Major characters:
- Dianne Alder, the Blonde Bonanza
- George Alder, her father, believed dead 14 years ago
- Harrison T. Boring, Dianne's employer
- George D. Winlock, a millionaire
- Mrs. Winlock
- Marvin Harvey Palmer, Winlock's stepson
- Perry Mason, attorney
- Paul Drake, P.I.
- Sid Nye, P.I.
- Steven "Moose" Dillard, P.I.
Locale: Bolero Beach and Los Angeles, California
Synopsis: Secretary Della Street is vacationing in Bolero Beach with her aunt, Mae Kirby. She becomes acquainted with "Blonde Bonanze" Dianne Alder, an attractive woman on a binge to gain weight quickly. Attorney Perry Mason is curious, and finds Alder has a contract with Harrison T. Boring, in which she is to gain certain weight in order to model some larger fashions. The contract has a curious stipulation that during the term of the contract, Dianne must share her income from all sources 50/50 with Boring. Mason is suspicious of that clause, thinking some is looking for Dianne to come into some money, and that the fashion reason is just a ruse.
Mason suspects Boring has turned to blackmail and has him followed to a cottage in a motor court. Mason's operative, "Moose" Dillard, gets a nearby cottage to keep watch, and observes a string of visitors to the cottage, including Dianne Alder. Later, Boring is found dead there, and Dianne becomes the prime suspect.
Review: [spoilers ahead] The double-identity person (George Winlock/George Alder) was obvious right from the start. All the legwork of investigation is done by another agency, that of Sid Nye and his operative "Moose" Dillard. The courtroom scenes are enjoyable, but it is disappointing that the identity of the killer and means of the death are a bit unfair to the reader. One of the "good guys" is the killer, even though the "murder" turns out to be accidental. This must be why a different P.I. agency is used, so the good name of the Paul Drake agency is not besmirched.
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