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The case of the half-wakened wife

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The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife

Chapter 1 begins in a bank where an agent tries to give Jane Keller $500 on back payment for an oil lease. Widow Keller has sold the property and refuses the money. A bank officer suggests she needs a lawyer. Chapter 3 introduces us to Jane's sister Martha, her niece, and recent family history. Martha takes Jane to see Perry Mason. Mason's assistant Mr. Jackson meets them and learns about the oil lease. When Perry returns, he calls Scott Shelby (who has the oil lease) and goes to meet him. No deal is made. The meeting on the yacht presents the positions on the deal, but nothing results (Chapter 8). Perry hears a woman scream and a shot fired, then a splash in the river. They find Scott Shelby has disappeared, and Marion Shelby has a pistol with one empty shell in it. No body is found, they send for the Sheriff (Chapter 9). Sergeant Dorset arrests Marion Shelby for murder, Perry instructs his client how to answer questions. Perry visits Paul Drake to discuss the facts and a possible explanation. Drake will call his men to investigate the disappearance of Scott Shelby, given the circumstances (Chapter 12).

Paul Drake's operatives will watch the apartment of Ellen Cushing, half-owner of that oil lease. Perry figures out a way to meet Ellen at her apartment, and again at her garage. Lieutenant Tragg was there as well. Perry's surmise turned out to be wrong (Chapter 15). Perry and Della check on Ellen's story (Chapter 16). Finally, Scott Shelby's body is found (Chapter 17). Dr. Horace Sterling testifies that Scott Shelby received a blow on the head around the time of death. There were no powder burns on the victim (Chapter 18). The bullet was in unusually good condition, did not penetrate deep, and started to wobble (Chapter 19). Perry shows bias from this witness.

Ellen Cushing testifies about her deal on that oil lease with Scott Shelby (Chapter 20). Later that night Marion Shelby calls Perry to fire him as her counsel. Her brother-in-law Lawton Keller advised her to use a lawyer from the firm representing Ellen Cushing (Chapter 21)! During the deposition of Ellen Cushing Perry asks questions that shed new light on the unknown facts (Chapter 22). The newspapers report the solution to the murder (Chapter 23). Marion is freed by her ex-lawyer.

Some of the other novels from this time period use maritime settings and yachts as part of the story. The twists in this story are interesting and unusual, but not as good as his other novels.

To be honest, it has been many years since I read this book, and I can't even remember any of the details. However, I'm reviewing it based on how I felt about it at the time (and still do). This was classic Perry Mason all the way. If you love the TV show, like me, but have trouble keeping up with the frantic pace of what is going on in the courtroom, then you'll love the books. It gives you all the time you want to try and figure it out. I have read five of his books, and have never figured out "who done it" but I keep trying =). It's always fun at the end of the book when Perry is telling Dela and Paul how he came to his conclusions, and neatly wraps everything up.
I honestly can't imagine any Perry Mason book being bad. This one certainly wasn't. Give it a read!