Ah, sweet mystery, when Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin plunge into a case of murder brimming with luscious, lethal ladies.Who murdered Waldo Wilmot Moore? Well, there were five hundred female employees at the Wall Street firm where poor Waldo had worked. Any one of them might have done it. And there was also the beautiful lady stockholder who tried to bribe Archie. And the dark-haired lovely who … dark-haired lovely who simply couldn’t talk to a man until she kissed him. And the girl who filed a murder complaint in the office suggestion box. And the girl who got jilted by death . . .
“It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore.”—The New York Times Book Review
A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained—and puzzled—millions of mystery fans around the world. Now, with his perambulatory man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth is back in the original seventy-three cases of crime and detection written by the inimitable master himself, Rex Stout.
more
Lately, before bed each night, I’ve been reading a few chapters from Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe series. I’m tackling the books in order, and this is one of the very best so far.
Archie Goodwin, Wolfe’s man of action, is in a snit with his boss–again. During their “period of coolness,” Wolfe somewhat spitefully assigns Archie to what sounds like a tedious job, working undercover as a “personnel expert” at a large company plagued by rumors of murder. None too keen on the idea of working all day only to come home and work all evening, Archie warily turns up for his first day and discovers the workforce is overwhelming female. He’s in the catbird seat with beautiful, single women everywhere! Of course, one of them may very well be a killer, but other than that…
Originally published in 1947 as the first Nero Wolfe mystery to take place after WW2, this twisty mystery is full of surprises and full of 1947 attitudes about men, women, society, and so on. If you prefer only up-to-the-minute mysteries, stay far away from this book. Me? I adored it.
I’m quite fond of Rex Stouts literary works
Just a cozy murder, to read on a winter afternoon
Love any Rex Stout – Nero Wolf book
I love ever book in this series. However, I was pleased that somehow I missed this one and couldn’t wait to read it. Great addition to the series.
I’m very fond of Nero Wolfe mysteries, but this wasn’t one of my favorites. The office setting didn’t make it any more entertaining or interesting.
Boring
Archie and Wolfe have a spat, so when a wealthy client wants to find out if an employee allegedly killed in a hit-and-run was premeditatedly murdered, Archie goes undercover at a company with an all-female, all young and single, executive office staff. When a second, executive-level employee is killed (slipping a Saul Panzer tail — which has never happened before, Saul being the best at tailing people there is!), Police Inspector Cramer refuses to believe it (it’s pretty hard to believe, admittedly).
The mystery is, as always, secondary to the Wolfe and Archie interactions, Archie’s interactions with the pool of witnesses and suspects, and Wolfe’s confrontations with Cramer.
I kinda doubt that many readers will be able to ignore the dated social interactions that dominate the book. Archie, who in the past was a harmless flirt who enjoyed the fact that he attracted women, now comes off as a guy who wastes his time with stupid women because of their appearances. The “who dun it” aspects of the plot are actually very good, better than most Wolfe books, and Wolfe himself is less unattractive.
It was okay. Typical Nero Wolfe. Plodding plot.
One of my favorite series. I’ve read every one multiple times. Intelligently written.
I love Nero Wolfe and Archie! I’ve read all of the Stout series 2 or 3 times.
Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe is always a good read.
Another winner from a mystery-master! I’ve never read a Nero Wolfe story I didn’t like and this is no exception.