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A pretty waitress is accused of stealing $100 from her wealthy aunt's hatbox, and a blind pencil-seller earns enough to come to work in a taxicab. Erle Stanley Gardner is the King of American mystery fiction. A criminal lawyer, he filled his mystery masterpieces with intricate, fascinating, ever-twisting plots. Challenging, clever, and full of surprises, these are whodunits in the best tradition. No wonder fans have made Gardner the #1 best selling mystery writer of all time.Tags
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Katherine "Kit" Ellis lived back East with her parents. Her father made good money and was footing the bills for her education, clothes and other expenses. When both parents were killed in a car accident, Katherine decided to accept an invitation from her Aunt Sophia and come to L.A. to live with her aunt in hopes of completing her education. Katherine had been writing to her aunt and was under the impression the woman had money and could help Kit with her education.
When Kit arrived she found a different situation. She was staying with her aunt but she also needed to get a job to cover her expenses and hopefully afford to get her own apartment. Not having ever worked before, Kit landed a waitress job and was learning the ropes. show more Meanwhile she was also noticing some strange thing about her Aunt Sophia.
Seems Aunt Sophia had married a Gerald Atwood. Atwood had recently died and his ex-wife was claiming all property that Atwood owned. There was a question of the legality of Atwood's divorce and remarriage.
Things really break open when Sophia is assaulted in her home. Kit is the immediate suspect, and things become worse when she is accused of stealing money from the woman. The accuser is a 'friend' of Sophia.
Perry Mason steps in to solve the mysteries involved.
I've enjoyed Perry Mason since I was a kid and I wasn't let down with this book. show less
When Kit arrived she found a different situation. She was staying with her aunt but she also needed to get a job to cover her expenses and hopefully afford to get her own apartment. Not having ever worked before, Kit landed a waitress job and was learning the ropes. show more Meanwhile she was also noticing some strange thing about her Aunt Sophia.
Seems Aunt Sophia had married a Gerald Atwood. Atwood had recently died and his ex-wife was claiming all property that Atwood owned. There was a question of the legality of Atwood's divorce and remarriage.
Things really break open when Sophia is assaulted in her home. Kit is the immediate suspect, and things become worse when she is accused of stealing money from the woman. The accuser is a 'friend' of Sophia.
Perry Mason steps in to solve the mysteries involved.
I've enjoyed Perry Mason since I was a kid and I wasn't let down with this book. show less
This was okay. Not really enough clues to go on for the reader, and still not sure how Perry figured it all out, but it was still an entertaining read.
A rather muddled case involving a blind woman, her double, and some corporate espionage.
A pretty waitress is accused of stealing $100 from her wealthy aunt's hatbox, and a blind pencil-seller earns enough to come to work in a taxicab.
Katherine Ellis, entered Perry Mason's office, smiled at Della Street and asked: "What did you want to see me about, Mr. Mason?"
"Sit down, Katherine,"" Perry said. "Have you heard anything from your aunt today?"
Katherine shook her head.
"Have you heard anything about her?"
"About her? Why? Is there something I should know?"
"Your aunt was assaulted sometime last night -- apparently by an intruder who struck her on the head with a big five-cell flashlight and ..."
"Why that's my flashlight," Katherine exclaimed.
The door to the outer office opened and Police Lt. Tragg came walking in. "How do you do, Della," he said. "Hello, Perry. You'll pardon me for coming in unannounced, but I take it this is Katherine Ellis. I'm sorry to state that I show more have a warrant for her arrest for assault with intent to commit murder -- and the charge may be changed to murder!" show less
"Sit down, Katherine,"" Perry said. "Have you heard anything from your aunt today?"
Katherine shook her head.
"Have you heard anything about her?"
"About her? Why? Is there something I should know?"
"Your aunt was assaulted sometime last night -- apparently by an intruder who struck her on the head with a big five-cell flashlight and ..."
"Why that's my flashlight," Katherine exclaimed.
The door to the outer office opened and Police Lt. Tragg came walking in. "How do you do, Della," he said. "Hello, Perry. You'll pardon me for coming in unannounced, but I take it this is Katherine Ellis. I'm sorry to state that I show more have a warrant for her arrest for assault with intent to commit murder -- and the charge may be changed to murder!" show less
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877+ Works 30,738 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
- The Case of the Worried Waitress
- Original title
- The Case of the Worried Waitress
- Original publication date
- 1966
- People/Characters
- Perry Mason; Della Street
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Statistics
- Members
- 206
- Popularity
- 159,130
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.45)
- Languages
- 6 — Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, German, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 14
- ASINs
- 13




























































