934, The Case of the Howling Dog was the fourth entry in Erle Stanley Gardner's long-running series featuring Perry Mason.At this point, Gardner was still in the process of establishing the formula that he would adhere to once the series hit its stride. Lieutenant Tragg, the intelligent and sympathetic homicide detective, and Hamilton Burger, the D.A. who would become Mason's principal adversary had not yet been introduced. The police department is still represented by the oafish Sergeant Holcomb, who wouldn't recognize a clue if it bit him in the backside. The D.A.'s office is represented by an assistant D.A., Claude Drumm who immediately falls into every trap that Mason so cleverly baits for him.Della Street, the faithful and adoring secretary, Paul Drake, the reliable detective, and Perry Mason himself are still evolving into the characters they would ultimately become. Mason is a bit rougher around the edges than the suave attorney that most crime fiction readers would recognize, and at this stage of the game he's much more willing to severely bend, if not actually break the law in the interest of serving what he sees as the greater good.As is often the case in this series, the plot becomes almost hopelessly convoluted: A man comes to see Mason about his neighbor's howling dog and about writing a will. Complications ensue.Suffice it to say that there will be a murder. Inevitably, Mason's client will be the prime suspect, and inevitably the case against the client will appear to be open and shut. As always, the D. A.'s office will be salivating at the chance to finally beat Mason after suffering so many ignominious defeats at his hands. And of course, as always Perry will pull the rabbit out of the hat and save the day at the very end.Obviously, this story is a bit dated and is clearly a product of its times, but it's still a fun read and an opportunity to see Perry Mason and these other characters in their formative stages.