⇒ PDF Free The Case of the Empty Tin Erle Stanley Gardner 9780345331984 Books

The Case of the Empty Tin Erle Stanley Gardner 9780345331984 Books

Download As PDF : The Case of the Empty Tin Erle Stanley Gardner 9780345331984 Books

The Case of the Empty Tin Erle Stanley Gardner 9780345331984 Books

There are leg men and breast men, but Erle was an "efficiency man." Perry Mason's crack secretary Della Street is described as "a feminine bundle of neat efficiency" and the admirable Mrs. Arthur Gentrie around whose house the mystery centers is said to manage her household "with the meticulous attention to detail that marks any good executive." Was Mrs. Gardner valued by her husband for her efficiency or was he describing the kind of woman that he wanted, but didn't have?

In 1940, WWII had started, but the U.S. was still officially neutral. Japan had raised international hackles by invading China and West Coast Americans were starting to look fearfully across the Pacific Ocean. A mysterious tenant is missing (possibly dead) from the house next door and the efficient Mrs. Gentrie finds an empty tin can on her selves of preserved foods. When a coded message is discovered on the can's lid, Perry Mason starts to take an interest.

The Gentries are a very normal family for the time - a stolid businessman husband and father, a middle-aged wife and mother devoted to her family, a grown son, two teenagers, a silly but acid-tongued spinster relative, and a nice architect who "boards" with them and is treated like a member of the family. They seem to be going about their lives with nothing more than the usual irritations of family life, but there are some dark undercurrents.

Perry is at his best here - shrewd, daring, and always determined not to be beaten. Della Street is a full partner in the action. Although the author assures us of the "friendship and understanding which was the keynote of their relationship" there's a lot of snuggling, kissing, and flirting and when the book ends they're heading toward Catalina Island for some R and R on the beach. Private detective Paul Drake loses sleep and develops a ferocious hang-over backing Perry up, but he never gets to kiss Della. Being Second Banana is a tough gig.

This is one of the first books that featured Police Lt. Tragg and he's a breath of fresh air. He's as intelligent as Perry Mason and just as capable of using his charm to get information. He's never more than one step behind Perry in solving the crime, which is a complicated affair with several dead-ends, some shocking discoveries, and a murderer who is just about the last person you would suspect. I think this is one of the best Perry Masons I've read and it's a revealing look at American life on the brink of a war that would change life forever.


Tags : The Case of the Empty Tin [Erle Stanley Gardner] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. 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,Erle Stanley Gardner,The Case of the Empty Tin,Fawcett,0345331982,9780553276190,Mystery & Detective - General,Crime & mystery,Fiction,Fiction Mystery & Detective General,Fiction-Mystery & Detective,MASS MARKET,MysterySuspense

The Case of the Empty Tin Erle Stanley Gardner 9780345331984 Books Reviews

We love the Perry Mason books -
Earl Stanley Gardner at his usual best! Great read, never disappointed.
I liked parts of the mystery, but this wasn't my favorite Mason story. I thought some twists were quite predictable, and the way Gow was treated/written about made me uncomfortable. I was surprised by the reveal of the culprit though, which is always nice.
Moves along for about three quarters of the way and then slows down(bogged is more like it) and gets almost silly with the end coming at an almost locamotive like rush that seems contrived and forced as though this iconic and influential writer wanted to tie it all up real quick to finish it . Not bad but there are better ones.
This is one of my favorite Perry Mason Novels. I was quite surprised to see how many twists and surprises were in it-and some amazingly funny situations. I won't spill the beans, but this was bot only suspenseful, it was funny in many places.

I can honestly say that I did not see the ending coming and was surprised when the murderer was revealed.

Another great read from Erle Stanley Gardner
Garner hit a home run with this story. I have read ten or twelve Mason mysteries over the last few months, and choosing a favorite was difficult. This book really brought out a tenacity in Mason that was greater than usual, and that is difficult to do. The author also brings out the character of Della Street to a greater degree than in most stories and starts to build a more intimate relationship between Perry and Della. The ending does not come out of an overly convoluted series of events like some of these books. You can narrow the suspects down to one or two. A good quick read.
I've read many, many Perry Masons, and this is by the far the most far-fetched and unbelievable. No court scene, but gun-running out of Shanghai, undercover detectives, secret communications, cats shooting suspects, Mason announcing that he's Lt. Tragg's brother, and an incredible range of characters from a typical American family to a highly stereotyped Chinese "first boy." (I should have counted the number of times "inscrutable" was used.) It's hard to keep track of the plot and even harder to stay interested in the characters, but Gardner's lean, fast style enable one to follow along if only to wonder how in the world he will wrap it up. He does wrap it up, but the conclusion doesn't have Gardner's typical psychological satisfaction. Gardner addicts will enjoy or tolerate it, but this one is not good for a first Perry Mason.
There are leg men and breast men, but Erle was an "efficiency man." Perry Mason's crack secretary Della Street is described as "a feminine bundle of neat efficiency" and the admirable Mrs. Arthur Gentrie around whose house the mystery centers is said to manage her household "with the meticulous attention to detail that marks any good executive." Was Mrs. Gardner valued by her husband for her efficiency or was he describing the kind of woman that he wanted, but didn't have?

In 1940, WWII had started, but the U.S. was still officially neutral. Japan had raised international hackles by invading China and West Coast Americans were starting to look fearfully across the Pacific Ocean. A mysterious tenant is missing (possibly dead) from the house next door and the efficient Mrs. Gentrie finds an empty tin can on her selves of preserved foods. When a coded message is discovered on the can's lid, Perry Mason starts to take an interest.

The Gentries are a very normal family for the time - a stolid businessman husband and father, a middle-aged wife and mother devoted to her family, a grown son, two teenagers, a silly but acid-tongued spinster relative, and a nice architect who "boards" with them and is treated like a member of the family. They seem to be going about their lives with nothing more than the usual irritations of family life, but there are some dark undercurrents.

Perry is at his best here - shrewd, daring, and always determined not to be beaten. Della Street is a full partner in the action. Although the author assures us of the "friendship and understanding which was the keynote of their relationship" there's a lot of snuggling, kissing, and flirting and when the book ends they're heading toward Catalina Island for some R and R on the beach. Private detective Paul Drake loses sleep and develops a ferocious hang-over backing Perry up, but he never gets to kiss Della. Being Second Banana is a tough gig.

This is one of the first books that featured Police Lt. Tragg and he's a breath of fresh air. He's as intelligent as Perry Mason and just as capable of using his charm to get information. He's never more than one step behind Perry in solving the crime, which is a complicated affair with several dead-ends, some shocking discoveries, and a murderer who is just about the last person you would suspect. I think this is one of the best Perry Masons I've read and it's a revealing look at American life on the brink of a war that would change life forever.