The Case of the Mythical Monkeys

I can't say it better than Acute Observer, an earlier reviewer, for he has put togethet a list of all the highlights of THE CASE OF THE MYTHICAL MONKEYS. One might wish that the famous monkeys (who say see no evil, speak no evil, etc) had more to do with the actual case they figure in, and yet Perry fails to make much of a connection. Is Mauvis wearing a scarf with the monkey print on the jacket of her new novel CHOP THE MAN DOWN as a subtle hint that she is not telling everything she knows? Millions have lapped up her tawdry expose precisely because she has braved the waters of "kiss and tell" deeper than any other previous woman writer. I suppose CHOP THE MAN DOWN was inspired by Gardner's reading of, or about, the notorious bestseller PEYTON PLACE, with maybe a little of THE BEST OF EVERYTHING thrown in. To me, Mauvis Niles Meade (what a name! Is it an anagram for something else one wonders?) sounds like a hack and more of a tease than a sexually frank woman. Anyway, when she starts telling her secretary, Gladys Doyle, that she wants her to go to a ski lodge and that she must proceed on the way back home to LA, down a winding and nearly impassible mountain road in the middle of a blizzard, I got suspicious of her. It seemed like she was leading Gladys into a trap. In fact I'm surprised Gladys didn't die during her rugged journey. All of this happens before a corpse is discovered and Perry, Della and Paul enter the case. The first forty pages of any Perry Mason (and the last 15) are always the best parts of any of Erle Stanley Gardner's books, but it is really true here, and Gladys' dangerous drive down icy mountain roads will have you on the edge of your seat. The rest, not so much. There is the usual emphasis on the curves of the beautiful women who populate Los Angeles. You know who'd be good starring in the movie of this book? The girl who plays Joan, the secretary, in AMC's TV show MAD MEN. She's got the curves, the complaisant smile, the hint of amorous debauchery, and yet she's still a lady. Thinking about it a bit later, I tried anagramming Mauvis Niles Meade and came up with a few good ones, "Madame Elusive Sin," which describes her pretty well, and also, "Nausea Devil's Mime," the name her mother probably called her.

The Case of the Mythical Monkeys The 'Foreword' is dedicated to Dr. Joseph A. Jachimczyk, Forensic Pathologist and Medical Examiner of Harris County at Houston Texas; he has a law degree as well. In one case a seeming natural death was found to be murder; the murderer admitted to a dozen other deaths! In another case a presumed heart attack was found to be an ice-pick murder; the murderess admitted to two other such killings. An adequate post-mortem can disclose an overlooked murder, or confirm a natural death. Gladys Doyle started work as a secretary and personal assistant for Mauvis Niles Meade, a successful novelist. Mauvis sends Gladys to a mountain resort on business. Mauvis tells her of a back road to take on the return trip. Gladys returns on schedule, but makes a wrong turn on a narrow road. The snow and rain create mud that traps her car. Gladys continues on foot, and finds a small cabin off the road. The lone male occupant lets her in to dry off and spend the night in one of the small bedrooms. The next morning Gladys awakes to find that man gone. But when she looks for him she found a dead man in the other bedroom! She finds her car outside and returns to Los Angeles and visits Perry Mason for legal help. Gladys also found her apartment burglarized, and calls the police. Lt. Tragg is notified about the burglary and connects it to the murder in Pine Glen Canyon (Chapter 5). Perry calls Paul Drake to find out about this murder. Could Gladys have been picked as a patsy? Perry goes to interview Mauvis Niles Meade, but is interrupted when Lt. Tragg shows up to question Mauvis. Lt Tragg retrieves Gladys' notebook. Paul Drake finds the name of the person that stayed at that cabin , so Perry goes to question this witness. He talks to Mrs. Manly, her husband is not at home. Then they talk to the writer who interviewed Gladys, and discover he was hoaxed by someone who spent a lot of money to do this trick (lure Mauvis to the mountain resort). Perry is quite busy that evening following leads as they develop. In Chapter Eleven Perry explains the options to Gladys. By filing a writ of habeas corpus, the police will file a charge of murder. Then a preliminary hearing will get the testimony of witnesses on the record before the prosecution can coach them in their stories. The problems are summarized. Chapter Twelve has the Preliminary Hearing . More facts are brought out by the testimony of witnesses about the crime scene. A telephone call at lunch results in a break in the case (Chapter Thirteen). When the hearing resumes there is a private conference in the judge's chambers with a new witness. Is planted evidence proof of guilt? The new facts point to a new suspect who testifies about the past (Chapter Fifteen). Perry Mason's client is freed, and Perry explains what must have happened as surmised from the facts. Gardner brings out the fact that Federal investigators can break into homes without a search warrant. A remarkable warning for its t

The 'Foreword' is dedicated to Dr. Joseph A. Jachimczyk, Forensic Pathologist and Medical Examiner of Harris County at Houston Texas; he has a law degree as well. In one case a seeming natural death was found to be murder; the murderer admitted to a dozen other deaths! In another case a presumed heart attack was found to be an ice-pick murder; the murderess admitted to two other such killings. An adequate post-mortem can disclose an overlooked murder, or confirm a natural death. Gladys Doyle started work as a secretary and personal assistant for Mauvis Niles Meade, a successful novelist. Mauvis sends Gladys to a mountain resort on business. Mauvis tells her of a back road to take on the return trip. Gladys returns on schedule, but makes a wrong turn on a narrow road. The snow and rain create mud that traps her car. Gladys continues on foot, and finds a small cabin off the road. The lone male occupant lets her in to dry off and spend the night in one of the small bedrooms. The next morning Gladys awakes to find that man gone. But when she looks for him she found a dead man in the other bedroom! She finds her car outside and returns to Los Angeles and visits Perry Mason for legal help. Gladys also found her apartment burglarized, and calls the police. Lt. Tragg is notified about the burglary and connects it to the murder in Pine Glen Canyon (Chapter 5). Perry calls Paul Drake to find out about this murder. Could Gladys have been picked as a patsy? Perry goes to interview Mauvis Niles Meade, but is interrupted when Lt. Tragg shows up to question Mauvis. Lt Tragg retrieves Gladys' notebook. Paul Drake finds the name of the person that stayed at that cabin , so Perry goes to question this witness. He talks to Mrs. Manly, her husband is not at home. Then they talk to the writer who interviewed Gladys, and discover he was hoaxed by someone who spent a lot of money to do this trick (lure Mauvis to the mountain resort). Perry is quite busy that evening following leads as they develop. In Chapter Eleven Perry explains the options to Gladys. By filing a writ of habeas corpus, the police will file a charge of murder. Then a preliminary hearing will get the testimony of witnesses on the record before the prosecution can coach them in their stories. The problems are summarized. Chapter Twelve has the Preliminary Hearing . More facts are brought out by the testimony of witnesses about the crime scene. A telephone call at lunch results in a break in the case (Chapter Thirteen). When the hearing resumes there is a private conference in the judge's chambers with a new witness. Is planted evidence proof of guilt? The new facts point to a new suspect who testifies about the past (Chapter Fifteen). Perry Mason's client is freed, and Perry explains what must have happened as surmised from the facts. Gardner brings out the fact that Federal investigators can break into homes without a search warrant. A remarkable warning for its times.

The title means a scarf printed with three monkeys, "see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil". It may not be a great Mason story, but a good, enjoyable Mason story. A very complicated story, involved with a organized crime and a secret investigation. Mason and a reader can't see what is all about until the near end. When Mason catches a glimpse of Lady Luck, he quickly grabs her hair to turn to him. I admire his vitality.