Erle Stanley Gardner has been hailed as the most prolific mystery writer of all time, with 80 Perry Mason Mysteries alone. He also wrote dozens of stories under several pen names and wrote short stories for several mystery magazines. One of his best Perry Mason mysteries in entitled The Case of the Buried Clock.

In this story of intrigue and murder, one Harley Raymond returns to Kenvale, California as a Purple Heart veteran of World War II. His is tired, wants to recover from his wounds, and wishes for time to convalesce in the peaceful atmosphere of his old hometown. He is invited to stay at the cabin of some family friends and finds himself not in a peaceful mountain hideaway, but in the middle of a mystery that only famous attorney Perry Mason can solve, with the help of ace detective Paul Drake.

Another major player is Adele Blane, the daughter of a wealthy and influential banker. Her family owns the cabin. As the story progresses, it appears that she and Harley have been much more than friendly in the past years before World War II. On one notable day, Adele drives Harley Raymond up to her family cabin just to help air the place out after a long period of disuse. She does some spring-cleaning and cabin airing, while Harley falls asleep under a tree outside in the nearby woods.

Harley Raymond does not rest for long, because his sleep is interrupted as he hears the sound of a ticking clock tome and time again. Not believing there can actually be a clock buried in the woods around him, Raymond moves to another location. He falls fast asleep again. When Adele finally wakes him, he tells her of the strange ticking clock sound that he felt sure he heard. He has been impressed by the sound of that ticking clock and cannot get it out of his mind.

Upon further investigation of the woods and grounds around the Blane cabin, Raymond and Adele find that there actually is a clock buried in a shallow indentation at the location where Harley had first fallen asleep. Together, they bury the clock again, not wanting to disturb someone else's possessions. However, they are disturbed by such an occurrence as finding a clock buried just beneath the surface of the soil near the cabin.

After Adele and Harley have buried the clock once again, they look up and see that one Jack Hardisty has arrived. Jack is Adele's brother-in-law, married to her sister Milicent. He is also an employee at their father's, Mr. Blane's, bank.

Jack is an individual not much liked by the townspeople for many a good reason. One of these is his shallow cordiality and manipulative ways. He is an opportunist. He seeks first the almighty dollar. Adele and Raymond hide in the bushes when Jack arrives, only to see him remove a gardening spade from his car. What does he need with a shovel?

Jack Hardisty catches a glimpse of Raymond and Adele as they are watching from the bushes, and quickly discards the shovel and hopes that they did not see it. This is an unexplained and curious thing. and both Adele and Raymond make mental note of it for the future. Perhaps Hardisty was going to dig up the clock, but why? In addition, what was it doing buried there?

Neither Adele nor Harley particularly enjoys Jack's company, so they leave him out on the grounds alone after a few brief words. They really want to get away from him.

Later, Jack Hardisty is discovered dead. The police look to one suspect, his wife, Mrs. Hardisty. She was seen in the area of the cabin that day and had the motivation for wanting her husband dead. But soon, suspicion falls on Adele and her father needs help in proving her innocence. Mr. Blane calls in the best help he can to aide his daughter and Raymond. He calls in famous attorney Perry Mason.

Mr. Blane is sure that his daughter is innocent of the Jack Hardisty death. He wants Perry to prove it. Mason hears of the mysterious buried clock and cannot resist the challenge solving its mystery and its connection with Jack Hardisty. However, the clock was moved from its original burial site and nobody knows where it went.

Private secretary Della Street and private detective Paul Drake join Perry Mason in the Case of the Buried Clock. Using Harley Raymond as an inside man, they interview and investigate a cast of intriguing characters living in the mountains surrounding the Blane cabin. They find the missing clock, learn why it was buried and by whom, and ultimately solve the case.

This is a wonderful old story that will keep you guessing at the answers to the mystery. It will also lead you to wonder just how Erle Stanley Gardner was able to write so many well-conceived books and stories.

Note: I first published this review under the pen name Qwilleran for a now-defunct blog.