The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito

By Erle Stanley Gardner

Book Overview

Perry Mason solves a murder in a mining town in this whodunit from one of the bestselling authors of all time.

When a millionaire enlists Perry Mason to protect his mining interests, the sleuthing attorney and his tireless secretary Della Street trade the Los Angeles streets for the fresh mountain air of San Bernardino. As soon as they arrive at the property, however, things start to go sideways, first with the introduction of an eccentric cast of characters, and then with deception, poisoning, and gunfire. When one of the group falls dead, Mason must throw his deductive powers into overdrive, sorting through red herrings and puzzling clues to reveal whodunit. At the end, his dazzling explanation will hinge on an oddly lazy insect.

A dizzyingly complex mystery set in the great outdoors, The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito combines the fast-paced plots for which Gardner is known with his other great strength as a nature writer. Distinct in its setting which feels worlds away from the typical Perry Mason novel, it exemplifies the page turning entertainment that made the author one of the best-selling writers in the history of American letters.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1613168349
• ISBN13: 9781613168349
• Release Date: November 2026
• Publisher: American Mystery Classics
• Length: 360 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

It is the Case of the DROWSY Mosquito, not Drowing

Why write a long review? Gardner's best mysteries always involve a time element, where Mason gets it right and the DA doesn't. When ESG got busy he dictated, and the time element is absent, the story less interesting