Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Dorrie Ambler comes to Perry Mason with an unusual request. She needs both him and Paul Drake to examine her appendix scar so they can make a positive identification because she believes someone is trying to set her up as a patsy for Minerva Minden, an heiress that bears a striking resemblance to her. Minerva, however, has a different story - Dorrie is trying to blackmail her. When Dorrie is apparently kidnapped and a body is later found, Minerva is charged with murder and Mason decides to defend her. Review : I've read quite a few Perry Mason novels and some are more memorable than others. This one was definitely one of the more unusual ones. I think the thing I found most interesting about this book was the way it was unclear which of Mason's clients was the one telling the truth. Both told tales that seemed plausible but also a bit untruthful and it was difficult to figure out which was trying to pull the wool over Mason's eyes and why. I also liked how this b...

Synopsis: After losing their unborn baby, Kate and John decide to adopt a sister for their son and daughter and find the perfect fit with a 9-year-old orphan from Russia, Esther. However, when Esther is accused of hurting another child and the nun who oversaw her adoption is murdered, Kate begins to suspect something is off about her adoptive daughter but, while she fears for her family's safety, both her husband and therapist believe it is all in her head. Who's in it? The movie stars  Vera Farmiga ,  Peter Sarsgaard ,  Isabelle Fuhrman ,  CCH Pounder and  Jimmy Bennett . Review: My wife checked this movie out from the library because multiple people had recommended it to her. It was the first time I had heard about it but, after watching it with her last night, I had to admit it was a lot better than I was expecting it to be. I think the thing I liked most about this movie was the mystery surrounding Esther (Fuhrman). There was a lot her adoptive parents (S...

Synopsis: When eccentric millionaire Cyrus Rutherford dies, his final instructions say some of his heirs will receive $500,000 and the rest $1.50 for cab fare. However, if he is not interred in a glass-roofed vault as instructed and is buried instead, the terms of his unread will would reverse. As Rutherford's heirs plot against each other, an insurance salesman, Albert Tuttle, arrives at the house and, thanks to Rutherford's beautiful niece, Carol, winds up in the middle of things. Who's in it? The movie stars Jack Haley , Bela Lugosi , Jean Parker , Blanche Yurka and Lyle Talbot . Review : I came across One Body Too Many a few days ago and thought it looked interesting enough to add to my library. I had an opportunity to watch it this morning and, while it wasn't as funny as I thought it might be, it still ended up being entertaining. Overall, I thought the plot of this film was unique and interesting. Even though the heirs didn't know how much Rutherford left...

Synopsis : After his latest book is a flop, Jack, a once successful writer, agrees to go on a vacation with his wife, Amanda, to a wilderness glamping retreat to try to save their failing marriage. However, a double booking involving two young newlyweds, a handsome and flirty property owner and Jack's own self-pity make things worse. Who's in it? The movie stars David Arquette , Amy Acker , Adan Canto , Nicole Elliott and Chris Carpenter. Review: I've been feeling under the weather for the past couple of days and, unable to sleep because of a stuffy head, ended up watching this movie last night. While it wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be, I thought it was a decent film. Just to warn you in advance, this movie is classified as a comedy/drama but, in reality, it was much more of a drama. This is especially true of Jack (Arquette) and Amanda's (Acker) marriage, when it was very clear they were on a very direct path to a divorce if some sort of miracle didn...

Synopsis:   Nancy Banks hires Perry Mason to go to the horse track and collect the money she won betting on a longshot then use some of that money to bail out her brother, Rodney, who has been arrested for embezzlement. Mason carries out the job and seeks to distance himself from his client. However, when Marvin Fremont, the man who accused her brother, is found murdered in her motel room shower, ends up defending Nancy against the charges. Review: I had a little bit of free time over the weekend and managed to sit down to read this book during that time. While I think the book fell a bit short of being one of my favorite Perry Mason mysteries, it was definitely better than some of the ones I've read recently. I think the thing I liked most about this book was the way his client just didn't seem to be anywhere near as innocent as she was claiming to be. She tried to trick Mason into believing he was the first person to find the body and even admitted to hiding evidence. While...

