The Case of the Mischievous Doll

by Erle Stanley Gardner

Book Overview

A mysterious young woman, Dorrie Ambler, wishes to prove her identity to Perry Mason. She wants him to witness her appendectomy scar, claiming she has a double. The double turns out to be Minerva... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345359402
• ISBN13: 9780345359407
• Release Date: March 1989
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Double Trouble and Double Murder

The Case of the Mischievous Doll The 'Foreword' is dedicated to W. R. Rule, Major USAF, who studied law, then specialized in the field of legal medicine, as it applies to the military. He is currently Legal Counsel for the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. The Armed Forces have developed a nearly perfect system for the administration of justice. Della Street tells Perry Mason a young woman, Dorrie Ambler, has come to establish her personal identification through an appendectomy scar. Perry suggests fingerprints would be better. Dorrie is afraid of becoming a victim of a frame-up! She has been given clothes to wear, even shoes and underwear; but she won't explain. Perry has her followed when she leaves. Dorrie goes to the airport, and does the craziest thing you could imagine (Chapter 2)! The police show up and arrest the woman who came out of the rest room. This is one goofy case or client. The five o'clock news tells of the event at the airport and that Minerva Minden, the madcap heiress of Montrose, has been arrested for her pranks. Then Dorrie Ambler shows up, and tells about the job she was hired to do. [Anyone remember "The Red-Headed League"?] A lot of personal questions were asked to qualify for this high-paying job. Dorrie had to wear a complete outfit and walk at an intersection. Dorrie tells Mason how she identified the detective agency that gave her instructions. When she went there to learn more, she saw her double waiting there for her car. Dorrie got the license number of her double's car (Chapter 3). Because she was afraid of being used for a sinister purpose, Dorrie staged that scene at the airport. Perry figures out why Dorrie was hired, and how she is being used. In Chapter 4 the trickery employed results in the police apparently waiting to arrest Dorrie Ambler for a crime she didn't commit! Perry Mason and Paul Drake come right over on this "red-hot lead". But the door is locked, and a woman screams. They break in to find a body on the floor, so they call the police. The police find a stolen car that was involved in a hit-and-run in Dorrie's garage (Chapter 5). Can a case be fixed by selecting the judge, and then a lawyer who is a good friend (Chapter 6)? Is Dorrie involved in a crooked scheme that if financed by a Las Vegas businessman (Chapter 7)? Is Dorrie an innocent victim or did she inveigle Perry into her scheme (Chapter 9)? Chapter 10 has a shocking surprise. Minerva Minden was taken in for questioning by the police. She will be charged with a double murder. Perry warns Minerva against her "madcap heiress" reputation. People are convicted of murder on evidence that only shows guilt of adultery (Chapter 11). [Is this a reference to the Dr. Sam Sheppard case?] The trial begins in Chapter 12. The prosecution brings out new facts against Minerva, which fills in unknown details in this case. The witnesses give their testimony. One witness has a shocking story to tell! This is the most important chapter. Perry Mason t