Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Liz McCall returned to her hometown of East Aurora, New York, after her father, Hank, was nearly killed in the line of duty as the village's chief of police. Liz now helps her father run a vintage toy store while also trying to remind him he's retired and shouldn't be getting mixed up in police business, even as the new chief of police, Ken Young, reluctantly tolerates her father's help. However, when a stranger is murdered in the store, Hank becomes the primary suspect. Review: I'm not part of the Baby Boomer generation. However, when I decided to check out Death of a Toy Soldier at my local library, it was for a very boomer-like reason, the larger print. I knew nothing about the author or her work prior to reading the book. After doing so, I have to say I was surprisingly pleased. As a stand-alone mystery, it was intriguing. There were quite a few questions relating to the stranger who was found dead in the store, including his real name and why he wa...

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: Believing a string of suicides are actually murders, Sherlock Holmes fakes his own death in an effort to draw the murderer out in the open. He eventually finds himself matching wits with a cunning female villain who is using poisonous spiders to collect on the life insurance policies of her victims. Who's in it?   The movie stars Basil Rathbone , Nigel Bruce , Gale Sondergaard , Dennis Hoey and Alec Craig . You can read my review here:  Movie Review: The Spider Woman (1943) (wizzley.com)

Synopsis: Crime author Neil Broderick is writing a book about the Black Ace, a killer known for warning his victims in advance by giving them an Ace of Spades. He visits wealthy Black Ace expert Thornton Drake in Chicago, befriending Martha, the daughter of Drake's secretary Austin Winters, on the train ride there. When the Black Ace leaves a warning message in a puzzle, the group, along with two police officers, take a private plane to Louisiana. However, the threat wasn't meant for Drake and during a blackout on the plane, Winters is murdered instead. Who's in it? The movie stars Chester Morris , Vivienne Osborne , Frank McHugh , Allen Jenkins and Grant Mitchell . Review: I came across this movie on Paramount Plus early this morning and, while the description left a lot to be desired, the short runtime made it a good choice before heading into the office. Overall, I'd have to say it exceeded my expectations. I am a big fan of "locked room" mysteries 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 : 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: While on a row boat with her husband, John, Louise Haloran gets in an argument with him over his mother's will when he has a sudden heart attack and dies. Throwing his body overboard, she pretends he was called away on business and visits her mother-in-law's estate in Ireland in an effort to get her to change her mind. However, the woman's obession over her dead daughter and an axe-wielding killer bring an end to her plans. Who's in it? The movie stars William Campbell , Luana Anders , Patrick Magee , Mary Mitchel and Eithne Dunne . Review: I came across this film on one of my movie channels a couple days ago and, since it sounded interesting, decided to take the time to watch it. It wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be but it ended up being a fairly decent mystery film. The thing I liked about this movie was the way it managed to give off an eery vibe pretty much from the minute Louise (Anders) arrives at her husband's family estate. The fam...

Synopsis: Attorney Perry Mason puts his vacation plans on hold to help his newly-married ex-girlfriend when the husband she believed was deceased reappears in her life only to be murdered. Mason believes she is innocent but faces uphill odds against a district attorney willing to pull out all the stops to hand him his first defeat and her new husband's family willing to pay for a guilty verdict to minimize the scandal. Who's in it? The movie stars Warren William , Margaret Lindsay , Donald Woods , Claire Dodd and Allen Jenkins . Review: My wife and kids went to a haunted house with my brother-in-law on Friday while I opted to stay home (I won't pay money for PG-13 haunted houses). While waiting for them to get back, I decided to watch a movie and, since I enjoyed my last Perry Mason film, gave this one a try. Overall, I thought it was pretty good. I think the thing I liked best about this movie was the way all the evidence supported the accusations against Mason's ...

Synopsis: Secretly jealous of her soon-to-be-married roommate, Fay, Anita Bonsal is forced to settle for a business-like relationship with the married Carver Clements. When she finds Carter dead on the floor of his apartment with a crimson lipstick mark on his forehead, Anita decides to frame Fay for murder. She is successful, but didn't realize Fay's aunt is friends with Perry Mason 's secretary, Della Street. Review: When I checked out The Case of the Cautious Coqueutte a couple weeks ago, I didn't realize this book was a throw-in under the same cover. After discovering it, I was quick to find time to read it. After doing so, I can understand why it wasn't even listed on the cover of the book. On the surface, I think this has the potential to be a good murder mystery. The problem, however, is Erle Stanley Gardner just reveals too much information right off the bat. The best Perry Mason mysteries, in my opinion at least, are the ones where you don't know if ...

