The Case of the Terrified Typist (Perry Mason Mysteries (Fawcett Books)) [Paperback]

Erle Stanley Gardner (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (Mm) (July 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034591483X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345914835
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,350,988 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Perry Mason novels written, January 11, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Case of the Terrified Typist (Mass Market Paperback)

I think it is one of the best written by Erle Stanley Gardner. I have heard so much about it and I finally got it from Amazon.com. I could never put it down.

4.0 out of 5 stars Mason loses in court, yet still solves the crime, August 1, 2008

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Case of the Terrified Typist (Mass Market Paperback)

This Perry Mason mystery has an unusual twist, in that one of the principal characters enters Mason's life in a very strange way. The work load at the Mason law office is overwhelming, so Della Street contacts a temporary agency asking for help. Shortly after the request is made, an attractive woman enters the office and she is put to work typing material. She is extremely efficient and Della gives her high praise to Mason. When the woman suddenly leaves and does not return, a phone call to the temp agency reveals that they sent no one over. Furthermore, Della discovers a wad of chewing gum stuck to the bottom of the desk with two large diamonds embedded inside it. The situation is even further complicated when an office of diamond merchants in the same building report that a woman illegally entered their office.
This sets Mason, Street and detective Paul Drake on the path of a murder case where the accused seems to prefer conviction over revealing his relationship with a woman. When the man is found guilty of murder, Mason finally unravels the convoluted story of the murder and why the man had such a lack of interest in defending himself. The conspiracy involved several people, long-distance relationships and even some silly, childish messages.
Hamilton Burger and Mason once again battle in the courtroom and in this case Mason loses. However, even in the loss, he emerges victorious, demonstrating once again his talents for ferreting out even the most convoluted of truths.

3.0 out of 5 stars Some enjoyable moments and an interesting viewport into the 1950s, October 29, 2006

By 

booksforabuck "BooksForABuck" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Case of the Terrified Typist (Perry Mason Mysteries (Fawcett Books)) (Paperback)

With a typist out sick and a huge brief to get ready, Perry Mason and his assistant Della Street call an agency for an emergency typist. A typist shows up. Although she seems terrified, she does a great job on the brief. So great that Mason is ready to offer her a job--until she vanishes without being paid. When Mason learns that the building had suffered a burglary and that the police had been looking everywhere for a certain young woman, he realizes that he, and his office, had fallen for a mistaken identity. When one of the jewel dealers in Mason's building is accused of murder--and the typist clearly implicated, Mason needs to get to the bottom of more mistakes than that one.

The evidence against the jewel dealer isn't strong. A jewel smuggler went missing--but there is no body to show. Still, District Attorney Hamilton Burger seems highly confident--so confident that Mason believes he has an ace up his sleeve.

The story alternates between the streets where Mason, Della Street, and private detective Paul Drake attempt to track down witnesses, and the courtroom where Mason battles the smug Hamilton Burger. This time, though, it seems that the District Attorney really does have the edge. While Mason can make his legalistic arguments, the jury is swayed by a beautiful young woman--the terrified typist.

Author Erle Stanley Gardner throws his lawyer/sleuth a case where even Mason isn't sure what is going on--and where nothing is quite what it seems to be. The story also provides an interesting viewport into the 1950s where working women were referred to as 'girls,' where these women wore gloves and stockings and were judged on their figures as well as on their typing skills, and where professional jobs seemed reserved for men.

This isn't the best of Perry Mason or Erle Stanley Gardner, but it definitely has some enjoyable moments.