The Case of the Lazy Lover [Mass Market Paperback]

Erle Stanley Gardner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 1981

Another in the original courtroom novels that inaugurated the legal thriller genre finds Mason tracing the origins of two mysterious checks sent to him by a woman he has never heard of, who has run away with her daughter's boyfriend. Reissue."

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Okay, Perry Mason, Della Street and Paul Drake. You think of them in black and white and let's be honest, a tad stiff. That's the TV show. In the books this threesome is pretty hot. So, Perry still always wins, but it's how he does it that will make you read more and more of these titles. He's smart, Paul is cool, and Della does a lot more than just hand Perry his files.

Amelia Zalcman, Director, Contracts Administration

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (March 12, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345294963
• ISBN-13: 978-0345294968
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,507,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Greed Leads to Murder, November 24, 2009

By 

Acute Observer (N. Jersey Shore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Case of the Lazy Lover (Paperback)

The Case of the Lazy Lover

Della Street sorted the mail into three piles: the urgent, that which didn't require immediate attention, and the deferred. One letter had a $2,500 check from Lola Allred, but she was not a client or on the master file of any who was ever involved with Perry Mason. Bertrand C. Allred is a mining promoter and operator who used a slick legal trick to make millions (Chapter 1). Then a second check for $2,500 from Lola Allred! Her first check is good (Chapter 2). Bertrand Allred visits Perry, Lola ran away with his best friend and employee Robert Fleetwood. Fleetwood had been friendly with Lola's daughter Patricia. Allred needs Fleetwood's testimony in a law suit and wants Perry's help in locating Fleetwood. That second check was a forgery, a microscope detected it (Chapter 3). A telegram says the check was to protect Patricia.

Paul Drake will investigate the sender of the telegram, and the make and model of the typewriter (Chapter 4). Could there be foul play? Perry visits the bank to learn that Lola Allred wrote a $5,000 check to Maurine Milford (Chapter 5). Perry gives the information to Paul Drake for his search for Lola or Maurine. George Jerome, Allred's business partner, visits Perry for his help in finding Fleetwood. Paul has located Maurine (Chapter 6). Perry investigates and learns more about Maurine (Chapter 7). What is the purpose of this play-acting? A phone call from Patricia sends Perry and Paul into action (Chapter 8). It was a bum steer (Chapter 9). Perry visits Patricia, Lola shows up, then the police with news of a death (Chapter 10). They found a body in Lola's car, her story doesn't check out. Lola and Patricia are taken to the police station. Dixon Keith visits Perry (Chapter 11). Later Perry explains how he will evade his shadow.

Perry, Della, and Gertie retrieve Fleetwood from that isolated rural ranch (Chapter 12). Fleetwood claims amnesia until he is turned over to the police. Perry has a plan to save his client (Chapter 13). Perry and Paul talk to Fleetwood's girlfriend Bernice Archer (Chapter 14). Allred finally remembers what he had forgotten (Chapter 15). There were tracks in the soft wet ground that showed the footprints (Chapter 17). There is a sketch of the area. Fleetwood's story hangs the murder on Lola. The Preliminary Hearing begins, Perry questions the laboratory expert (Chapter 18). [Did you notice anything about the testimony of two witnesses?] Lola tells more of the facts! What will Perry do (Chapter 19)? Perry recalls a witness for questions about those footprints (Chapter 20). Will there be an admission that frees Perry's client because of a new look at the circumstantial evidence? Perry surmises what must have happened (Chapter 21). A solution that uses all the known facts is likely to be true. "Circumstantial evidence never lies, but it isn't always easy to interpret it correctly."

The novel says Perry has a fast car that can do ninety, and it can be started in second gear. That suggests a Packard. "Ask the man who owns one."

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Process to Murder, October 26, 2001

By 

APRICOT "ryoko" (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Case of Lazy Lovers (Mass Market Paperback)

Very well-plotted mystery. Especially, the process to the murder is very complicated and fascinating. The disclosure of who is murdered is so surprising, so explosive! That makes this story outstanding.

It is well-known that Mason's clients are always innocent. That seems to limit the mystery, but Mason mysteries are not so easy. It is not sure whether the clients tell the truth. They often tell various lies on various reasons, but sometimes they tell the genuine truth. This is perplexing, and that makes it difficult for Mason and readers to guess what really happened.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Process to Murder, October 18, 2001

By 

APRICOT "ryoko" (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Case of the Lazy Lover (Hardcover)

Very well-plotted mystery. Especially, the process to the murder is very complicated and fascinating. The disclosure of who is murdered is so surprising, so explosive! That makes this story outstanding.

It is well-known that Mason's clients are always innocent. That seems to limit the mystery, but Mason mysteries are not so easy. It is not sure whether the clients tell the truth. They often tell various lies on various reasons, but sometimes they tell the genuine truth. This is perplexing, and that makes it difficult for Mason and readers to guess what really happened.