Customer Reviews

Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pure comfort read guilty pleasure popcorn book.

Perry Mason is willing to see a very agreeable blonde who wants him to help her uncle before he kills someone while sleepwalking. Intrigued, he takes the case. Much to his dismay, he gets pulled into a run-of-the-mill divorce and it looks like nothing fun will result. Luckily for him, but unluckily for someone else, a murder happens at just the wrong moment. Was it the sleepwalking uncle? Or someone who wanted to take advantage of an obvious weakness? Perry Mason and Della Street at their witty, snappy best.

Big fun. :)

In this Mason mystery, a client who sleepwalks seems almost certain to have stabbed a guest in his house while sleepwalking. Even Mason thinks he must have done the deed, though he isn't sure if his client premeditated the murder or not. While the list of suspects doesn't seem long, this one is tough to figure out.

I call Perry Mason mysteries "fair mysteries", in that you have a chance to spot the vital clues at the same time they are presented to Mason. Although that is true of this book, it is not quite as true as most. The inconsistencies that the case's solution hinges on are a bit on the nebulous side until focused on in the wrap-up. For that reason I stingily held back one star.

On the other hand, there are literally laugh out loud exchanges between Mason and Sergeant Holcomb, then Hamilton Burger (in his second appearance in the series). I greatly enjoyed this read, and that's what counts.

The circumstances of this case are much more convoluted than in most other Perry Mason mysteries. Peter Kent is married to a gold-digging wife that was divorcing him but now is recanting because she learned that he may be worth millions more than she thought. Kent wants his divorce to be final so that he can remarry and his niece consults Perry Mason about Kent's supposed homicidal tendencies while he is sleepwalking, but only during a full moon. Kent's business partner and his lawyer are in town in an attempt to defraud Kent out of business profits that are in fact based on a patent stolen by the business partner. Add in a few other characters, including a butler, and there are many candidates for the killer when a man in Kent's house is found stabbed to death and the bloody knife is found under Kent's pillow.
As is nearly always the situation in a Mason case, the police and District Attorney Hamilton Burger are trying to nail Mason for impropriety and ethics violations. They focus on certain specifics of the case without examining the inconsistencies of the evidence. Mason simultaneously must deal with the murder charge against Kent, his wife's attempts to gain additional money and his business partner's attempt to defraud him of the fraudulent business revenues. Things are made even more difficult when the wife and business partner form an alliance against Mason and Kent.
However, Mason is up to the challenge, he is able to expose the true killer in dramatic fashion and all the nefarious characters end up getting what they deserve. I must confess that my prime suspect turned out to be innocent of the murder; the guilty party was not someone that I had even considered a suspect. That is the highest praise that I can give to a murder mystery, that I was completely fooled regarding who the killer was.

The Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece, by Erle Stanley Gardner

Edna Hammer is late for her appointment with Perry Mason. Her uncle Peter Kent is being sued after his divorce. Kent also has problems with his business partner Frank Maddox, who wants more money. Kent's sleepwalking has caused his ex-wife to claim reconcilement (more money). Kent says money attracts problems (Chapter II). Perry will bring Dr. Kelton to examine Kent, and tells Paul Drake to investigate Mrs. Doris Kent and Frank Maddox (Chapter III). Perry gets information on Maddox's fraud, Doris Kent's new law firm, and advises Peter Kent on how to handle these problems (Chapter IV). Everyone meets for cocktails at Peter Kent's house that evening (Chapter V). Edna Hammer and Perry find a carving knife with red stains in Peter Kent's bedroom (Chapter VIII)! When they check the guests they find a dead body. Its a job for the coroner and the police (Chapter IX).

Sergeant Holcomb arrives, then Sam Blaine Assistant District Attorney. They begin to question the guests (Chapter X). Was the wrong man killed? Peter Kent talks to Perry Mason, who will defend him (Chapter XI). Perry explains how a witness' testimony can evolve to support the prosecution's claim. Perry learns about a telephone call that can refute the testimony of Duncan, Maddox's lawyer (Chapter XII). Doris Kent visits Perry and suggests a deal, but Perry is "too damned ethical" (Chapter XIII). Perry has a dilemma: if he can break down Duncan's identification he can win; else he would have to rely on a sleepwalking defense (Chapter XIV). Helen Warrington, Kent's secretary, visits Perry and is sent on an errand. Paul Drake tells Perry about the actions of Maddox and Duncan (Chapter XV). Was the murder weapon the same knife in the sideboard drawer? Perry learns a secret from Edna Hammer (Chapter XVI). The next chapter tells about the importance of a good appearance on the witness stand. Doris Kent visits Perry and shows how she can appear as a witness. Perry devises a scheme to match two "love pirates" and get poetic justice.

The trial begins in Chapter XIX. The questioning of the witnesses brings out their testimony about that night. Is there an implication when an important witness gets new glasses? Mrs Doris Kent visits Perry with a new offer: she will stop her countersuit for $200,000. She finally agrees on $25,000, and tells Perry about her activities. Who got the better in this deal? Perry's cross-examination of a prosecution witness brings out a surprising fact (Chapter XXI). Perry explains why he asked Edna Hammer to get a duplicate carving knife. Chapter XXII contains Perry's conclusion to this case. It reconciles the differences in the known facts. (There were hints about this in the earlier chapters.) The monetary figures from 1936 are way out of date. Multiply by 30 for today's values. The motive in this story was often found in other mystery novels.