Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: After being left a vast inheritance by her father, Jane Withersteen has become a bit of an outcast in her Mormon community by refusing to marry Tull, a Morman elder seeking to make her his second wife and claim her property as his own, and by befriending and even becoming romantically involved with the Gentiles the rest of her community despises. When Elder Tull and other Mormons try to force her submission by stealing her cattle and forcing her riders to abandon her, Jane hires Lassiter, a notorious gunman who has arrived to get revenge for the now deceased Milly Erne. Review: My local library has a large selection of westerns, mostly in their large print section, and while I usually don't bother checking any of them out, I decided to finally give the genre a try with Zane Grey's Riders of the Purple Sage.  Ultimately, I concluded the genre probably isn't for me. However, the book did prove to be a decent read. I've said this in the past, but I do like book...

Synopsis: Even though they still correspond by mail, Jane Marple hasn't seen her long-time friend, Carrie Louise in years. That changes, however, when Carrie Louise's sister, Ruth, suspects something is wrong and arranges for Miss Marple to stay at Carrie Louise's estate, Stonygates, under the pretense being a post-war charity case. Soon after arriving, Christian Gulbrandsen, Carrie Louise's stepson from a previous marriage and one of the overseers of the juvenile delinquent home located on the property, is murdered. During the course of the investigation, another sinister truth is revealed - Christian believed someone was trying to kill Carrie Louise. Review: Our library is officially closed for a month as of yesterday, but I made sure to be prepared by checking out a stack of books to hold me until it's re-opened. This included They Do it With Mirrors , which I finished reading early this morning. I think I can honestly say this was the best Miss Marple book I...

Synopsis: The residents of Chipping Cleghorn are amused by an announcement in the morning paper advertising a murder later that day at the Little Paddocks estate owned by Letty Blacklock and go to her house believing it is either a game or a prank. They are less amused, however, when someone turns off the lights at the advertised time and fires a revolver, striking Miss Blacklock in the ear before either accidentally or purposely killing himself. Local police, baffled by the motive, turn to Jane Marple and, with her insight, come to a terrifying conclusion. The dead man was nothing more than a ruse and one of the people closest to Miss Blacklock is trying to kill her. Review: Several years ago, I made reading all of Agatha Christie's mysteries one of my goals. However, I ended up taking a break from that after reading the first Miss Marple books and realizing I wasn't as big of a fan of her as I was of Christie's other detectives.  Since it had been a while, I decided to ...

Synopsis: Fran Celane comes to attorney Perry Mason for his help with her inheritance, a sum of about $1 million left to her by her father. As a result of Fran's compulsive nature and bad temper, the money is in a trust under the control of her strict uncle, Edward Norton, and with a provision that allows him to dissolve the trust and donate the majority of the money to charity if she marries before the age of 25. When attempts to have a conversation with Norton fail, Mason agrees to represent her if she contests the will. However, when Norton is killed soon after, Mason finds himself defending both Fran and her secret husband, Robert Gleason against murder charges. Review: When I read through Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason series, there were some books I wasn't able to read because of a lack of availability. This included The Case of the Sulky Girl . I was finally able to get a copy through my library this week and once I started reading it, I had a hard time putting ...

Synopsis: While Perry Mason and Della Street are out for lunch, Adelle Hastings came into the office seeking an appointment but left after a few minutes and didn't return. Soon after, her purse is found in the outer office and inside is a gun that has been fired. A phone call from an opposing attorney alerts Mason to the fact Hastings was looking for someone to represent her in a divorce settlement. However, when he and Della travel to Vegas in search of their client, she claims she wasn't the woman who came to visit them. As Mason correctly suspects, Hastings' soon-to-be-ex-husband is later found murdered, and all evidence points to her. Review: The Case of the Daring Divorcee wasn't available at my library when I was reading the Perry Mason series in order, so I wound up skipping it. Once the other books were read, however, I decided to try to locate it, and my library was finally able to acquire a copy from another library. I finished reading it and it was worth th...

