Order of Perry Mason Books
Perry Mason is the protagonist in a series of detective fiction novels and stories by American novelist Erle Stanley Gardner. Mason works as a defense lawyer, but usually ends up working as a detective in the process in order to clear his client’s name. The series was adapted to the TV series of the same name from 1957 until 1966, which starred Raymond Burr. Burr also appeared in 26 television movies from 1985 until 1993. The character also appeared in several films, radioplays, comics and a second TV series.
Perry Mason made his debut in the novel The Case of the Velvet Claws, which was published in 1933. Gardner ended up writing 89 novels and short story collections featuring the Perry Mason character. His final novel in the series was 1973 – lasting 40 years – and was entitled The Case of the Postponed Murder. In addition, a novel entitled The Case of the Burning Bequest was written by Thomas Chastain, which was published in 1990. Below is a list of Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason books in order of when they were originally released (as well as notes on their chronological order):
Publication Order of Perry Mason Books
The Case of the Velvet Claws | (1933) | |
The Case of the Sulky Girl | (1933) | |
The Case of the Lucky Legs | (1934) | |
The Case of the Howling Dog | (1934) | |
The Case of the Curious Bride | (1934) | |
The Case of the Counterfeit Eye | (1935) | |
The Case of the Caretaker’s Cat | (1935) | |
The Case of the Sleepwalker’s Niece | (1936) | |
The Case of the Stuttering Bishop | (1936) | |
The Case of the Dangerous Dowager | (1937) | |
The Case of the Lame Canary | (1937) | |
The Case of the Substitute Face | (1938) | |
The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe | (1938) | |
The Case of the Perjured Parrot | (1939) | |
The Case of the Rolling Bones | (1939) | |
The Case of the Baited Hook | (1940) | |
The Case of the Silent Partner | (1940) | |
The Case of the Haunted Husband | (1941) | |
The Case of the Empty Tin | (1941) | |
The Case of the Drowning Duck | (1942) | |
The Case of the Careless Kitten | (1942) | |
The Case of the Buried Clock | (1943) | |
The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito | (1943) | |
The Case of the Crooked Candle | (1944) | |
The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde | (1944) | |
The Case of the Golddigger’s Purse | (1945) | |
The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife | (1945) | |
The Case of the Borrowed Brunette | (1946) | |
The Case of the Fan-Dancer’s Horse | (1946) | |
The Case of the Lazy Lover | (1947) | |
The Case of the Lonely Heiress | (1948) | |
The Case of the Vagabond Virgin | (1948) | |
The Case of the Cautious Coquette | (1949) | |
The Case of the Dubious Bridegroom | (1949) | |
The Case of the Negligent Nymph | (1950) | |
The Case of the One-Eyed Witness | (1950) | |
The Case of the Fiery Fingers | (1951) | |
The Case of the Angry Mourner | (1951) | |
The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink | (1952) | |
The Case of the Grinning Gorilla | (1952) | |
The Case of the Hesitant Hostess | (1953) | |
The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister | (1953) | |
The Case of the Fugitive Nurse | (1954) | |
The Case of the Runaway Corpse | (1954) | |
The Case of the Restless Redhead | (1954) | |
The Case of the Sun Bather’s Diary | (1955) | |
The Case of the Glamorous Ghost | (1955) | |
The Case of the Nervous Accomplice | (1955) | |
The Case of the Terrified Typist | (1955) | |
The Case of the Gilded Lily | (1956) | |
The Case of the Demure Defendant | (1956) | |
The Case of The Screaming Woman | (1957) | |
The Case of the Lucky Loser | (1957) | |
The Case of the Daring Decoy | (1957) | |
The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll | (1958) | |
The Case of the Long-Legged Models | (1958) | |
The Case of the Calendar Girl | (1958) | |
The Case of the Singing Skirt | (1959) | |
The Case of the Mythical Monkeys | (1959) | |
The Case of the Deadly Toy | (1959) | |
The Case of the Waylaid Wolf | (1960) | |
The Case of the Duplicate Daughter | (1960) | |
The Case of the Shapely Shadow | (1960) | |
The Case of the Spurious Spinster | (1961) | |
The Case of the Bigamous Spouse | (1961) | |
The Case of the Reluctant Model | (1962) | |
The Case of the Blonde Bonanza | (1962) | |
The Case of the Ice-Cold Hands | (1962) | |
The Case of the Mischievous Doll | (1962) | |
The Case of the Stepdaughter’s Secret | (1963) | |
The Case of the Amorous Aunt | (1963) | |
The Case of the Daring Divorcee | (1964) | |
The Case of the Phantom Fortune | (1964) | |
The Case of the Horrified Heirs | (1964) | |
The Case of the Troubled Trustee | (1965) | |
The Case of the Beautiful Beggar | (1965) | |
The Case of the Worried Waitress | (1966) | |
The Case of the Queenly Contestant | (1967) | |
The Case of the Careless Cupid | (1968) | |
The Case of the Fabulous Fake | (1969) | |
The Case of the Fenced-in Woman | (1972) | |
The Case of the Postponed Murder | (1973) | |
The Case of Too Many Murders | (1989) | |
The Case of the Burning Bequest | (1990) |
Publication Order of Perry Mason Collections
The Case of the Murderer’s Bride and Other Stories | (1955) | |
The Case of the Crimson Kiss | (1970) | |
The Case Of The Crying Swallow | (1971) | |
The Case of the Irate Witness and Other Stories | (1973) | |
Four Cases of Murder | (1989) |