Synopsis: When department store owner John Racer Addison picks up hitchhiker Veronica Dale, pays for a hotel room for her and gives her a job, his intentions are pure. He just wants to make sure the 18-year-old is safe. However, before too long, attorney Perry Mason needs to protect his long-time client from a blackmailer who wants to make the act of charity into something more scandalous. To make matters worse, Addison's business partner, Edgar Ferrell, is found murdered and Addison's hitchhiker incident proves he was near Ferrell's house at the time of death, making him the top suspect. Review: After a short break from Perry Mason novels, I started reading this book this past weekend. It turned out to be easy to read and I was able to get through it in only a matter of a couple days. Overall, I have to say I enjoyed the book. I think the thing I liked most about this book was the mystery surrounding the "vagabond virgin," Veronica Dale. As Perry Mason himself ...

Synopsis: Wealthy business owner Harrington Faulkner is obsessed with his exotic fish and Tom Gridley has a cure for their gill disease, a situation that has allowed Gridley's girlfriend, Sally Madison, to blackmail Faulkner in exchange for keeping his fish alive. When Faulkner is shot through the heart and the murder weapon is found in Sally's purse, Perry Mason reluctantly decides to defend her against murder charges despite the fact his client continues to be less than honest with him. At stake is Della Street's future because, as a result of bad luck, her fingerprints also happen to be on the weapon. Review: I had originally started reading an autobiography earlier this week but quickly lost interest in it and started reading this library book instead. At first, I wasn't sure if I would like the book, mostly because there was a lot going on in the beginning (blackmail, a business dispute, another business dispute, possible marriage issues) but, once the book got goi...

Synopsis : After being fired as a hat check girl and not wanting to go back to her rich but controlling uncle, Stephane Olger decides to change her name to Stephane Claire and hitchhike to Hollywood for a fresh start and a shot at being a movie star. However, before getting to her destination, one of the men driving her decides to cross a line and, as she's defending herself from his amorous assault, he crashes into oncoming traffic.  She comes out of the crash with minor injuries but wakes up to find the driver has fled and left her behind the wheel of what was reported to be a stolen vehicle. With authorities reluctant to believe her story, it is up to attorney Perry Mason to prove she wasn't the one responsible for the fatal accident. His job becomes even more difficult when the man he believes was driving the car is found murdered. Review: When I started reading this book Saturday afternoon, while cooking some chicken and zucchini on the grill, I wasn't expecting to f...

Synopsis: When the wealthy Alden Leeds is committed to a mental hospital by relatives looking to protect their potential inheritance by preventing him from getting married, Leeds' niece, Phyllis, asks attorney Perry Mason to intervene, only to find out Leeds has already escaped on his own and gone into hiding. Later, a man believed to have been blackmailing Leeds is found murdered and Mason must defend his seemingly guilty client despite Alden's reluctance to tell the truth. Review: After reading this book for the past couple of days, I was finally able to finish it early this morning, while everyone else was still in bed. At first, it took me a bit to make a decision about whether or not I liked this particular mystery. After some reflection, however, I do think it was a decent book. One of the main reasons why it took me as long as it did to decide whether I liked this book was there were a lot of characters introduced, many of which had very little to do with the actual m...

Synopsis: Helen Kendal has not heard from her uncle, Franklin Shore, since he disappeared 10 years ago. So, she is surprised when a man claiming to be him calls her on the phone and asks her to bring attorney Perry Mason to meet him. This sets off a whirlwind day of events that include finding a dead body, her boyfriend being shot and her new kitten being poisoned. Review : My daughter returned to the ice rink earlier this summer and, since parents aren't allowed inside due to this COVID pandemic, I have a lot of time to read while waiting for her out in my car. As a result, I managed to make it through this Perry Mason book in near-record time. After doing so, my overall opinion of it was mixed. As far as the mystery went, I was honestly not that impressed with it. I think it's because the book threw in a bunch of red herring characters that ultimately had nothing to do with the main plot and, since it was pretty obvious what really happened to Franklin Shore, it wasn't ...

