The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde (A Perry Mason Mystery) # 4502 Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1962

good

always the best!

great just great one of gardner's best . it is a must buy.

WAY WAY WAY overprice. It was an OLD little paperback my mom found for a quarter a week later.

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 1945 are the best. This one was written in 1944, and is excellent. It opens with an attractive young blonde woman, Diana Regis, coming to Mason's office one morning dressed only in a nightgown and a fur coat -- and a black eye. She tells a story of having been out at her employer's large house the night before, where the employer, Jason Bartsler, lives with his second wife, stepson Carl, and a business associate. The ne'er-do-well stepson made heavy passes at her and punched her in the eye. She managed to escape the house poorly clad and had to walk a long way and spend the rest of the night in a train station before coming to see Mason. Meanwhile stepson Carl has convinced his mother that Diana is a "tramp" and totally at fault. Eventually Mason arrives at the house, cross-examines Carl, and convinces Jason Bartsler that Diana should be compensated for the sins of Carl.That would seem to be the end of it, but Barstsler is impressed with Mason and comes to his office the next day to tell a very different type of story. His only son Robert, by his first now deceased wife, was killed at Pearl Harbor. Robert had married a young woman named Helen, whom Jason Bartsler did not approve of, calling her a gold-digger. Jason Bartsler recently learned from an anonymous tip that apparently Robert and Helen had a baby born soon after Robert died! Helen now hates Jason Bartsler and will not even confirm that a child exists. Bartsler wants Mason to track down his missing grandchild.What does this have to do with Diana Regis? Bartsler hired detectives to keep an eye on Helen. They learned that Helen seems to have a friend, another young woman named Mildred Danville. Mildred shares an apartment with -- you guessed it -- Diana Regis. Bartsler employed Diana to gain info about Mildred.Before long Mildred Danville is murdered on the property where Helen Bartsler is living. Evidence points to Diana Regis. Sergeant Holcomb plays a strong role as Mason's foil. He even arrests Mason and Della so they can be searched for a missing diary! No diary is found since Della cleverly hid it before anyone could read it.The case goes to trial (a preliminary hearing) and there are good courtroom scenes, but not with Hamilton Burger. We eventually meet two middle aged matronly type women who may be baby sitters. What exactly was the intense relationship between Mildred and Helen? Who initially tipped off Jason Bartsler that he had a grandchild? What secret about her own past is Diana hiding? Perry manages to get the diary out from under Sgt. Holcomb's nose and eventually solve the crime.This is one of the best Perry Mason stories. It's a rapid paced page-turner of a book. There is plenty of suspense, plenty of clever interactions with Holcomb and Tragg. There is a dramatic finish as Mason speeds to prevent a second murder. The plot is not overly complicated nor far-fetched. And, as in all of the best ones, there is a special emotional kick at the end that I won't discuss, as it would be a spoiler. Highly recommended.Recurring themes: problematic second marriage; ne'er-do-well son or stepson; mining business. Mason taking chances and risking disbarment.

Got the book and it was in perfect condition, I have bought many books from you and have always been pleased with them , I would definitely buy from your company again, I Always look to see if you have it before I buy from another company and always will

An action-packed, fast-paced mystery. The client though was a rank outsider to the crux of the mystery. Much more action here than in most of Perry Mason novels.