Synopsis: Perry Mason doesn't make a lot of mistakes but when Diana Douglas comes into his office with $300 to retain his services but refusing to give him any information about why or even her name, just her inaccurate measurements, he realizes he should have been a bit more insistent about getting the details, especially since Diana had a travel bag full of money. Originally believing he will need to defend his young client against embezzlement charges, he soon learns he will need to defend her against murder charges when a blackmailer is found dead, and Diana's card is found at the crime scene. Review: I am still waiting for some books I have on hold at the library and, while waiting for those, continued with the Perry Mason series by checking out The Case of the Fabulous Fake . At first, I wasn't sure what to expect but it turned out to be a good choice. I think the thing I liked best about this book is the mystery surrounding Mason's client. Diana had a problem w...

Synopsis: After approaching a man who has been following her and threatening to slap him the next time she saw him, widow Selma Anson consults with attorney Perry Mason to find out the potential legal consequences of following through with her threat. A curious Mason has Paul Drake investigate and learns his client is close to marrying one of her deceased husband's best friends, the wealthy Delane Arlington. This doesn't sit well with George Findlay, a man who is planning on marrying one of Delane's nieces and doesn't want to risk losing out on the potential inheritance. Findlay is so determined to prevent the marriage, in fact, he is helping prosecutors prove Selma murdered her first husband. The evidence seems to support that accusation, and Selma doesn't help her case by attempting to flee under an assumed name. Review: I requested a book through my local library and, since they needed to have it sent from another library first, I checked out The Case of the Car...

Synopsis: Twenty years earlier, Ellen Calvert won a beauty contest, trip to California and a screen test. However, in addition to her movie career not taking off, she became pregnant via an affair with the son of a wealthy business owner in her midwestern hometown. When she was given $1000 to have an abortion, she instead decided to change her last name to Adair and disappear, arranging for her son to be secretly adopted by a couple she did housecleaning for. When people from her hometown begin searching for her, she seeks advice from lawyer Perry Mason. Then, when she learns the father is dead and her son stands to inherit millions, she asks Mason for help in that endeavor. Unfortunately for Mason, the lone witness that can verify Ellen's story is found dead and the evidence points to his client as the murderer. Review: After taking a short break from Perry Mason books to focus on the books I received as birthday gifts, I checked The Case of the Queenly Contestant out from my ...

Synopsis: While out dining with Della Street, Perry Mason learns a new waitress, Kit Ellis, has traded with another server to have his table. Suspecting she wants a consultation, Mason leaves her his card and when she visits his office the next day, she tells a strange tale about her Aunt Sophia, who lives like a pauper despite having thousands of dollars hidden away in hat boxes. Agreeing something is amiss, Mason advises Kit to leave the house immediately. Only, it is already too late. When his client returns to get her things, she is accused of stealing $100 and not long after, her aunt is assaulted, and Kit becomes the primary suspect for attempted murder. Review: After being reintroduced to Perry Mason books several days ago with The Case of the Beautiful Beggar , I decided to get the next one in the series,  The Case of the Worried Waitress . This required a short wait because our library had to order a copy, but I had it in time for the weekend. Unfortunately, while I didn'...

Synopsis: When Morley Eden purchased two parcels of land from Loring Carson and built a large home, he didn't know Carson's soon-to-be ex-wife, Vivian, had joint ownership of one of the parcels. When an attempt to discredit her as part of the divorce hearing fails, the judge awards her part of Eden's new home, and the ex-model takes full advantage of the ruling by running a barbed wire fence through the property and going out of her way to torture the bachelor by wearing skimpy bathing suits when in their shared pool and inviting other models over for lingerie shows. Perry Mason agrees to represent Eden but, when Loring Carson is found murdered, is forced to defend both him and Vivian against the charges. Review: I checked out this book from the library a couple weeks ago and, right away, became a bit concerned when I learned it was published after Gardner's death and saw the disclaimer saying it wasn't edited up to his usual standards. However, after finishing i...