Synopsis: When Perry Mason witnesses Sarah Breel being accused of shoplifting, he decides to intervene on her behalf. When she is later hit by a car and sent to the hospital, he eventually finds himself defending her against a murder charge. Complicating matters is the defendant's insistence the accident caused her to have amnesia and she has no memory of whether or not she actually committed the crime.   Review: To be honest, when I first started reading this book, I found it a bit hard to stay interested. In fact, there was a moment when I considered just skipping to the end to find out what happened. This is mostly because I thought the book took a little too long to get to the main mystery, leaving me in doubt as to who Mason was supposed to be defending and why. However, once the book finally got going, I have to admit, I did enjoy it.  There are a couple things about this book that I really liked. The main one was the seemingly insurmountable wall Mason had to overcom...

Synopsis: After traveling the world with his secretary, Della Street, attorney Perry Mason is anxious to get back to work as soon as the cruise ship docks at home. He doesn't have to wait that long, however, because another passenger, Mrs. Newberry, wants to hire him to investigate a possible embezzlement by her husband, Carl, and protect her daughter, Belle, from the possible scandal. Things get more complicated when Carl goes overboard and the police suspect his wife of murder. Review: Our local library re-opened today, meaning I can finally visit in person. But, in the mean time, I am still working my way through the books I got through the mail from them, including this Perry Mason mystery. At first, I wasn't really sure what to think of it, especially since I was able to correctly figure out at least part of what actually happened to the victim while on the cruise ship. But, overall, this did end up being an interesting mystery. I think the thing I liked best about this p...

Synopsis : When Rita Swain asks Perry Mason to represent her sister, Rosalind Prescott, in a divorce matter, he isn't interested. However, he is curious about the seemingly injured canary Rita happens to be carrying and agrees to take the case in exchange for learning more about why. At first, he is disappointed by her story. But, when Rosalind's husband, Walter, is found murdered, he eventually winds up defending Rita against the charges. Review: When I decided to take advantage of our local library's COVID-related mail-order service, I opted to double down on Perry Mason and checked out this book as well as The Case of the Dangerous Dowager . After finishing the latter, I immediately started on this book and, overall, I have to say I enjoyed it. To tell you the truth, I did have a moment where I felt like I had to force myself to continue. The introduction of the book was a little on the dull side and I was admittedly a little confused about what, exactly, Mason was bein...

Synopsis : When Matilda Benson wants to hire attorney Perry Mason to help negotiate a payoff of her granddaughter Sylvia's gambling debt to Sam Grieb, he reluctantly agrees. However, when Grieb is eventually found murdered, Sylvia becomes the primary suspect with Mason facing charges as an accessory. The attorney must work quickly to prove his client's innocence before the police arrest him. Review: Our local library is still closed because of this COVID pandemic. However, they did start allowing people to have books mailed to them and I took advantage of that. Since I didn't really know what I wanted, I figured I would give Perry Mason another try. And, as it turns out, this book became one of my favorites from the series. Overall, this is a great locked-room mystery. There are a bunch of potential suspects, including Grieb's partner, Charlie Duncan. However, the fact there was only one entrance and eye witnesses laid out a timeline that implicated either Sylvia or M...

Synopsis: When an agitated Arthur Cartwright offers Perry Mason a large cash retainer in exchange for helping him with his neighbor, Clinton Foley's, howling dog, Mason questions his wannabe client's sanity. And, when Cartwright sends him $10,000 in cash through the mail along with a will that leaves everything to his neighbor's estranged wife, Mrs. Foley, Mason begins to doubt his client even more. However, when Clinton Foley is murdered and Mrs. Foley becomes the primary suspect, Mason realizes Cartwright was only planning ahead and does everything in his power to make sure the woman doesn't get convicted of the crime. Review:  My wife and I had some errands to run last week and, since we were near the library anyway, I decided to stop in and get a couple more books to read. I have had quite a bit of luck with Perry Mason stories and decided to stick with them. Once again, I was not disappointed. I think the thing that really impressed me about this book is th...

Synopsis: Jacqueline de Bellefort is in love with Simon Doyle and intends to marry him. When her former fiance decides to marry her rich and beautiful best friend, Linnet, instead, she becomes obsessed with ruining things for the newlyweds and follows them on their Egyptian honeymoon. When Linnet is found murdered, Jacqueline is naturally the primary suspect. But, when she is immediately cleared of the crime, it is up to the vacationing Hercule Poirot to figure out who else had motive to kill her. Review: It took me a little longer to read this book than it normally does, mostly because I didn't have as much free time the past few weeks as I normally do. I finally managed to finish this book this morning. To tell you the truth, I figured out who was responsible for Linnet's death (and, later, a couple other murders) about halfway through the book. This wasn't because of any specific clue or anything like that. Instead, Agatha Christie tends to re-use certain con...