Beauty contests can be murder, and that's certainly true in The Case of the Lucky Legs, the third book in the long running Perry Mason series (originally published in 1934).
Perry Mason, the lawyer who dabbles in detective work not only has to contend with a missing beauty queen who may or may not be involved in murder, but his longtime friend and private detective, Paul Drake may not be as loyal as he was led to believe...it makes for a melting pot of sophisticated shadow play, half truths, and ill judgement.
The Case of the Lucky Legs is a lot of fun. That's to say, the popcorn pulp is in full effect, but there's an added layer of complexity that only Erle Stanley Gardner can pull off without making the book feel like a pure legal thriller.
One thing I've noticed about these earlier Mason books is that the courtroom antics aren't confined to the courtroom. Rather, the legal jargon and loopholes are cleverly incorporated into proceedings from the get-go and loosely applied throughout the book - of course that final element is critical to catching the criminal in the end - which Mason generally does.
The Case of the Lucky Legs is a must read for pulp enthusiasts and readers who like their legal thrills just that bit lighter.
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