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Despite the fact that Mrs. Theilman professes to care only about financial security, not her husband Morley's love life, his secretary, Janice Wainwright, tries to play down her attractiveness to avoid jealousy. Nevertheless, when Morley is found dead, the prosecution claims that he and Janice were having an affair and she killed him to steal money he entrusted to her.Tags
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Each time I read a Perry Mason book I am reminded of how much better they are than the television show. This one has a shapely ex-wife, a curvaceous wife, and a very nice on the eyes secretary, a murdered boss and husband, and a business partner. Perry Mason manages to save his client even though even he isn't sure he can pull it off.
A complex but interesting case for Perry. One of the few in the late part of the series that actually gets to a jury trial.
"Do you think your husband knew his secretary was attractive?" Perry Mason asked.
"Of course he knew, and if he didn't make passes at her, he was just a plain damn fool. Further more, I think she was pretty much in love with him then, and I know she's in love with him now."
And you don't resent it?"
"Look, Mr. Mason," said the Second Mrs. Theilman, "let that woman or any other woman start trying to get her hands into my security, and I'll jerk the rug out from under so fast that she won't know when she hit the floor."
Mrs. Theilman rose and walked towards the door. "Thank you very much, Mr. Mason," she said, "for all that you've told me."
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you more."
"You've told me more -- more perhaps than you realize." And with show more that she gently closed the door. show less
"Of course he knew, and if he didn't make passes at her, he was just a plain damn fool. Further more, I think she was pretty much in love with him then, and I know she's in love with him now."
And you don't resent it?"
"Look, Mr. Mason," said the Second Mrs. Theilman, "let that woman or any other woman start trying to get her hands into my security, and I'll jerk the rug out from under so fast that she won't know when she hit the floor."
Mrs. Theilman rose and walked towards the door. "Thank you very much, Mr. Mason," she said, "for all that you've told me."
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you more."
"You've told me more -- more perhaps than you realize." And with show more that she gently closed the door. show less
Janice Wainwright approaches Perry with her boss' suitcase that she thinks contains ransom money. Perry helps her follow her boss' instructions. When the boss is found murdered, Janice becomes the suspect because she had some of the ransom money in her possession. In court, Perry leads Hamilton Burger into a trap and again proves his client is innocent.
I loved the way this one ended.
read 23 March 2015
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Author Information
863+ Works 30,659 Members
Mystery writer Erle Gardner was born on July 17, 1889 in Malden, Massachusetts. In 1902, he had moved to Oroville, CA. His parents could not afford to send a second son to college, so he worked in a legal office as a clerk reading law. He spent a short time at Valparaiso University in Indiana but had to drop out because of an illegal boxing show more exhibition. He continued to travel throughout California and read law at several law offices and finally passed the bar in 1911, at the age of 21. He married Natalie Francis Beatrice Talbert on April 9, 1912. In 1916, he formed the Law Firm of Orr and Gardner in Venture, CA. Gardner used many pseudonyms such as Charles Green, Kyle Corning and Grant Holiday. While working as an attorney, he began writing fiction. In 1921, "Nellie's Naughty Nighty" was published in the pulp magazine Breezy Stories. He had a goal of writing 100,000 words a month and would sometimes write two or more stories a day. In 1923, "The Shrieking Skeleton" was sold to the Black Mask Magazine. In the 1930's, Gardner had two manuscripts that were rejected and than "rediscovered" by Thayer Hobson, the president of the William Morrow Publishing Company, and rewritten as courtroom mysteries. During this process, the character Perry Mason was born. In 1933, the first Perry Mason book was written, "The Case of the Velvet Claws." The next one was entitled "The Case of the Sulky Girl" and they were followed by more than eighty additional Mason mysteries. Gardner died on March 11, 1970. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Kurvikas varjo
- Original title
- The Case of the Shapely Shadow
- Original publication date
- 1960
- People/Characters
- Perry Mason; Della Street; Paul Drake; Janice Wainwright; Morley Theilman; Day Dawns Theilman (show all 8); Carlotta Theilman; Hamilton Burger
- Dedication
- Marshall Houts is making a great contribution in the field [legal medicine] and so I dedicate this book to my friend Marshall Houts.
- First words
- Della Street, Perry Mason's confidential secretary, opened the door of the lawyer's private office, then stood facing the lawyer, her shapely hips pressing the palms of her flattened hands against the door leading to the rece... (show all)ption room.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"And what the newspaper characterizes as some of the fastest legal legerdemain that was ever pulled in a local courtroom," Della Street said, proudly reading an excerpt from the newspaper account.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- ISBNs
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- ASINs
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