Pick Up A Pulp [33]: THE CASE OF THE COUNTERFEIT EYE by Erle Stanley Gardner

The murder of a wealthy client who had previously hired the services of lawyer extraordinaire Perry Mason to look into the wide spread theft of his finances by an employee leaves the unconventional lawyer in a bind; not only was Mason representing the now deceased client, but that of the alleged thief too. 

Further complicating matters is another one of Perry's clients, a man with a false eye who hired the services of the renowned criminal lawyer to protect his interests SHOULD he find himself on the list of suspects for a crime he didn't commit. 

Already the fingers point towards the client with presumption of guilt but, as this is a Perry Mason book, nothing is as simple as what it seems. 

I didn't think The Case of the Counterfeit Eye had the same polish as the other Perry Mason book I've read but it did have all the courtroom antics and complicated plotting of which the author, Erle Stanley Gardner was renowned. Additionally, the court room thriller aspect was cleverly executed and not laden with legal jargon, as is a staple of these books. 

My rating: 3/5 stars. To me, it felt like each character introduced had a sinister motive which immediately turned them into a suspect for Perry Mason to consider; this made the book feel more complicated than it needed to be. 

I much prefer The Case of the Curious Bride, the fifth book in the Perry Mason series. You can read that review by clicking on the link below:

Pick up a Pulp [28]: THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS BRIDE by Erle Stanley Garnder