No, Perry Mason is not a character from the old pulp magazines. Many people have forgotten that Perry Mason didn’t start out on TV with the Raymond Burr series, but rather began in a series of books written by one of the greatest authors to ever come out of the pulps, Erle Stanley Gardner.
Erle Stanley Gardner’s background is solidly based in the pulp magazines. His first story was published in 1921 in Breezy Stories. His most famous pulp work was probably in Black Mask magazine, where he honed his craft as a writer. His work was published far beyond Black Mask, however, His work also saw publication in Top-Notch Magazine, Sunset, Fawcett’s Triple-X, Argosy, Flynn’s Detective Fiction, Clues, Ace High, Dime Detective, Double Detective… and that’s a partial list.
Gardner’s first Perry Mason novel appeared in hardback in 1933. And by the time the two novels being reviewed here were published it was 1940 and 1941. So let’s take a look at these two pre-war courtroom dramas featuring Perry Mason, Della Street and all the gang.
‘The Case of the Silent Partner’
The Case of the Silent Partner was the 17th Perry Mason mystery from the pen of Erle Stanley Gardner. This story marks the debut of Lt. Tragg of Homicide. Finally! The police chief has removed Sergeant Holcomb and replaced him with Lt. Tragg in the hopes of reducing the number of embarrassments caused by Perry Mason.
The case surrounds the death of Harvey Lynk, half-owner of the Golden Horn nightclub. Lynk is found shot in the back in his little cabin up in Lilac Canyon. The motive has something to do with some stock certificates for the Faulkner Flower Shops, a thriving concern owned by Mildreth Faulkner and her invalid sister Carlotta Lawley. Although both deny involvement of any sort, Mildreth Faulkner hires Perry Mason to represent her sister in the case of murder. And it’s a wild ride to the finish, to find out exactly who killed Harvey Lynk.
Although Paul Drake doesn’t appear (his voice is heard over the phone, once), the story makes a nice introduction for Lt. Tragg. There is one brief courtroom scene where Perry gets to strut his stuff. And Della gets some action as well. Another nice entry in the series.
When Perry Mason made his way to television, this story was adapted for the sixth episode of season one. It was broadcast Oct. 19, 1957. It’s available both on DVD and on streaming services, so see it if you can. And watch for Lt. Tragg carrying Wonder Bread. An early example of product placement?
‘The Case of the Haunted Husband’
The Case of the Haunted Husband was the 18th of the Perry Mason mysteries written by Erle Stanley Gardner. It features the second appearance of Lt. Tragg of Homicide. Yes, he’s back! Perry, Della Street, and Paul Drake appear as usual. Gertie is absent from this one, as is Hamilton Berger.
Stephane Claire was a beautiful blond hat-check girl hitchhiking her way to Hollywood. She’s picked up by a suave Casanova in an expensive high-speed automobile. The automobile causes a four-car crash, while Stephane is fighting off the advances of the slick driver. When the police arrive, they find Stephane behind the wheel, and no sign of the man. She is taken into custody and charged with negligent homicide. This is a job for Perry Mason! But before he’s through, there are two cold-blooded murders. All linked to Stephane Claire!
It’s another great Perry Mason courtroom drama. Perry appears in court twice in this story, and is his usual sharp self. He’s up against assistant D.A. Harold Hanley, who doesn’t seem much of a challenge to our Perry. Other than a few loose threads (like how did the slick driver disappear without being seen by the other drivers) this makes for a most satisfying Perry Mason case.
This one was also adapted for the 1950s television series. Like the previous novel, this was part of season one of the TV show, being broadcast Jan. 25, 1958. I think the fact that both Perry Mason stories being reviewed here were used for the first season of the TV series is significant. Both were top notch mysteries.
When you read the books, and please do read them, it’s okay if in your mind you see Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale in the leading roles. For many of us, the TV version was our first exposure to Perry, and we just can’t avoid the inadvertent visualization. The two are linked together for all time. Now, get out there and read those books!
