Dead Men's Letters [Hardcover]

Erle Stanley Gardner (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 275 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub; First Thus Edition edition (March 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881845795
• ISBN-13: 978-0881845792
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #240,709 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Gardner - Fun and Energetic, January 17, 2007

By 

Gary Coffrin (San Jose, California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead Men's Letters (Hardcover)

"Dead Men's Letters" is a collection of six episodes originally published in Black Mask magazine during 1926-27. Each installment has enough background information to be read on its own, but there is a sequential continuity to the narratives.

Erle Stanley Gardner was in the business of writing. Born in 1989, Gardner was a practicing lawyer for some years before starting to write fiction at age 32. However, his productivity was stunning. Writing for the pulps in the early years, his output was in the range of one million words per year. Publishing his first novel at age 44, he wrote 82 novels featuring Perry Mason, 24 novels featuring Bertha Cool and Donald Lam (under the pseudonym of A. A. Fair), 13 non-fiction accounts of his explorations, and much more. Whew! Here was a man of energy with an amazing work ethic who assembled the right support staff to become the most read mystery writer in the world.

The hero in these stories is Ed Jenkins, wanted by law enforcement in several states and known as the "Phantom Crook." There are elements present here which were, or have since become, central within the hard-boiled detective genre: A lone hero on the outskirts of society; a code of ethics which champions the underdog; beautiful and adoring women; and the hero's knowledge that he will never enjoy love from a committed relationship or respectability in society.

These are plot-driven stories, and the action is nearly non-stop. The exploits are fast-paced - chases and escapes are in every episode. The speed of physical movement - of fist, foot or automobile - frequently drives the story. Still, Gardner's text has significantly more description of characters and their environment than was his style in the Perry Mason novels.

As an aside, there are some minor but annoying publishing errors. It seems to me that preserving and presenting these otherwise 'lost' stories was a worthy calling, but the occasional repeated paragraph or the randomly inserted paragraph break in the middle of a sentence detract from the quality of the book. If the publishers used acid-free paper, it is not so stated.

In terms of fun and excitement, this collection deserves five stars. The book in not great literature and the final chapter is distinctly over-the-top. However, the stories provide enjoyable adventures and offer insights into the early development of detective fiction. The work may not appeal to everyone, but there are delightful rewards for those who have a fondness for classic American entertainment and those interested in exploring some of the best writing from the pulps of the 1920's.

3.0 out of 5 stars Another Lone Wolf, July 24, 2008

By 

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

These six stories were written for 'Black Mask' magazine in 1926-1927. The background details reflect life in those days. "Ed Jenkins" is the "Phantom Crook" who operated in the shadows, hunted by the police and crooks, living by stealing from criminals. These interesting adventure stories met the needs of the readers of that magazine. They remind me of the "Ken Corning" stories about a crusading lawyer who served justice over the law; a forerunner of the "Perry Mason" novels. Other authors also wrote about a "gentleman crook". These stories use the idea where the powerful and wealthy work with criminals because they have to, not as tools to accomplish what can't be done legally. The dated and amusing part is how Jenkins avoided friendship with a society dame because of class differences! Dashiell Hammet "Flypaper" and Raymond Chandler ("The Big Sleep", "Farewell, My Lovely") had another view of this, as well as the sensational newspapers of then and now.

* "Dead Men's Letters" refers to the practice where the Public Administrator would auction off assets of people who died without a will. Suppose the letters contained evidence of a scandal or crime?
* "Laugh That Off" is about trying to recover note that would create a scandal about a recently-dead politician. Can these be recovered to protect a family?
* "The Cat Woman" tells about a wealthy widow who wants to use Ed Jenkins as a tool to accomplish a task that might incriminate him.
* "This Way Out" starts when Ed Jenkins is hired to break into a safe to replace a document. Will the icy-eyed crook try to double-cross Jenkins?
* "Come and Get It" continues the previous story. Can Jenkins recover secret letters that would reveal a scandal among one of the upper class families? Could a social event be created to facilitate a robbery?
* "In Full of Account" is the last of this series. Jenkins tries to protect the reputation of that upper class family and puts an end to the threats of a powerful crook.