The Case of the Perjured Parrot (1939) by Erle Stanley Gardner

🦜 I have been meaning to return to Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason series, which I enjoyed very much growing up. I picked this title in particular, due to the parrot involves (I love birds!) Unlike most of murder mysteries involving animals, where the animals rarely take the stage, and only serve as attraction; in this one, the parrot became the central part of the case (thank you, Mason!) Casanova, the parrot, was owned by the murdered man, an eccentric millionaire called Fremont Sabin, who often spent solitary time in his cabin up the mountain, accompanied only by his beloved parrot. 

🦜 Perry Mason was hired by the man's son, Charles Sabin, to investigate the murder, which he (the son) was sure to be committed by his father's second wife, a gold digger, called Helen Watkins Sabin. The killer seemed to be a bird-lover, since he deliberately provided the parrot food and water, after he killed its master. So, the parrot was the only witness to the murder. However, Perry Mason found out later on that the parrot was probably not Casanova at all - this one cursed too much. Where was Casanova, then and why was he substituted with another? 🦜 Mason's second finding was that Fremont Sabin had been secretly marrying another woman. And another parrot was found at this woman's house, also called Helen! This parrot keeps repeating an incriminating sentence: 'Put down that gun, Helen [....] you've shot me!' Was it Casanova? And which Helen he's been accusing? 🦜 I forgot how entertaining these Perry Mason mysteries can be! This one is no exception. It was fast-paced, full of twists and red-herrings, and what always makes this series stand out from the rest, is the courtroom scene and Mason's performance as lawyer. For me, that's always a satisfying moment of reading - just like Poirot's denouement in Agatha Christie's. The parrot as the key of the mystery added its charm. But made me giving this book a five star is the unexpected twist at the end. You know how you think you have solved the mystery, but suddenly, out of no where, a twist comes and blows your sweet theory away? That's the wow factor for me, and many thanks to Mason for ending this one very beautifully!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2026 hosted by Carol @ Carol's Notebook