Case Negligent Nymph

The Case of the Negligent Nymph The 'Foreword' tells of Erle Stanley Gardner's work with "The Court of Last Resort" in helping to free the wrongfully convicted. It is difficult to re-open a closed case, there is no legal way to accomplish this. The team must find overlooked clues and then convince the pardon boards. 'Argosy' magazine furnished money to pay for their expenses, so this book is dedicated to Harry Steeger and Harold Goldsmith, the co-owners of 'Argosy' magazine. Perry Mason is paddling a rented canoe at night to reconnoiter the island estate of George S. Alder. He sees a female swimmer land on the beach, then dress in an evening gown. Perry continues to watch the mansion. A dog started barking, lights went on, and the young woman climbed out of a window and ran to the water, pursued by the dog. Perry rescues the young woman. Flashlights from shore pass over the canoe. Perry is able to elude the pursuers. The young woman has a letter in a bottle that contains information that affects the property of George S. Alder. Dorothy Fenner explains her relationship to George S. Alder, the half-brother of her cousin Corinne Lansing. Dorothy will copy this letter and then return the original to George S. Alder. Perry wonders if this was a plant to take him in as part of the legal action? Dorothy Fenner is arrested, and wants Perry to represent her. It seems she only knows Perry by his reputation. Perry explains the difficult situation Dorothy is in, but he can help her. Perry cross-examines George S. Alder on the amount of jewelry stolen, and Alder admits he doesn't know if anything was stolen. Dorothy's bail is reduced, and she is released. Dorley H. Alder visits Perry, and tells how he is using financial and political pressure against a business rival. George Alder visits Dorothy to invite her to visit him that night, but she must tell no one. In Chapter 9 we learn that George Alder has been murdered, and the police are searching for the murderer. Perry goes to see Dorothy, she tells him she was at home all evening. While at a Mexican restaurant Perry learns that Dorothy was been arrested and Perry is her suspected accomplice! The trial of Dorothy Fenner starts in Chapter 14. A police officer testifies about the actions of George Alder's dog. Perry questions the Sheriff about the condition of the purse found in the water. In Chapter 16 we meet Pete Cadiz, a grizzled old seaman who lives free and independent. Again the courtroom scenes are dramatic (Chapter 17). The operator of the boathouse and a fingerprint expert identify Perry Mason as the renter of a canoe, and the defendant's fingerprints are there. Perry gets this expert to admit fingerprints could have been made at different times. Perry's inspection of the murder scene turns up both new and overlooked evidence. Chapter 21 reports the effect of this finding. In Chapter 22 we hear about what the dog did the night of the murder. The surprising testimony will free Perry's client. Durin

This story starts with Perry Mason alone in a canoe examining an estate and suddenly a naked woman (the negligent nymph) rises out of the water and makes landfall. She then dresses in an evening gown and proceeds to surreptitiously enter the estate. Suddenly, there is an alarm and the woman comes running back to the water with a guard dog hot on her trail. Just as the dog is about to catch her, Mason intervenes, forcing the dog back to land. He then helps the girl into the canoe and assists her escape. The only thing that she took was a bottle with a letter in it. That letter accuses the owner of the estate with murder. They copy the letter and Mason leaves without revealing who he really is. She is then charged with stealing jewels from the estate and hires Mason to defend her. He has little difficulty in this problem, but things get complicated when the owner of the estate is found dead, apparently murdered. Since the girl went to the estate on the night of the death, she is a logical suspect and she is charged with murder. This starts you on a mystery that ranks among Gardner's best Perry Mason stories. Mason is not only defending the girl, who fails to follow his instructions, but also must avoid the revelation that he aided her escape. There are many twists to the plot, and the solution hinges on the fact that the guard dog was placed in a closet and had a bloody paw. The actual events of the death come out only at the end, and Gardner sets the stage for this rather well. Erle Stanley Gardner was a very prolific writer, so of course the quality of his stories varies a great deal. This is one of his better Mason stories, it never lagged and the conclusion was an unexpected one. There was also a hint of the love Della Street has for Mason.