Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: When Horace Warren wants to pay Perry Mason $500 to attend a dinner party, the lawyer isn't interested but ultimately accepts because Della Street wants to go. Horace is concerned his wife, Lorna, is the victim of a blackmailer and wants Mason to size up the guests. He even agrees to let Paul Drake pose as a caterer so fingerprints can be collected. Mason ultimately tracks down the blackmailer but, before he can confront Collister Gideon, Horace is accused of murdering him. Review: As I near the end of this book series, I keep hoping I find one last gem that reminds me why I became a Perry Mason fan to begin with. Unfortunately, this book was yet another disappointment for me. There were two things I found I really didn't like about this book. One of the main ones was the fact it took until chapter 15 of a 22-chapter book for the murder to happen. Even under ideal circumstances, the murder investigation would have felt rushed. Even after the murder does occur, the f...

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 : When wealthy Peter Laxter died in a fire, he left a provision in his will that guaranteed his faithful caretaker, Charles Ashton, a job and a place to live for the rest of his life. However, when Peter's grandson, Sam, one of his heirs, insists the caretaker give up his beloved cat, Ashton goes to attorney Perry Mason for help. Out of pity, Mason takes the case for a fee of $10. However, things prove much more complicated than he expected when Ashton and a witness are both murdered and he ultimately ends up defending the fiance of Peter Laxter's disinherited granddaughter. Review: After being somewhat disappointed by The Case of the Counterfeit Eye , I wasn't planning on reading any more Perry Mason books for a while. However, when I was at the library a few days ago, I couldn't find the two books I intended to check out and, since I had a time crunch (I had just gone grocery shopping and there was perishable food in the car), I wound up checking out ...

Synopsis : When Eva Belter, the wife of a tabloid newspaper financier, walks into Perry Mason's office, his secretary, Della Street, has a bad feeling about the woman. However, Mason accepts Eva's retainer and immediately begins to take steps to protect his new client from a scandalous scene that could result in negative publicity both for her and the politician she may have been having an romantic dinner with. When Eva's husband is later found murdered and Eva claims Mason was the man who shot him, he must decide between remaining loyal to his client or save his own skin. Image Courtesy of Pixabay Review: I was in the mood to change things up a little bit when I was at the library a couple days ago and realized I had never attempted to read a Perry Mason book before. So, in addition to another Agatha Christie novel, I ended up checking out this book as well. At first, I wasn't really sure if it would be a book I would enjoy, mostly because, while I have wa...