Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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What Does A Lonely Heiress Gotta Do to Get a Little Love Around This Joint?

The Case of the Lonely Heiress by Erle Stanley Gardner

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So let’s all shed a tear for the wealthy heiress who nevertheless is just so goldarned lonely that she has to post an ad in <i>Lonely Heats Are Calling</i>, publisher Robert Caddo, for companionship.  The magazine, of course, is in some ways a scam, but the letters they publish are real.  Since Caddo himself is wishing to hire Mason, we have a chance to find out how the racket works.  The self-published magazine is readably available around town for a nominal cost – no subscribers.  […]

If You are Hiring Perry Mason? Just Spill It, Sister.

The Case of the Lazy Lover by Erle Stanley Gardner

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Holy moral ambiguity, Batman!  Turns out the actual murderer never gets charged, and we are all fine with that.  Also, Perry’s client did what most of them do, and never really laid the facts out to him.  True, he’s not going to represent them if he’s convinced they are guilty, but the coy runaround never works in their favor, and I can’t blame Perry for getting a little ticked off.  They are usually trying to protect  and plot come out gradually, as Perry tries to […]

Shoutout to All You Sally Rand Stans Out There

The Case of the Fan-Dancer's Horse by Erle Stanley Gardner

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Oh it’s been a hot minute since I did a Perry Mason.  Here’s #29, dated 1947.  Diligently reading in order here, at least 50 more to go.  And this was a fun one! OK, a little background here, a fan dancer (Sally Rand being the most famous) could often be considered a classy dancer.  Ostrich plume fans always moving, and you might catch a peek here and there, but no more than that.  They were a burlesque act, but some made it to the big […]

Which, of Course, Features a Generic Redhead on the Cover

The Case of the Borrowed Brunette by Erle Stanley Gardner

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  cbr16bingo vintage So the forties were boom years in Hollywood, and everybody was looking for a break.  Starlets were a dime a dozen, so when an ad appeared offering a job to young ladies of a certain appearance and some very specific measurements, stating that if they would hang around various street corners for an hour, wearing specified clothes, they might pick up a job.  What can it hurt, right? Mason just happens to pick up on the observation, as he and Della are […]

Never Trust Oil Guys. Just Sayin’

The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife by Erle Stanley Gardner

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I love it when Gardner kicks off his latest case by getting deep down into the legal weeds of whether deferred drilling payments can be cured at the very last minute before the property is sold by the widow title holder or not.  I know what he is referring to is very much a California property issue, and a fidgety bit of law, but dang, Erle, this is only eight pages into the book, and none of the characters have been properly introduced to us […]

What Do You Call a Golddigger These Days, Anyway?

The Case of the Golddigger's Purse by Erle Stanley Gardner

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cbr15 bingo On the Air   Could there be a more ‘30s – ’50s term than golddigger?  Anyone who has watched classic movies of that period knows exactly who she is – a woman looking for a wealthy sugar daddy.  Think Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, or maybe Some Like It Hot.  And generally in these films, not only is she in the market for gold, but more often than not, she also has a heart of gold. And a good thing in this tale, since she […]



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