Description

“THE COURT SCENE IS BRILLIANT”: PRESENTATION COPY OF THE CASE OF THE BLONDE BONANZA, INSCRIBED BY ERLE STANLEY GARDNER

GARDNER, Erle Stanley. The Case of the Blonde Bonanza. New York: William Morrow, (1962). Octavo, original red paper boards, original dust jacket.

First edition, presentation copy, inscribed: “To my good friends Sue & Frank Fiske with all best wishes. Yours, Erle. Erle Stanley Gardner.”

“A diabolically clever variation on the confidence game of the ‘lost heir’ is the foundation of this delightful caper, in which Perry Mason once again sees through the machinations of people generally quite as able as himself. The young woman who is being used to extort money from her unacknowledging father drags the lawyer into making arrangements that lead to murder, after which his sympathy for her and her stepmother compel him to work out how the killing took place? The court scene is thrilling and brilliant” (Barzun & Taylor, 1411). This is number 67 of 86 books in the series. Hubin, 162. Erle Stanley Gardner frequently inscribed books to the recipients of this copy, Frank and Sue Fiske. In addition to being one of Gardner’s close friends, Frank Fiske was also a writer; his short story, “Court of the Singing Goldfish,” was published alongside Gardner’s Western novelette, “On the Poison Trail,” in the July 1926 issue of Triple-X.

Dust jacket price-clipped. Fine condition.