The Early Works

Erle Stanley Gardner was born on the 17th July 1889 in Malden, Massachusetts.

After graduating from high school, he independently pursued legal studies and went on to pass the California bar exam in 1911.

He established a thriving legal career in Oxnard and Ventura, California, and frequently defended under-represented clients.

During the mid-1920’s Gardner began writing for the legions of pulp magazines who were eager to share new writers with their growing audiences. Driven by this success he published his debut novel ‘The Case of the Velvet Claws,’ in 1933 and with it the introduction of the brilliant lawyer-detective Perry Mason. The character became an instant publishing phenomenon, prompting Gardner to retire from his legal practice to write full-time.

He ultimately authored over 80 Perry Mason books alongside numerous other mystery series and travelogues, in the process becoming the best-selling American writer of his era.

Erle Stanley Gardner passed away on the 11th March 1970 at his ranch in Temecula, California.

During his prolific career Gardner also published under many pseudonyms including; A A Fair, Carl Franklin Ruth, Carleton Kendrake, Charles M Green, Charles J Kenny, Della Street, Edward Leaming, Grant Holiday, Kyle Corning, Les Tillray, Robert Parr and Stephen Caldwell.