Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: The divorced and re-married Neville Strange is persuaded to attend a holiday at the estate of Lady Tressilian at the same time as his ex-wife Audrey, despite objections from his current wife, Kay. The summer trip results in Strange telling Audrey he made a mistake and wants to return to her and the predictable fight between him and Kay results in an argument with Lady Tressilian as well. When Lady Tressilian is found murdered the following morning, Strange becomes the primary suspect and it's up to Superintendent Battle to help unravel whether the evidence is real or staged. Review: Even though I have gotten through most of Agatha Christie 's novels, there are still some that I haven't yet read. Towards Zero was on that list even though I found it at a used book sale back in December and it's been on my bookshelf since. I finally got around to reading it this week and, for the most part, I thought it was an OK book. The book does take a little bit of time t...

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: 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 ...

Synopsis: Confidential secretary Janice Wainwright comes to Perry Mason with an ethical dilemma. Her employer, Morley Theilman, has asked her to deliver a suitcase to a train station locker and not look at its contents. However, she believes her boss is being blackmailed and the suitcase is full of money. Mason accepts a $1 retainer from her, helps her confirm her suspicion of the contents and, after recording the serial numbers on some of the bills, helps her deliver it. Later, when both Theilman and his client disappear, Mason believes he was an unwitting pawn and his client and her married both ran away together. However, when he finds her in Las Vegas with Theilman's 1st wife and later learns Theilman has been murdered, Mason finds himself defending his client against the charges. Review: I picked out this Perry Mason novel from the library a few days ago and managed to finish it yesterday evening while outside barbecuing. Overall, I have to say it was an enjoyable mystery. ...

Synopsis: When Carter Gilman disappears from the breakfast table, his daughter, Muriell, investigates and discovers a broken chair, spilled paint and $10,000 on the floor of the garage. Per her father's previous instructions, she avoids calling the police and, instead, reaches out to Perry Mason . Mason learns Carter is unharmed but also comes to believe his second wife, Nancy, is being blackmailed by a detective over the legitimacy of her daughter, Glamis. When the detective is found murdered, Carter becomes the primary suspect and Mason is tasked with defending him. However, Mason's hands become tied when Carter refuses to tell him the full truth because he believes one of his family members is the real killer. Review: This was one of the books I picked up at our local library last weekend and, thanks to having time to read while barbecuing, I was able to finish it last night. To be honest, I didn't think I'd enjoy the book when I first started reading it. This is b...

Synopsis : When Ellen Robb is wrongfully terminated from her job as a lounge singer and cigarette seller and accused of stealing money, she asks Perry Mason for help. When she comes to him later with a black eye and gun planted in her bag, Mason tries to pull a fast one on her employer, George Anclitas, by switching the weapon with one he had in his safe. When his client is predictably accused of murder a short while later, Mason is surprised to learn the fatal bullet was traced back to the gun he gave her. Review: I checked this book out from our local library about a week ago and, as I suspected, it was a fairly quick read, especially since I had some free time while sitting outside grilling. I've been a bit disappointed by the last couple Perry Mason books I've read. That was not the case this time. One of the things I liked most about this book was the way it was hard to tell if his client was really innocent. As much as she liked to portray herself as a victim, it was al...

Synopsis: When Norda Allison witnesses the sadistic way her fiancé, Mervin Selkirk, slaps his son Robert, she calls off the engagement and, almost immediately, begins receiving threatening letters she assumes were sent by Mervin. She later accepts help from Mervin's ex-wife, Lorraine, and her second husband, Barton, only to find out they plan on using her as a witness in a custody hearing for Robert and, after discovering a printing press in their basement, believes they were the ones who were sending her the letters. She goes to Perry Mason for help shortly before learning Mervin has been murdered and she is the primary suspect. Review: When I first started reading this book, I was somewhat intrigued by both the title and the premise and thought it had a good chance of being one of my favorite Perry Mason mysteries. Unfortunately, after finishing it last night, I have concluded it is the exact opposite of that. I am always going to criticize a book/movie if I think it is too pre...

Synopsis: Hoping to fend off an attempt to remove him as president of the California & Texas Global Development & Exploration Company, Jerry Conway agrees to meet a mysterious caller offering him valuable information. When he arrives at the motel room, however, he is met by a half-naked woman holding a gun. He disarms her and leaves but quickly discovers the gun has recently been fired and, realizing he is being set up, calls Perry Mason . When a murdered woman is later found in that same room, Mason predictably needs to defend his new client from murder charges. Review: My wife has been working on a sewing project for the past couple of evenings, giving me plenty of time to read while waiting for her to join me in the living room. As a result, I was able to get through this murder mystery fairly quickly. It ended up being a decent choice. When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it all that much. This is mostly because the murder mystery, at...

