By Erle Stanley Gardner, Edited by Bill Pronzini
Crippen & Landru Publishers, 267 pages
–Real Fiction Superhero-
A delightful compilation of short stories, this book takes you on a walk down memory lane during a time when life was simple and the bad guys always met their end as justice prevailed. We remember Erle Stanley Gardner from the famed Perry Mason novels and the television series that still plays every day, but his talents went much further. One of the world’s most best selling mystery writers of all time, Erle Stanley Gardner has his best work resurrected by Crippen & Landru with The Lost Classics Series: The Exploits of the Patent Leather Kid as the third in a series of his work.
The Patent Leather Kid is a do-gooder criminal; a bored, rich man with a lot of time on his hands. He is determined to use whatever means he has at his disposal to set up criminals and arrange for the police to find them, catching them in the act in most cases.
This book is an engaging read for all ages, from the lighthearted mystery-readers to those loveable diehard mystery junkies. Whether you are a fan of Perry Mason or not, this will make you a true Erle Stanley Gardner enthusiast!
M. Chris Johnson