Synopsis: When Kerry Dutton was given the task of managing a trust set up for a naive and irresponsible heiress, he made some moves with the money that made her more financially secure but also crossed some legal lines that could be construed as embezzlement.  He hires Perry Mason to help protect him when he comes clean but instead needs the lawyer to defend him against murder charges. Review: I had planned on taking a break from Perry Mason books. However, the library didn't have the book I was interested in reading and, while waiting for it to come in, I checked this one out. Unfortunately, the book did nothing to offset my recent disappointment with the series. This was a book I frankly had a hard time getting interested in to begin with. The talk about his client's misuse of trust funds was something I found to be kind of dull, even though there was a good chance he was lying to the lawyer and was really trying to embezzle the money. I think a big part of this was becaus...

Synopsis: When Virginia Baxter is arrested after drugs are found in her luggage at the airport, she suspects her estranged husband of setting her up. However, when the former legal secretary is approached by a stranger asking her to help him forge a will for the wealthy Lauretta Trent, Perry Mason suspects the two things are related and uncovers an attempt to murder Lauretta using arsenic. When Lauretta's car is later forced off the road and she is presumed to be dead, the evidence points to Virginia and Mason must defend her against murder charges.   Review: I haven't been a big fan of many of the Perry Mason books I've read recently, and, because of that, I had a bit of skepticism when I checked this one out from the library last week. I finished it over the weekend and, while it still wasn't one of my favorites, it was admittedly better than some of them. I thought the overall premise was intriguing, especially how Mason starts out defending Virginia from one accu...

Synopsis: When Linda Calhoun is concerned about her aunt, Lorraine Elmore, being romantically involved with Montrose Dewitt, Perry Mason recommends she talk to Paul Drake. However, he eventually decides to get involved and try to stop the aunt's impending wedding too. However, when Dewitt is murdered, Lorraine becomes the primary suspect and Mason, with the help of a young defense attorney, decides to defend her. Review: I haven't been overly impressed with many of the Perry Mason novels I've read and hoped this one would be one of the exceptions to that. Unfortunately, that didn't turn out to be the case. This book has the same problem as many other Perry Mason books I've read recently. Yes, there is evidence that connects the aunt to the murder but there is no reason why she should have been considered the only suspect. Both her niece's boyfriend (who Mason didn't like) and the aunt's business manager were at the hotel at the same time the body was f...

Synopsis: Harlow Bancroft comes to Perry Mason with a problem. He has received a blackmail letter and, believing someone has found out about his criminal past, is worried the blackmailer will ruin his stepdaughter, Rosena's, upcoming wedding. Mason agrees to help him out, even after learning the blackmailer actually has information about Rosena's fiancé's family. When things escalate and Bancroft's wife, Phyllis, is forced to shoot at one of the blackmailers in self-defense, Mason finds himself defending Phyllis against murder charges. Review: While I am determined to get through the remaining Perry Mason novels, I am finding many of the later mysteries just aren't as good as the others. Unfortunately, this book fell into that category. There are a couple things I found were disappointing about this book. One of the main ones is the title is very misleading. First, the stepdaughter isn't even the person hiding a secret, her future husband's family is and ...

Synopsis: Dorrie Ambler comes to Perry Mason with an unusual request. She needs both him and Paul Drake to examine her appendix scar so they can make a positive identification because she believes someone is trying to set her up as a patsy for Minerva Minden, an heiress that bears a striking resemblance to her. Minerva, however, has a different story - Dorrie is trying to blackmail her. When Dorrie is apparently kidnapped and a body is later found, Minerva is charged with murder and Mason decides to defend her. Review : I've read quite a few Perry Mason novels and some are more memorable than others. This one was definitely one of the more unusual ones. I think the thing I found most interesting about this book was the way it was unclear which of Mason's clients was the one telling the truth. Both told tales that seemed plausible but also a bit untruthful and it was difficult to figure out which was trying to pull the wool over Mason's eyes and why. I also liked how this b...

