Reviews

The Case of the Cautious Coquette by Erle Stanley Gardner

katiethecatlady's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book was written in the mid century, so there's some quaint and casual sexism. It was a little slower than other Perey Mason books, but still a fun read.

johnnyb1954's review

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Complicated plot without too much gimmickry. Good courtroom scene. 
Main flaw was that Mason tells someone to report finding a dead body to the police, doesn’t sure that it was done and then, never suspects that it wasn’t done. 

The Perry/Della romance finally shows up again at the end of this one. 

paperbackstash's review against another edition

3.0

I read the physical version, the audio last year. It is one of the more humorous Perry Masons with the games with the police and the judge who obviously in bias in Perry's favor and amused by him getting the best of Burger and the insurance agents. This mystery isn't quite as complex or fair to solve since we're not given the details needed until the end, but like most of Perry Mason novels, the story grips you with its confusion and is fun to follow along.

besh's review

medium-paced

3.5

sonyaw's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25