The D.A. takes a chance (A Morrow mystery)

by Erle Stanley Gardner and Helen McClog and Ursula Curtiss Gardner, Erle Stanley

Book Overview

There are too many chocolates, too many kniv es and too much politics in this, one of Selby''s toughest an d most brilliant cases. But the District Attorney takes a ch ance - and once again Gardner... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0006ARN3Q
• Release Date: January 1948
• Publisher: W. Morrow
• Length: 276 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Prosecutor Wins His Case

The D. A. Takes a Chance Doris Kane drove to Madison City to visit her married daughter Paula Marlin. But no one was home, and she was frightened by a bloodstain in one bedroom. Doris goes to tell Sheriff Rex Brandon, and D.A. Doug Selby gets involved. The complication is that her son-in-law Jim Melvin had backed the Selby's opponent. When they return things have been cleaned. Then A. B. Carr, the Los Angeles shyster lawyer, stops his car to meet Jim Melvin. Carr does not answer their question about a pistol shot. Milton Granby tells his story; he was at that party and a stranger accidentally shot himself in his arm, then drove himself home. Hudson L. Parlin shows up; he is the investor in the parking meter business, and James L. Melvin is his salesman for the region. Doris had stopped at a motor court. Jim Marlin came by and explained their absence. Jim asks Doris to join them where they are staying. Doris then meets Eve Dawson. their secret house guest, and learns about the secret. The next morning Doris is awakened by a scream from Paula. Eve was dead, a knife in her chest! Sheriff Rex Brandon is called. D.A. Selby and the coroner arrive. Their investigation continues. Sheriff Brandon explains the source of A.B. Carr's power: he gets the big shots out of their difficulties. Doug Selby goes with reporter Sylvia Martin to the home town of Eve "Dawson" Hollenberg. They get little information from Eve's mother. The murder weapon may have been bought in Highdale, Eve's home town. They find out about another young woman from nearby, Eleanor Harlan, who roomed with Eve. There is a surprise in Chapter 15 - fingerprints are found where they shouldn't be found. Paula explains that a device like a self-resetting parking meter can't be sold simply on its merits. Consideration must be given to those who would approve of any sale. [Not unlike closing a sale on a golf course where there are no witnesses.] When Paula gets a phone call and leaves, Doris is left alone at night. Something happens. Brandon and Selby show up. Later Sylvia Martin reports that Eleanor Harlan overdosed on sleeping pills (Chapter 18)! The Chief of Police arrives with a search warrant, looking for Eleanor Harlan in Sylvia Martin's apartment (Chapter 20). The true facts begin to emerge in Chapter 21. There is more action in Chapter 22 when a man is arrested. In Chapter 24 a man who sets a trap must be careful not to be caught himself. The newspaper story in Chapter 25 sums it up. Erle Stanley Gardner has written another fast-moving exciting mystery novel. Gardner used municipal corruption as the background to this story, something that Chandler or Hammett never cared to do. Gardner does warn about the problems that a young woman will face if she goes to Hollywood. There is a problem with self-resetting parking meters. Running for a fixed time allows an independent estimate of the monies taken. A variable time period can allow skimming cash due to a lack independent estimates. That i