Synopsis: Joan Kirby hires Perry Mason to cross-examine her husband, John. While his story about helping a stranded young woman, Norma Logan, find a motel room seems plausible, Mason doesn't believe him and, when a doctor running a black-market adoption agency is found severely beaten and later dies, Mason's new client becomes one of the suspects. Complicating things is the Kirby's illegally adopted son. Review : When I picked out this book at our local library a few days ago, the title and the description had me believing this would be one of my favorite Perry Mason books. After finishing it last night, I can say I didn't hate it, but it also fell far short of expectations. The overall premise wasn't a terrible one, the victim was running an illegal abortion clinic and the fact he had both Kirby and Logan written in his appointment book made Mason's client look like one of the primary suspects. Norma choosing to hire an unscrupulous attorney who was looking t...

Synopsis: When Ted Balfour is convicted of a hit-and-run manslaughter, his wealthy family hires Perry Mason to clear his name. However, when an anonymous tip results in a new charge of first-degree murder, Balfour's family wants Mason to do everything he can to save the family name, even if it means allowing his client to wrongfully be convicted. Review: My daughter's ice show is just a couple days away and, since I've been spending a great deal of time at the ice rink, I've managed to get a lot of reading in. This includes this Perry Mason mystery, which I finished yesterday evening. Overall, I have to say my opinion of it is a bit mixed. I did find the overall mystery a bit intriguing, both because of the prosecution being allowed to try Mason's client for the same crime twice (despite that being unconstitutional) and because of the way things were being stacked up against him. This included the family's "fixer," Banner Boles, blatantly lying on ...

Synopsis: The wealthy Stewart Bedford is happy to be married to his much younger trophy wife, Ann Roann, who he loves to show off in social circles. When a blackmailer calls on him and threatens to expose his wife's criminal past, Stewart decides to cave into his demands, only to be drugged and wake up in a motel room with the blackmailer's body. Perry Mason is hired to defend him against murder charges however, there is one major problem, there is evidence Ann Roann was at the motel too and may be involved. Review: My daughter has an ice show coming up in a few days and, since we've been at the ice rink a lot, I've had plenty of time to read. That includes this book, which I managed to finish up while waiting for one of her rehearsals to be over. When I first started reading this book, I honestly didn't think I would like it all that much, mostly because the author decided to start out by telling the story from the victim's perspective and introducing Perry ...

Synopsis: When Dr. Logbert Denair uses a truth serum therapy on Nadine Farr to find out what secret has been troubling her, he is both surprised and concerned when she confesses to killing someone and consults Perry Mason . Mason agrees to help the girl but the police, after receiving a tip about the confession, are quick to find corroborating evidence. Complicating things is very-public evidence tampering accusation against Mason with no way to prove he didn't do it. Review: When I checked this particular Perry Mason novel out from our library, it was done with some high expectations because I enjoyed the previous couple I had read. Unfortunately, this one really didn't live up to those expectations. The case itself was an intriguing one. The defendant seemed to believe she killed the victim (albeit by accident) and hid the evidence. However, the discovery of a second bottle of pills in the same place she disposed of the first one did create some doubt about that, along with...

Synopsis : When the United States is forced to surrender five Appalachian states to an unknown group calling themselves the Conquerors, a British scientist and two companions travel into the newly-abandoned region in search of answers. Review: I ended up checking out this book as part of a pairing with another book, Ten to the Stars . I wasn't really sure what to expect from this one but, mostly because I enjoyed the latter, I was optimistic. Unfortunately, I just didn't enjoy this one as much as I hoped I would. I actually liked the first part of this book, mostly because I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the mysterious Conquerors. I wasn't sure if they were aliens or something else but was curious why they seemed so interested in that region of the country. I also found myself wondering if maybe they were bluffing, especially since they were small in stature and seemed to want to avoid a violent confrontation. As a result of that, I did wonder what the eventual ...

I started out my year focusing on Agatha Christie books and have made it through 18 of them so far. But, I'm in the mood for a little bit more of a variety going forward so I decided to change things up a bit. I'll still read Agatha Christie in between, but I am now focusing on Humphrey Bogart. No, I don't mean I'm looking for books he wrote. To clarify, Bogart starred in quite a few films that were based off of books and I plan on reading those movie-inspiring novels. I figure, if I do that, I'll be able to read several different authors and multiple genres. I already made it through The Maltese Falcon . Next up will be The African Queen.