I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason

This was a fun, funny, somewhat adventurous, murder mystery. Cece Caruso is just the right balance of zany that makes for a great read. I loved learning so many interesting facts about California. The author has a flair for giving enough personal details while keeping you looking for the next clue to solve the mystery. You gotta love a mystery that keeps you just as interested in the clothes the characters are wearing and what they are eating as in the main storyline!

Something of an idiot plot (where the story moves forward because the protagonist acts like an idiot). The tidbits about Earl Stanley Gardner were interesting, though.

This is a new series for me. Cece Caruso writes biographies and is obsessed with the old Perry Mason stories and his author Erle Stanley Gardner. Her investigation of Gardner leads her to a prisoner doing a life sentence for the murder of his wife. Years ago he pleaded with Gardner to help him prove his innocence, but he never received a response. Cece intends to find out why Gardner never called the man and she’s determined to prove the man’s innocence, even though the murder occurred 40 years ago.

Cece is a quirky character. Not only is she a Perry Mason addict, but she loves vintage clothes from the 1970’s. Recently divorced, she is trying to juggle a career, a daughter in a troubled marriage, a cat and a dog. I fell in love show more with Cece immediately. I found her intriguing and cleverly written. The next book in the series is “Not A Girl Detective” and features a Nancy Drew backdrop. This should be quite fun to read. show less

After a hectic wedding and move to Texas with my new husband, I finally got a chance to finish a book. I read Susan Kandel's Not a Girl Detective a while ago, and ever since, I have been waiting for an opportunity to get my hands on I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason. It was a much better read. Well written and laid back, it was a fairly easy going mystery with a bit of Caruso flair. While it was not a thriller, it was a good story though a bit predictable. I loved it! Rating - 3 stars due to good plot and easy going pace

Cece Gardiner is writing a biography of Erle Stanley Gardner, but along the way gets caught up in a case involving both present and past.

This is a good first book in the series. The actual mystery plot was clever and kept me guessing. I also loved all the details about Perry Mason and Gardiner, especially the Court of Last Resorts. There are, however, a lot of characters and personal strife to keep track of (including the obligatory cop on the case), and the vintage fashion details could get old if you're not into that.

I think the best recommendation is that I've read this twice, and it didn't really lose anything the second time around. The rest of the series is good as well!

First in a series of mysteries featuring CeCe Caruso, a writer of biographies of mystery authors. Her involvement in and solving of the mystery is believable. CeCe, her family and friends are an interesting bunch. The books are funny and caused a couple of public guffaws and snorts when I was reading these on the train. I also liked the descriptions of West Hollywood, where CeCe lives and the other places she visits.

I loved the theme, love Perry Mason, and the mystery was fun. I think it was a little rough in places, mostly in trying to establish the heroine, Cece. I'll also admit to caring less about what she is wearing, whether it is jeans or a 1940's pouf dress. Although I know a lot of people love those details, to me they just drag down the story. I'll keep reading because the rest of the titles are just as interesting as the Perry Mason and will continue to ignore the dress details.