Synopsis:   Nancy Banks hires Perry Mason to go to the horse track and collect the money she won betting on a longshot then use some of that money to bail out her brother, Rodney, who has been arrested for embezzlement. Mason carries out the job and seeks to distance himself from his client. However, when Marvin Fremont, the man who accused her brother, is found murdered in her motel room shower, ends up defending Nancy against the charges. Review: I had a little bit of free time over the weekend and managed to sit down to read this book during that time. While I think the book fell a bit short of being one of my favorite Perry Mason mysteries, it was definitely better than some of the ones I've read recently. I think the thing I liked most about this book was the way his client just didn't seem to be anywhere near as innocent as she was claiming to be. She tried to trick Mason into believing he was the first person to find the body and even admitted to hiding evidence. While...

Synopsis : Perry Mason visits a vacationing Della Street at her aunt's house and is introduced to Dianne Adler, a former secretary who recently signed a modeling contract that will pay her $100 per week for 2 years in exchange for gaining 12 pounds. Mason believes someone is scamming Dianne and, when the modeling agency tries to break its arrangement, accepts a $1 retainer to represent her in a lawsuit. However, when the agency's owner, Harrison Boring, is beaten to death, he must defend his client against murder charges. Review : My daughter is back at the skating rink over the summer and that gives me time to read while waiting for her to get done. As a result, I made it through this Perry Mason mystery in a couple days. Unfortunately, while the book started out with a lot of potential, it didn't end up being as good as I hoped it would be. The most interesting thing about this murder mystery, in my opinion at least, is the "modeling" contract his client signed...

Synopsis: Art dealer Lattimer Rankin wants to sue Collin M. Durant for a half million dollars after Durant casually suggested Rankin sold a fake painting. Perry Mason convinces him to have the painting's owner sue Durant instead and even helps by getting a signed affidavit from model/artist Maxine Lindsay, the lone witness to the accusation. Mason, however, begins to suspect Durant of setting a clever trap and his worries seem justified when he discovers Maxine is leaving town. When Durant is found murdered in Maxine's apartment, Mason believes her when she said she didn't do it and decides to defend her in court. Review: I checked this book out from our local library a few days ago and, from the description, had high expectations for what sounded like an intriguing murder mystery. However, while the book started out well, I feel like it just didn't live up to those expectations overall. At first, I didn't think that would be the case. Maxine was acting suspiciou...

Synopsis: Door-to-door bookseller Gwynn Elston comes to Perry Mason with a problem. While making a sales call, she discovered her best friend's husband, Felting Grimes may be a bigamist living a double life as Frankline Gillett and Felting may have tried to poison her as a result. Despite the risk, Gwynn decides to try to confirm her suspicions and, instead, winds up giving a ride to a stranger who ends up leaving his gun in her car. When Frankline Gillet is found murdered the next day, she becomes the primary suspect. Review: Since I am almost to the end, I decided to make an effort to finish the rest of Gardner's Perry Mason novels and, because of that, checked out this book from the local library a few days ago. Unfortunately, while the premise sounded promising, this book did prove to be a bit of a disappointment. Mason seems to have two kinds of clients - those that are charged because the evidence makes them look guilty and those who are charged solely because they hap...

Synopsis : Already forced to work overtime on the weekend, Sue Fisher is less than thrilled when she is also asked to watch her boss' son. When the young boy brags about a "treasure" box he had gotten from his dad, a curious Sue looks inside and discovers thousands of dollars in cash. However, before she can do anything more about it, she learns Amelia Corning, the arthritic and blind company owner, has arrived two days early and she needs to pick her up and bring her to the office. When Amelia disappears with the company's sensitive papers and possibly the box of money, Sue relies on Perry Mason to defend her against pending embezzlement charges. However, when a body turns up and the evidence points to his client, Mason must defend her against murder charges too. Review: I didn't expect to finish this book over the weekend but, to my surprise, I was able to find time to read it in its entirety in a little over a day. Unfortunately, as far as Perry Mason murder ...