The Case of the Fan-Dancer's Horse (Perry Mason, #29)

It all begins with the fan-dancer's "costume" — what there is of it. When Perry Mason stumbles upon the barely there accessories of an exotic performer, he sets out to do a good turn by returning the lost glad rags. But the attorney's discreet good deed brings more than one delectable dancer — and more than a little trouble — waltzing into his office.Two dazzling dead ringers each claim to be the same famed fan-dancer. And hot on their heels are a zealous ex-husband and a jealous would-be boyfriend. But the missing property all four are after isn't feathered finery — it's a full-grown horse! And when one of the men gets brutally murdered, Mason finds he may be dancing dangerously close to a killer....Mystery fiction's most celebrated lawyer embarks upon his 68th case in the spellbinding annals that have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. Mason finds he may be dancing dangerously close to a killer, when two dazzling dead-ringers claim to be the same famous fan-dancer. Previously published in paperback by Morrow. You do not expect to find an empty closed tin between your tins of preserves. But that is what Mrs. Gentrie finds in her basement - and even though she tries to dismiss it, it seems to be important for her sister in law. Meanwhile a man is killed in the house next door (or so it looks - no body is recovered) and another neighbor calls Mason for something that he does not want to disclose. Perry is intrigued so he goes there - and hears a story of old partnership and China, a missing heir and a cranky old man. The client is absolutely annoying - both for the lawyer and for the reader. And something in the story sounds fishy. The code that is found in the empty tin does not help clarify things. Then a call comes. And Perry Mason ends up finding a body (but decides to leave Drake to report it - which the detective is not very happy about). Before long, Della and Mason will find another body and a link to arms smuggling in the Far East (with WWII already started outside of the US, that has long repercussions for the situation in the world). Add a love story (or 2), some innocent love and some not so innocent one, a heiress that resurfaces and dead men coming back from life complete the story of the mystery. Tragg and Mason work together to some extent but because of where Perry shows up and mainly when, they both play their own games. And that almost makes the problem unsolvable. At the end, the truth end up being in front of everyone's eyes - it comes down to one wrong assumption. It is a nicely constructed story - and I want to see where the stories will go when the war really starts. **"Put this ad in the paper, Della," said Perry Mason.** "Make it in general terms: 'If the fan-dancer who has lost certain property will communicate with Box so-and-so, she can have her property restored to her.' Have any replies forwarded to this office." The "property" Perry Mason was referring to was a pair of dancer's shows and two ostrich-feather fans, which he and Della had taken from a wrecked car. The first answer was a letter from one Cherie Chi-Chi who said that her agent would arrange to recover the horse. When John Callender arrived with a note from Cherie and an offer of $500 for Mason's trouble, the lawyer asked him to describe the property. Callender described a horse, in detail. "The property that I found does not exactly answer that description," said Mason. Callender got mad and charged Mason with an attempt at extortion. Just as he was going through the door he stopped, all affability once more. "Of course, Mason," he said, "I didn't describe the bullet wound." 'Bullet wound? Where?" Mason invited. "On the horse." Mason shook his head, and Callender stalked out. Just then the telephone rang. Della picked it up. "All right, Gertie, what is it?" Della turned to Perry Mason with a wicked grin. "There's another man out there," she said. "He wants to see you--about a horse." Thus began one of Perry Mason's most intricate cases, involving two fan-dancers with the same name, a husband, a lover, a suitor, a corpse, and, above all, a horse. A spanking-new tin can, secretly placed among the rows of Mrs. Florence Gentrie's preserves, contains not a speck of food — but it does carry one very damning clue to a murder that took place right next door. Such an unsavory discovery in such an unlikely place can't help but pique the curiosity of a dedicated mystery hunter like Perry Mason.

But the real mystery about this murder is who — and where — is the victim? Upstairs neighbor Elston A. Karr heard the telltale sounds of foul play, but his foul temperament (and his own dark secrets) make him most uncooperative. It takes a second murder to clear up the mystery of the missing body — and to make Perry Mason the next prime candidate to disappear....

The Original Courtroom Novels

Criminal lawyer and all-time #1 mystery author Erle Stanley Gardner wrote close to 150 novels that have sold 300 million copies worldwide. Today, the great Gardner tradition continues with many of his classics back in print, as well as brand-new additions to the ever-popular series starring the incomparable Perry Mason.

It all begins with the fan-dancer's "costume" what there is of it. When Perry Mason stumbles upon the barely there accessories of an exotic performer, he sets out to do a good turn by returning the lost glad rags. But the attorney's discreet good deed brings more than one delectable dancer and more than a little trouble waltzing into his office. Two dazzling dead ringers each claim to be the same famed fan-dancer. And hot on their heels are a zealous ex-husband and a jealous would-be boyfriend. But the missing property all four are after isn't feathered finery it's a full-grown horse! And when one of the men gets brutally murdered, Mason finds he may be dancing dangerously close to a killer.... Perry Mason has his hands full when, two women turn up in his office, each claiming to be the same famous dancer, and a man connected to both women is soon brutally murdered.