Customer Reviews

The Case of the Curious Bride

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I am a big fan of all Perry Mason books but this one is definitley one of the best. There are many twists and turns in the plot. You never know who is lying and who is telling the truth. Some characters are telling the truth but not the whole truth others are totally lying and a couple are telling the whole truth. That makes it a very suspenseful and intriguing book. All in all is a book that keeps you on your toes and you can't put it down.

This is the 24th Perry Mason novel I've read (the 5th in the series), and it's Perry Mason at his best--or worst. For this is not the sanitized Perry Mason of television. The real Perry Mason routinely manipulates, suppresses, and, in this case, even plants evidence. Two eyewitnesses saw the bride kill her husband. She herself claims she did it. But she's Mason's client, so she couldn't possibly be guilty, right?

To appreciate the Perry Mason stories by Gardner, it is necessary to cut the author a bit of slack regarding the actions of his characters. Specifically, pushing his way into the apartment of a woman in order to ask her difficult and penetrating questions. In the modern world, this of course would be trespassing and harassment.
Rhoda Montaine is a woman with the habit of marrying the wrong man. Her first husband took off with her savings and faked his own death. Rhoda is a nurse and when she takes care of the weak son of a wealthy man, she falls in love with him and they get married. Suddenly, her first husband reappears and demands blackmail money, which initiates a sequence of events that lead to his being murdered with a fireplace poker.
Rhoda is placed at the scene at the time of the murder and since there is plenty of motive, she is charged with the murder. Mason is her attorney and once again Mason is his brilliant self, although in this case he is assisted by the arrogant incompetence of the district attorney. The case is puzzling until the very end when a secondary legal matter causes the truth to come out.
Many of the Gardner stories have an essential plot line where the police act arrogantly and stupidly, so shifting that to the district attorney was a welcome change. However, when you have read several Perry Mason stories, it is clear to you that the errors of the opposition are critical and you can better see your way to the end because of them. That is the case here and it had me hoping for a story where Mason wins the case by being more brilliant than the opposition rather than having them act stupidly.

"Helen Crocker" visits Perry Mason on behalf of a friend, whose husband has disappeared after an airplane crash. The insurance company won't pay until the body has been recovered. Her friend also wonders about her right to re-marry. Perry gives her his legal advice must go to the client directly (Chapter I). Perry specialized in trial law, where there is little repeat business. Paul Drake drops in to tell what he noticed about the recent visitor - she was being followed! Paul Drake doesn't miss much (Chapter II). The visitor left her purse behind, with a real address. Perry uses this information to trace his visitor (Chapter III). Now Rhoda Montaine finds Perry and explains her problem (Chapter V). Her first husband Gregory Moxley, believed dead, is still alive!

The next morning the headlines tell of the murder of Gregory Moxley, Rhoda's first husband. Her present husband Carl visits Perry to ask for help (Chapter VI). Perry moves fast to track down his client and save her. Rhoda tells Perry what happened last night. The 'Chronicle' reporters show up for Rhoda's surrender, and the police arrest Rhoda (Chapter VII). Can the public be affected by by what they read in the newspapers (Chapter VIII)? If fingerprints were obliterated from the murder weapon and door knob, what does that say? Carl Montaine's father visits Perry to convince him to sacrifice Rhoda for the Montaine name! Perry refuses (Chapter X). Chapters XI and XII show Perry doing home repairs of an unusual nature! Paul Drake gets a lead on a possible past wife of Gregory Moxley (Chapter XIII). They question Doris Freeman about the telephone call made before the murder (Chapter XIV), and locate the man who worked with Doris (Chapter XV).

Carl Montaine tries to have his marriage annulled on the grounds of Rhoda's previous marriage, which would allow him to testify against his wife. But Perry reveals that Gregory Moxley was married years before. Now that the judge affirms their marriage, Perry asks Rhoda to sue for divorce (Chapter XVI)! Doctor Millsap's nurse comes crying to see Perry (Chapter XVII). Perry quickly accepts the jury, the prosecutor questions each juror closely in hope of finding a "plant", but this upsets the jury (Chapter XVIII)! The jury is sent to examine the scene of the crime. In Chapter XIX the testimony resumes when the next-door witnesses tell about hearing a telephone ring and the ringing of a doorbell. Or was it an alarm clock?

In Chapter XX there is the interview between Perry and C. Phillip Montaine, the very wealthy father of Carl. The facts kept hidden are now disclosed in a surprise. The charges against Rhoda are dismissed (Chapter XXI). Perry asks Rhoda to reimburse Doris Freeman for the money taken by Gregory; a happy ending for all. [The very wealthy man is an interesting and unusual character; most of Perry's clients are the self-made businessman.]

This is the 24th Perry Mason novel I've read (the 5th in the series), and it's Perry Mason at his best--or worst. For this is not the sanitized Perry Mason of television. The real Perry Mason routinely manipulates, suppresses, and, in this case, even plants evidence. Two eyewitnesses saw the bride kill her husband. She herself claims she did it. But she's Mason's client, so she couldn't possibly be guilty, right?