The Case of the Hesitant Hostess

New York: Ballantine Books. Very Good+. (1953) (1981) 1993. 1st Ballantine Books Edition. Mass Market Paperback. Slight spine crease. 244 pages. A Perry Mason Mystery, No. 43. Perry Mason has no hesitation about defending penniless ex-salesman Albert Brogan against a charge of armed robbery. That's because nightclub hostess Inez Kaylor's testimony will guarantee that the accusations against the alleged hold-up mon won't hold up in court. But when the hostess has the bad manners to stand Mason up instead of taking the stand, Perry's defense may not have a leg to stand on. Failure to find the AWOL witness in forty-eight hours could cost an innocent mon his liberty and his life, when the prosecution serves up a shocking new charge of murder! But the high-tailing hostess has a host of her own secrets, and a cast of shady characters -- from Los Angeles to Las Vegas -- is determined to keep them (and her) hidden. It all adds up to a whirlwind working weekend for Mason: if he cant get the goods -- and the girl -- by Monday morning when the gavel falls, so will the ax... .