The Case of the Beautiful Beggar

The Case of the Beautiful Beggar A young woman has just returned from a 3-month vacation cruise in Hawaii. Daphne Shelby has a letter from her Uncle Horace ordering her to met Perry Mason immediately to draft a new will. Uncle Horace's stepbrother, his wife, and a friend came for an extended stay. During Daphne's absence they had Uncle Horace declared incompetent and put in a nursing home. Stepbrother Borden was now in charge of the Shelby fortune, and Daphne was ordered out of the only home she ever knew! The check given to Daphne is for a closed account. There is a suspicion that Borden's wife Elinor has drugged Uncle Horace to make him senile. Perry Mason files a paper to question the court judgment. The bank manager is ready to testify that Horace was competent, and Daphne has a good business head. But Borden Shelby reveals a surprise about Daphne that could prevent her suit. The court appointed a psychiatrist to settle the question. But Uncle Horace disappears! Soon a dead body turns up. Daphne is suspected of murdering her uncle for the inheritance. But the body turns out to be Borden's friend! Perry placed investigators on all the people, and learns the facts needed to clear his client, and discover where Uncle Horace was hiding. The final scenes in the Preliminary Hearing clears up the mysteries. Another long suppressed scandal is the source of these problems. This is another roller-coaster ride of a story designed to keep your interest until its surprising conclusion.

I think that this book was really good. Earl Stanley Gardner is a great author. There were so many twists in the story you'd never know what would happen next.