I’m nearing the end of my #20booksofsummer24 reviews and am excited to be discussing the thirteenth Perry Mason mystery, The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe by Erle Stanley Gardner. There are many editions of this book, but I am partial to the American Mysteries Classics reprint which has a fantastic introduction by Otto Penzler.
Publication History
The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe was first published in 1938 by William Morrow and Company, one of the premier publishers of mystery and detective fiction at the time. The book quickly became popular, as did many of Gardner’s Perry Mason novels, contributing to his status as one of the best-selling authors of his era.
Plot Synopsis
Perry Mason and Della Street are savoring a succulent steak luncheon at a department store when a sudden commotion shatters the tranquility. A wealthy older woman, Sarah Breel, is apprehended by a store detective, caught in the act of shoplifting. Her niece, the elegant Virginia Trent, rushes to her side, attempting to defuse the situation. Perry Mason, always ready to lend a helping hand, intervenes and manages to prevent the shoplifting charges. He then extends an unexpected invitation to Breel and Trent to join him and Della for lunch, a gesture that leaves them all slightly perplexed.
Mason is barely back in his office when Virginia Trent bursts in and tells Mason that she suspects her aunt is a kleptomaniac- for the past several months, she has had run- at department stores, which her family has made go away due to their vast wealth, but now Virginia suspects her aunt has stolen something more valuable and irreplaceable- a cache of diamonds which were left in her safekeeping by Mrs. Breel’s brother, a jeweler while he went on a bender at a gambling hall.
Mason’s investigation takes a dark turn when he discovers that Sarah Breel’s recent shoplifting episodes were merely a facade. The diamonds and her brother are nowhere to be found. The situation escalates when a lifeless body is unearthed, and the evidence points towards Breel. The discovery of blood on her shoe further complicates the case. With a gun concealed in her purse and the missing diamonds mysteriously back in her possession, Perry Mason faces a daunting task to prove that Sarah Breel is not a thief and a murderer.
The Review
Perry Mason is his most roguish in The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe. He impetuously defends Sarah Breel in the department store without much to back up whether she wasn’t stealing. Everything is hunched, and Perry plays a little fast and loose with the law. He’s fending off foes with a rapier wit and is having fun defending poor, downtrodden ladies but may have bit off more than he bargained for in Sarah Breel.
The department store dust-up, which brings Sarah Breel into Perry Mason’s orbit, was a lark, but soon Mason is embroiled in one of the most dysfunctional family units ever. No wonder Virgina Trent is studying psychology at college and is never like a cat on a hot tin roof- her aunt is committing petty crimes to cover up more enormous crimes- which is the worst way to cover up financial irregularities-but that’s Sarah Breel’s style, do the most outrageous thing possible to confuse everyone.
Perry Mason recognizes Sarah Breel’s tactics. When she is arrested by the police with a gun and the missing diamonds, he also knows she’s done something completely over the top to incriminate herself so the guilty person can go free while the police are trying to understand what happened. Perry Mason decides to double down on Sarah Breel’s approach and apply it to the legal system.
He lets Sarah pretend to be insane and go from the hospital to the courtroom, where her antics are on full display for the court and the jury. Mason hams up his legal bluffing and uses the circus Sarah Breel has created to cleverly and covertly slowly build a sound legal case against the real killer before revealing everything in a dramatic courtroom coup de gras.
The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe is very heavy on theatrics and drama and is basically a circus. It’s fun, outrageous, and very entertaining to see Perry Mason be the ultimate ringmaster and Sarah Breel his shining attraction.
The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe is, however, relatively light on the legal groundwork police evidence and sorely lacks the gravity of a malicious Lt. Tragg or an envious and evil DA who wants to nail Perry to the wall. Without these more personal and grounding stakes, The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe feels more lightweight and lacks tension. There’s a lot of excitement because the reader and Perry don’t know what Sarah Breel will do next, but there’s nothing that makes the reader think Perry is in peril of losing his case.
Perry is written in a very pulpy style and was Erle Stanley Gardner’s bread and butter before the success of the Perry Mason series. His eyes glitter, his face and jaw are set, and he skulks around rustling up alibis and finding clues- sometimes with trusty P. I am Paul Drake, but more often, I am without him. Perry is more of a detective in this series installment- partly because he understands Sarah Breel’s game and partly because he likes getting his hands dirty. Perry Mason is more of a prize fighter, hitting and jabbing with his fist and bending the law until it almost breaks to defend his actions.
The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe is a character-driven story with a pretty good—although not totally grounded—legal thriller. It has lots of over-the-top antics to entertain and delight. It’s a good mystery and sure to delight old fans of the series. It would be a more light-hearted entry into this beloved series for casual mystery readers.
Perry Mason Series Reviews
20 Books of Summer Reviews
If you’re enjoying my #20booksofsummer24 reviews and want to see who else is participating and what books they are reviewing, check out the master list over @746books. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the books I’ve read so far feel free to share your comments below!
Golden Age of Detective Fiction 
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