Case of the Empty Tin
Edition: New Ed edition
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: July 12, 1984
Language: eng
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Number of pages: 240
ISBN-13: 9780345315465
Subjects: Crime & mystery; Fiction; Nonfiction; Mystery/Suspense; Non-Classifiable; Mystery & Detective - General
Description: A spanking-new tin can, secretly placed among the rows of Mrs. Florence Gentrie's preserves, contains not a speck of food and even though she tries to dismiss it as unimportant, it seems to be important to her nosey sister in law, and it does carry one very damning clue to a murder that took place right next door. Such an unsavory discovery in such an unlikely place can't help but pique the curiosity of a dedicated mystery hunter like Perry Mason.
But the real mystery about this murder is who and where is the victim? Upstairs neighbor Elston A. Karr, confined to a wheelchair,  heard the telltale sounds of foul play, but his foul temperament (and his own dark secrets) make him most uncooperative. Karr calls Mason for something that he does not want to disclose, but Perry is intrigued so he goes there - and hears a story of an old partnership, gunrunning and betrayal in China and a link to arms smuggling in the Far East, a missing heir and a cranky old man.
Then the call comes, and Perry Mason ends up finding a body (but decides to leave Drake to report it - which the detective is not very happy about). Before long, Della and Mason will find another body and the link to arms smuggling in the Far East. Add a love story (or 2), some innocent love and some not so innocent love, an heiress that resurfaces and dead men coming back from life complete the story of the mystery.
It takes a second murder to clear up the mystery of the missing body and to make Perry Mason the next prime candidate to disappear....