The Case of the Postponed Murder

The Case of the Postponed Murder A young woman shows up at Perry Mason's office. Her sister, Mae Farr, moved to Los Angeles a year ago. But her letters stopped coming, and Sylvia Farr wants her found. Perry advises Sylvia to contact Paul Drake (Perry noticed discrepancies in her dress). Mae is wanted for check forgery! Perry will represent the sister. Mae's boy friend Harold Anders from back home shows up, and argues with Penn Wentworth (whose signature was forged). Later, Harold and Mae show up at Della Street's apartment: Penn Wentworth was shot while struggling with Mae! Harold was near, and they came to Perry for help. Perry quickly decides what must be done, and takes Mae back to the yacht. But the yacht has sailed away! (Perry is more involved in detection than usual.) Perry's client doesn't tell the whole truth, and her friend Harold doesn't follow Perry's advice. Wentworth had complications in his personal life. The police were able to find Mae Farr, and her boyfriend (who told all). The police believe Perry found Harold's gun. Penn's partner offers to suppress evidence; Perry refuses. More complications arise, including a witness who asks for money. Page 166 tells how Paul Drake would slow the car speed, then speed up again. [This is one way to check if you're being followed.] The cross-examination at the Preliminary Hearing brings out facts from a surprise witness that results in the clearing of Mae Farr. All seems to end happily for Mae Farr and Harold Anders. The most important advice in this book is Perry's advice on staying sober at a party: join in the first drinks, then stop (the others won't notice). Mason skates very close to the edges in this story. It was completed before Erle Stanley Gardner's death, but had not been checked and polished. The back cover shows the author with a hearing aid from decades earlier. Using a large format camera instead of 120 film also suggests a date before the 1960s. I wonder if the testimony about the "interurban busline" suggests a date after the 1940s? The unconventional courtroom practices of the Justice of the Peace suggests an earlier time than the 1960s.