The Case of the One-Eyed Witness

The `Foreword' is dedicated to Dr. Robert P. Brittain, barrister and doctor of medicine. Harvard Medical School holds a class that covers everything pertaining to murder, from detection to an actual post-mortem. Its purpose is to educate police officers so they can do a better job in detecting criminals. Dr. Brittain is one of the teachers. Whenever an innocent man is convicted it leaves a guilty party free to menace society. [This 1950 book cannot be referencing the Marilyn Sheppard murder.] Chapter 1 begins in a long-gone environment: an urban downtown busy with people. A woman calls Perry Mason and inquires about a package. When she sees a man enter the drugstore she drops the phone and leaves the booth. Perry and Della are dining out. A cigarette girl tells them about what happened to her child. Perry notes this event, and later is given a package. Perry then visits the name given by that woman (Chapter 2). Perry and Della meet M. D. Carlin to give him the message; Carlin says he knows nothing. But Della and Perry don't believe him, and take action. The private detectives watching the Carlin house report a fire, so Perry shows up to investigate (Chapter 4). Later a telephone call tells Paul Drake and Perry that a body was found after the fire was extinguished. It matches M. D. Carlin, and Lt. Tragg is on the job. Perry surmises about the woman who telephoned him, and asks Paul to find this unknown person (Chapter 6). Paul Drake gets the names of customers at that nightclub. Perry visits the one living close to that drugstore, then asks Paul to have Arthman D. Fargo watched. Perry returns with Della to look at Fargo's house as prospective buyers. They find a dead body, and Lt. Tragg finds them (Chapter 10). Perry's fingerprints are found on Fargo's safe (from his earlier visit), and Lt. Tragg asks if Perry removed any paper from that safe (Chapter 11). Paul Drake gets the name of Arthman Fargo's girlfriend Celine Gilson and Perry goes to question her. [This tells about life in Los Angeles.] The conversation ends when Lt. Tragg shows up (Chapter 12). Perry learns that Mrs. Fargo is on a bus to Sacramento, and arranges to meet the bus in Stockton with operatives to question the passengers (Chapter 13). Myrtle Fargo denies making that telephone call, but Della notices something. The police take Myrtle away, and Paul Drake calls with bad news: witnesses who identify Myrtle and contradict her alibi (Chapter 14)! In Chapter 15 Perry sums up the case, and comments about eye-witness identification. Myrtle Fargo continues to deny calling Perry or sending the package, but asks him to represent her. Perry will raise the issue of reasonable doubt (Chapter 16). Perry learns that Celinda Gilson was married to the headwaiter at that restaurant (Chapter 17). Chapter 18 tells that the general public, who read the newspapers, was convinced that Myrtle Fargo was guilty as sin. Perry points out that showing pictures of the defendant to a witness was followed

36th Perry Mason Mystery written in 1950. Openings of Mason Mysteries are always strange, but this book's opening is rather unusual. When Mason has a pleasant time at a night club, he receives a phone call from an anonymous woman who urgently asks his help for a seemingly not-so-urgent matter. Mason ordinarily tosses away such an anonymous request, but he is moved by the woman's frantic, horrified tone.At last, Mason traces a highly likely woman, but she stubbornly denies that she called him. WHY? This riddle is the most interesting in this book. The answer doesn't fail my expectation. And the meaning of the "One-Eyed Witness" is not so simple such as the witness has a bad eyesight. That doesn't fail my expectation, either.

Hi friends!!! This book is perhaps the best mystery i have ever read. the solution to the mystery is ingenious. No one can guess the climax. The courtroom drama is crisp and beautifully written, the cross examination is the best ever. It never slows down and moves at a break neck pace and blasts u out of your seats in the end with a huge explosion of a climax. If u dont read this one u will miss the best mystery novel. Trust me.

I loved this book! I hadn't read a Perry Mason book in several years (although I re-read all of Gardner's books written under the AA Fair name every couple of years), and I was caught offguard. A great plot that had some twists that really surprised me, an unusually suspenseful (for Gardner) opening, and a dash -- just a soupcon! -- of romance between Perry and Della. Mm-hmm! I think it's time Perry Mason got remade into a good movie, keeping the 1940s or 50s setting, but with new actors. The Perry in the book was tall, granite-faced, and wore a three-piece suit -- but wasn't afraid to use a little muscle now and again. Plus he knew how to keep Della warm on a cold night! Sounds like a role for Pierce Brosnan! (Can he do an American accent?)

this was the first perry mason book i've ever read (i'm only 13), and i think it is one of the best books i have ever read. i haven't read any others, so i wouldn't know what to compare it with. this book had a lot os twists and surprises. i plan to read as many perry mason books possible.