Synopsis: Still mourning the death of his love, Jean Grey, Logan has chosen to hide himself in the wilderness and avoid violence. However, when a man he saved during World War II summons him to Japan, he honors his former friend's dying wish and ends up defending the man's granddaughter, the heir to his large corporation, from the people who want her dead. Complicating things is Logan's ability to heal quickly has been suppressed by another mutant. Who's in it? The movie stars Hugh Jackman , Tao Okamoto ,  Svetlana Khodchenkova ,  Brian Tee and  Rila Fukushima . Review: Even though I liked the movie X-Men , I wasn't overly crazy about the sequels and, because of that, never bothered to watch this movie. However, my wife decided to check it out from our local library and I agreed to watch it with her last night. Overall, it wasn't a terrible film. I think the thing I liked best about this movie was the almost-non-stop action. There was some downtime, to allow...

Synopsis: Ali Davis is a successful sports agent but keeps getting passed over for promotion at her male-dominated firm. After she develops the ability to read men's minds, she uses her new gift to help recruit an up-and-coming basketball player but ultimately loses her best friends and her love interest. Who's in it? The movie stars Taraji P. Henson , Aldis Hodge , Josh Brener , Erykah Badu and Tracy Morgan. Review: When my wife picked up this film at our library, I had some doubts about it. The premise was basically identical to the 2000 film What Women Want (other than a gender switch) and, while that movie wasn't one of my favorites, I did wonder if this film would end up being worse. As it turns out, I liked the movie more than expected but do think the Mel Gibson version was better. The movie does have some very funny moments. I especially liked the chaotic wedding scene and when Ali (Hensen) discovers her handsome neighbor's unexpected secret. At the same t...

Synopsis: Theater actress Lillian Cooper is thrilled when her son, Curtis, a successful musician, comes home after going through drug rehab. Curtis seems to be determined to stay clean and decides to take a hiatus from performing but, a few weeks later, he and his pregnant girlfriend die from an apparent overdose. The police believe Curtis had a relapse, but Lillian decides to investigate further with the help of Curtis' former drug dealer, Taz. When she learns the truth, she decides to avenge her son's death. Who's in it ? The movie stars Melissa Leo , Bella Thorne , Jake Weary , Michael Potts and Roma Maffia . Review: I came across this film on one of my movie channels yesterday and decided to watch it with my wife yesterday evening. I wasn't really sure what to expect and my wife thought it would turn out to be a soft-core porn film, but it ended up being an OK choice. There were a couple things I liked about this movie. One of them was the mystery surrounding Cur...

Synopsis: Charles Kessler believes his wife left him, but she is actually being hidden by one of his servants after suffering brain damage from an automobile accident. Whenever Charles sees her wandering the grounds at night, it causes him to go into a trance that turns him into a homicidal maniac. Who's in it? The movie stars Bela Lugosi , Polly Ann Young , Clarence Muse , John McGuire and Betty Compson. Review: I came across this film on one of our movie channels a few days ago and, since I had some extra time this morning, decided to watch it. It wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be but did turn out to be a decent movie overall. I had hoped this film would be more of a mystery, with servants' bodies popping up and no idea who was behind the murders and, at first at least, was a bit disappointed when the movie revealed it was Kessler (Lugosi) committing them. However, as the movie progressed, I found that wasn't as important as I thought it would be. The way...

Synopsis : Still recovering from a recent breakup, Scott Teller reluctantly agrees to let a couple, Ryan and Mary, become his new roommates and, as they become friends, agrees to let them help him avoid rushing into a new relationship. However, when he does meet someone, Leslie, his roommates seem to be going out of their way to interfere with his new relationship and keep it from progressing. Who's in it? The movie stars Brandon Routh , Jesse Bradford , Sophia Bush , Jennifer Morrison and Johnny Galecki . Review: I am going to confess something; I checked this movie out from our local library believing (based on the description) it was a thriller and not a comedy. However, even though I still think it could have been a halfway decent thriller, I did admittedly enjoy the comedy version of this film too. I think the thing I liked most about this film was the mystery surrounding Ryan (Bradford) and Mary (Bush). Right off the bat, it was obvious there was something a little off abo...

