On Tuesday for Todd Mason’s blog, SWEET FREEDOM, I did a post on the 1934 film version of THE CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG starring Warren William as Perry Mason. I’d read this book at 
some point in the past. Richard Robinson covered it nicely here on The Broken Bullhorn, so for an incisive review, please read his post. The film followed the plot of the book pretty much, with a couple of exceptions. Della played a more on scene role in the film version and Paul Drake’s character was absent from the film, replaced by a nameless, in style mostly, detective.
The copy of the book I have is the 25th printing, November, 1966, of the Pocket Books paperback edition.
I enjoyed the re-read, though I agree with Richard that it was not one of the stronger entries in the series. Gardner was still feeling his way in establishing his pattern for the long running adventures of Mason. Of course, my perception of Raymond Burr in the role is so ingrained that I pictured him as I read. Probably the same for anybody else that read these books these days.
Not The Baseball Pitcher 
Yeah Burr owns the role. Love these books but haven’t read this particular one.
I’ve found the Perry Mason books are uneven. Toward the end of the series, the quality sank.
It’s not surprising that the quality sank. Wasn’t he the first fiction factory with his assemply line of secretaires typing day in and day out from his mutliple dictations? I’ve read only three Perry Mason novels and all the business with the switching of guns just drives me batty. I gave up on him. I was surprised the few that I read had nothing to do with the courtroom. I guess he added all that when the TV show got popular. Much prefer watching the TV shows on DVD when I want to watch a melodramatic accusation and confession from the witness stand.
Thanks for the shout-out, Randy.
Thanks for the shout-out, Randy.
J.F. – there are courtroom scenes in the majority of the books, including this one.
I liked these very early Masons better than the later ones. Perry was pretty hard-boiled back then.
I know I must have read this because at one time I’d read just about every Perry Mason story, but it’s gone from my memory. A truly ‘Forgotten’ book. 🙂
All of a sudden I’m seeing that Perry Mason’s name around, you know how it happens on the internet. I brought home 10 of his novels from the library – in two anthologies, thank goodness – just a couple of days ago.
I enjoyed reading your thoughs on Mason and Gardner.
But I’d been reminded of his books by another blogger who’d recently begun reading them again.
I enjoyed reading your thoughts, Randy.
I see I repeated myself. Oh well. Sorry about that.