The Case of the Bogus Books

Ellen Carter is fired by her employer, Joseph Kraft, when a rare book in the second hand book shop where she works goes missing. Although she is sure the book was marked at $8, Kraft blurts out that is was valued at $8000. Adding to her woes, her brother's gambling habit got him fired earlier plus he borrowed money from Ellen. Kraft is involved with Pearl Chute and others in a ring to steal expensive first editions. Pearl decides to bring her friend, Gene Torg, in to work with her. Along with her friend, Pete Norland, Ellen asks Perry Mason to look into the case for her as she is afraid Kraft may press charges. Perry visits the shop and recognizes the small-time con man Gene Torg in Kraft's office with the expensive first edition book that was missing. When Kraft is later found dead in an apparently locked room, Ellen is charged with his murder but Perry uncovers the theft of various precious first edition books from local libraries and believes Kraft may have been killed by someone associated with that criminal enterprise.