The Case of the Daring Decoy (Perry Mason Mystery)

Book was in excellent condition- I bought the book to read

Even without the invented majority stockholder that was seen in the show it moves right along and suggests a very definite problem. It even had the same ending as the show. I could see where the scenes concerning the invented majority stockholder and the company attorney replace the ones in the book.

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 (in the literary sense), such as Ross Macdonald, may find the writing style here off-putting. It can be 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 1957, and is rather typical of the later ones, those written after the TV show became a hit. The plot is interesting and creative, even ingenious. But it is mechanically written, with virtually no embellishment of characters or scence. The plot is centered around a proxy battle to wrest control of an oil company from the current manager and CEO named Jerry Conway. A former member of the board named Gifford Farrell is soliciting proxys via a newspaper ad. Conway receives a phone call from a mysterious woman who says she can deliver to him the list of all the people who have sent their proxies to Farrell. But she insists that Conway meet her in a hotel room alone to get the list! Conway is justifiably afraid that it's a trap to smear his reputation. Yet there is something about the woman's voice that convinces him. He goes to the assigned hotel room but finds there only a very scantily clad young woman who threatens him with a gun! A decoy? He gets the gun away from her and leaves in a panic. He soon realizes his predicament, and gets Perry Mason on the case. Before long the body of an apparently different young woman is discovered in the hotel room. Was she shot with the gun now in Conway's possesion? Conway's story sounds crazy, and he is soon arrested by the police. As the plot unfolds we meet Conway's secretary, Farrell's wife, Farrell's secretary, and a very observant female elevator operator. She never forgets a shoe. Hamilton Burger himself takes a big interest in the prosecution. There are very good courtroom scense as Perry cross-examines some witnesses and a gun expert. As I said above, the writing is spare, even mechanical. Most of the earlier stories in Gardner's long career contain little touches that pique the reader's curiosity and reveal little details about how life was lived in the middle decades of the twentieth century. Not here. There is no reference to exotic locations or long ago events. There is no emotional kick at the end, as there is in the best books. Moderate use of Della and Paul Drake, virtually none of Lt. Tragg. Exceptional use of Hamilton Burger. Recurring themes: action taking place in a hotel room. More than one gun is involved. Recommended for plot and Hamilton Burger.

For a relaxing read, curl up with a Perry Mason Always interesting, usually well-written-- although sometimes the choice of words is lax-- you can understand how Gardner was a best-seller.

Interesting but too much emphasis on red herring. Not just one, but two here.