The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe: A Perry Mason Mystery (An American Mystery Classic)
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
After a thieving woman is accused of murder, it’s up to Perry Mason to prove her innocent
Sleuthing attorney Perry Mason can’t resist a good mystery, so when he sees an older woman being accused of shoplifting during a department store outing with his assistant, Della Street, he doesn’t hesitate to intervene. Armed with an assumption of innocence and the legal acumen to silence her accuser, Mason leaps to the woman’s defense—until her niece appears, acknowledging her aunt’s guilt, and pays for the stolen items.
Soon thereafter, Aunt Sarah is accused of stealing a valuable set of diamonds, and her niece, Virginia, enlists Mason’s aid. The man who left the jewels in Sarah’s care insists that she didn’t take them, but when he turns up dead, she’s left with nobody to vouch for her. Nobody, that is, but Perry Mason—expert in the art of defending the innocent.
The thirteenth novel in the bestselling Perry Mason series, The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe is an exemplary episode for the character, featuring the complex plots, snappy dialogue, and break-neck pacing that make the novels perennial favorites of mystery fans everywhere.
Includes discussion guide questions for use in book clubs.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This fine Perry Mason whodunit from Gardner (1889–1970) opens with the legendary L.A. defense attorney and his assistant, Della Street, taking refuge in a department store from a downpour and witnessing a security guard's attempts to arrest elderly Sarah Breel for shoplifting. The lawyer successfully intervenes, noting that even had Sarah moved items from one part of the store to another, she had not yet tried to leave with them without paying. Mason's efforts earn the gratitude of Sarah's niece, Virginia Trent, who later confides, to Mason's surprise, that she did believe her aunt was planning to shoplift. Furthermore, Virginia suspects Sarah of stealing valuable diamonds that were entrusted to Virginia's uncle, George Trent, a gem expert. After Mason agrees to look into the matter, he winds up investigating multiple murders that Sarah's accused of committing. In court, Mason displays his usual brilliant cross-examination skills as the action builds to a highly satisfying climax. Gardner's cleverness and mastery of trial details are amply on display in this entry in the American Mystery Classics series.
