| Unlike the usual Perry Mason stories which usually start with a distraght person approaching Mason for help, this book starts with the story of an attractive secretary in California, engaged to the most eligible bachelor in town. But something goes wrong, and her fiance confesses to having embezzled funds in the company where he worked. Humiliated and hurt, she just wants to run away.
She packs up and leaves, and on the way picks up a hitchhiker. The car meets with an accident and the hitchhiker is killed. Mildred sees the opportunity to start life afresh, and assumes the identity of the hitchhiker; Fern Driscoll. Soon, an insurance investigator smells a rat and attempts to blackmail her. This is when Mildred approaches Perry Mason for help, as Fern Driscoll. Before anything much can be done, the insurance investigator is stabbed. The circumstancial evidence seems to point entirely at Mildred, and she seems to be guilty of two murders; the Fern Driscoll, and the blackmailer. The book deals with the misinterpretation of circumstantial evidence, and the lack of authenticity in eyewitness evidence. The courtroom scenes are very good. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - very upbeat Time/era of story: Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 0 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Profession/status: Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting United States Yes The US: - West Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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