Review: The Case of the Lazy Lover - Erle Stanley Gardner

Erle Stanley Gardner is one of the authors I’ve been reading on a semi-regular basis for the longest time. It’s been more than sixty years since I checked out one of his Donald Lam and Bertha Cool novels from the bookmobile, and most of the years since then I’ve read at least one or two of his novels or collections.

Which brings us to THE CASE OF THE LAZY LOVER, a 1947 entry from Gardner’s Perry Mason series. As usual, this yarn gets off to a running start with Mason receiving two checks, both in the same amount but drawn on different banks, from a potential client. This puzzles Mason enough for him to do a little investigating, and he discovers fairly quickly that one of the checks is a forgery. Now he has to know why and what’s going on.

Well, also as usual, it ain’t simple. I learned a long time ago not to try to summarize the plots too much in these reviews of Gardner’s novels. They’re just too dizzying. This one involves mining claims (a favorite plot element of Gardner’s), double identities, seedy tourist courts in the mountains, a barking dog, and the old amnesia bit. And murder, of course. Got to have a murder. And naturally, Mason’s client is the one who’s arrested and charged with the crime, and for a change, it looks like he’s blundered and helped the police draw the noose even tighter around her neck!

A three-chapter-long courtroom scene forms the climax of this book, and with the able assistance of Della Street and Paul Drake, Mason saves his client and uncovers the real murderer . . . maybe. This is a rarity for Gardner, a novel in which the killer’s identity is left a little muddled. I think I know who it was, and I even figured out the most likely solution, also a rarity. But there’s no denying that the ending is a little unsatisfying.

On the other hand, Mason’s receptionist Gertie, who remains a cipher for much of the series, plays a major part in the plot of this one and turns out to be a real hoot and a great character. The long scene in which she’s involved is the high point of this book. Man, Gardner really should have made more use of her! Or maybe the fact that she hardly ever makes an appearance makes her more effective in this one, who knows.

THE CASE OF THE LAZY LOVER is a middling Perry Mason novel, to be honest, but that means it’s still more entertaining and downright fun to read than many of the current mystery novels I read (or try to read). If you’ve never read any of the series, I wouldn’t start with it, but if you’re already a long-time fan, like me, it’s well worth your time.