Synopsis : Perry Mason visits a vacationing Della Street at her aunt's house and is introduced to Dianne Adler, a former secretary who recently signed a modeling contract that will pay her $100 per week for 2 years in exchange for gaining 12 pounds. Mason believes someone is scamming Dianne and, when the modeling agency tries to break its arrangement, accepts a $1 retainer to represent her in a lawsuit. However, when the agency's owner, Harrison Boring, is beaten to death, he must defend his client against murder charges. Review : My daughter is back at the skating rink over the summer and that gives me time to read while waiting for her to get done. As a result, I made it through this Perry Mason mystery in a couple days. Unfortunately, while the book started out with a lot of potential, it didn't end up being as good as I hoped it would be. The most interesting thing about this murder mystery, in my opinion at least, is the "modeling" contract his client signed...

  Image by  iirliinnaa  from  Pixabay   When did we stop being humans And turn into Trolls? When did it become the norm To be an a-hole. Is it really that hard to be nice Instead of constantly talking smack? Maybe life would be more enjoyable If we didn't feel like we were always under attack. Sometimes it seems ridiculous, Like the whole world has gone insane. Since it seems like just about everybody Is looking for a reason to complain. Maybe this is a crazy idea But perhaps there would be much more happiness If we tried to show some compassion and understanding Instead of focusing on our anger and bitterness.

Synopsis: Art dealer Lattimer Rankin wants to sue Collin M. Durant for a half million dollars after Durant casually suggested Rankin sold a fake painting. Perry Mason convinces him to have the painting's owner sue Durant instead and even helps by getting a signed affidavit from model/artist Maxine Lindsay, the lone witness to the accusation. Mason, however, begins to suspect Durant of setting a clever trap and his worries seem justified when he discovers Maxine is leaving town. When Durant is found murdered in Maxine's apartment, Mason believes her when she said she didn't do it and decides to defend her in court. Review: I checked this book out from our local library a few days ago and, from the description, had high expectations for what sounded like an intriguing murder mystery. However, while the book started out well, I feel like it just didn't live up to those expectations overall. At first, I didn't think that would be the case. Maxine was acting suspiciou...

Synopsis: Door-to-door bookseller Gwynn Elston comes to Perry Mason with a problem. While making a sales call, she discovered her best friend's husband, Felting Grimes may be a bigamist living a double life as Frankline Gillett and Felting may have tried to poison her as a result. Despite the risk, Gwynn decides to try to confirm her suspicions and, instead, winds up giving a ride to a stranger who ends up leaving his gun in her car. When Frankline Gillet is found murdered the next day, she becomes the primary suspect. Review: Since I am almost to the end, I decided to make an effort to finish the rest of Gardner's Perry Mason novels and, because of that, checked out this book from the local library a few days ago. Unfortunately, while the premise sounded promising, this book did prove to be a bit of a disappointment. Mason seems to have two kinds of clients - those that are charged because the evidence makes them look guilty and those who are charged solely because they hap...

Synopsis: While attending her bachelorette party, Mia gets in an argument with two men who are part of a human trafficking ring, and they later abduct her. With the police seemingly unable to help, her fiancé, Roman, enlists help from his two older brothers, both veterans, and, as they search for her, gun down anyone who tries to stop them. Who's in it? The movie stars Bruce Willis , Cole Hauser , Ashton Holmes , Shawn Ashmore , Sophia Bush and Melissa Bolona . Review: Much like another movie I picked out several days ago, I ended up grabbing this movie at our local library because it had one of my wife's favorites, Sophia Bush. We watched it yesterday evening and, while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, it ended up being a decent film. At least in my opinion, the movie seemed to be a throwback to the 1980s shoot-'em-up films. It was a relatively simple plot that made it easy to transition into multiple action scenes and kept the overall focus on those rather th...

Synopsis: Rosalind, the daughter of a deposed duke, lives with her uncle and his daughter, Celia. She falls in love with a young man named Orlando but, before she can act on it, is exiled by her uncle and goes into the forest of Arden with Celia choosing to join her. When she crosses paths with Orlando, who is hiding in the forest from his brother, and learns he loves her, Rosalind disguises herself as a man and tries to find out his real intentions. Who's in it? The movie stars Bryce Dallas Howard , Romola Garai , Adrian Lester , Brian Blessed and Alfred Molina . Review: My youngest daughter has a couple roles in the community theater version of this Shakespeare play next week and, because of that, my wife got this movie from our local library as a bit of a sneak preview. We watched it last night and my opinion was a bit mixed. Overall, I thought the plot was entertaining. There are a lot of fun characters, and those characters do get into some funny situations. Even though it...

Synopsis: Grad student Ellie is growing increasingly frustrated with her roommate April, who has invited her boyfriend to live with them, creating a variety of conflicts ranging from a lack of parking to them giving their friends permission to have sex in Ellie's bed. Unwilling to move out because of the cheap rent, Ellie is willing to just put up with it until the end of her college term. However, when her friend, Jacob, jokingly suggests murdering the couple instead, Ellie decides it is the best option. Who's in it? The movie stars Nicole Cinaglia , Lara Jean Sullivan , Hunter Johnson , Eric Reingrover and Christopher Bryan Gomez . Review: I came across this movie while at our local library this past weekend and, even though I had never heard of it before, thought the premise sounded interesting enough to check it out. My wife and I watched it yesterday evening and, while it doesn't quite live up to its title, it ended up being a fun film to watch. I think the thing t...

Synopsis : Already forced to work overtime on the weekend, Sue Fisher is less than thrilled when she is also asked to watch her boss' son. When the young boy brags about a "treasure" box he had gotten from his dad, a curious Sue looks inside and discovers thousands of dollars in cash. However, before she can do anything more about it, she learns Amelia Corning, the arthritic and blind company owner, has arrived two days early and she needs to pick her up and bring her to the office. When Amelia disappears with the company's sensitive papers and possibly the box of money, Sue relies on Perry Mason to defend her against pending embezzlement charges. However, when a body turns up and the evidence points to his client, Mason must defend her against murder charges too. Review: I didn't expect to finish this book over the weekend but, to my surprise, I was able to find time to read it in its entirety in a little over a day. Unfortunately, as far as Perry Mason murder ...

 Some photos from our regular summer trip to Mackenzie Environmental Center in Poynette, WI.

Synopsis: Confidential secretary Janice Wainwright comes to Perry Mason with an ethical dilemma. Her employer, Morley Theilman, has asked her to deliver a suitcase to a train station locker and not look at its contents. However, she believes her boss is being blackmailed and the suitcase is full of money. Mason accepts a $1 retainer from her, helps her confirm her suspicion of the contents and, after recording the serial numbers on some of the bills, helps her deliver it. Later, when both Theilman and his client disappear, Mason believes he was an unwitting pawn and his client and her married both ran away together. However, when he finds her in Las Vegas with Theilman's 1st wife and later learns Theilman has been murdered, Mason finds himself defending his client against the charges. Review: I picked out this Perry Mason novel from the library a few days ago and managed to finish it yesterday evening while outside barbecuing. Overall, I have to say it was an enjoyable mystery. ...

Synopsis: When Hutch's friend is brutally murdered, he discovers a new video game, Stay Alive, among his friend's possessions. He and some of his friends decide to play the game. However, what they don't realize is, in order to play, they must read an ancient spell that releases the spirit of infamous Countess Elizabeth Bathory and, if they die in the game, they will die in real life. Who's in it? The movie stars Jon Foster , Samaire Armstrong , Sophia Bush , Frankie Muniz and Wendell Pierce. Review: My wife  is a big Chicago P. D. fan and, since I was at the library yesterday anyway, I decided to find a movie with one of her favorite actresses, Sophia Bush. I had forgotten we had watched this particular movie before, many years ago, but we ultimately didn't regret watching it again. Overall, the movie is a lot like many other films with a similar plot. It involves a group of friends who don't realize they are playing a cursed game, even though they are requir...

Synopsis: Ellie, an aspiring fashion designer attending school in London, has a 6th sense that allows her to sometimes see her deceased mother. Bullied by the other women in her dorm, Ellie decides to rent a room from the elderly Ms. Collins and, while sleeping, begins to have visions of Sandy, a singer and former tenant from the 1960s. Inspired by Sandy's seemingly glamorous life, Ellie changes her appearance to look like her and uses Sandy as her inspiration when designing her clothes. However, as her visions continue, she realizes Sandy's life wasn't what it first seemed and, as the apparitions seem to follow her throughout London, she becomes convinced Sandy was murdered and her killer is still out there. Who's in it? The movie stars Thomasin McKenzie , Anya Taylor-Joy , Matt Smith , Diana Rigg and Michael Ajao . Review: I came across this movie at our local library last week and, even though I had heard of it, didn't know a whole lot about it. I decided to c...