Rex Stout
big bad nero wolfe
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During a long, productive career Rex Stout wrote something on the order of seventy novels about Nero Wolfe, orchid fancier, gourmet, and detective, and his sidekick and legman, wise-cracking hardboiled Archie Goodwin. His creations are (so far as I can tell) generally revered throughout the community of mystery writers, and I rather expect that most mystery fans have already encountered them as well. If you haven't, I strongly suggested making their acquaintance. The books are old, and perhaps slightly dated...but that just makes them classics.
Like most of 's heroes, Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin are creatures of New York City. Wolfe seldom if ever leaves his home. From 9 to 11 AM and from 4 to 6 PM he tends to his orchids in the rooftop greenhouse. Meals are sacrosanct, arranged in advance with his cook, Fritz. At other times he may be available to take your case.
The books may be read in any order, except for three books (and possibly a fourth I've not yet read) which involve a mastermind of crime named Arnold Zeck (of all the ridiculous monickers). They are Champagne for One, The Second Confession, and In The Best Families.
Titles
- • Fer-de-Lance
- Reviews: 1 August 2000, 1 August 2003
- • Over My Dead Body
- Reviews: 1 August 2000, 1 September 2003
- • A Right to Die
- Reviews: 1 August 2000
- • The Golden Spiders
- Reviews: 1 August 2000
- • And Be A Villain
- Reviews: 1 August 2000
- • Champagne for One
- Reviews: 1 August 2000
- • The Second Confession
- Reviews: 1 August 2000, 1 August 2003
- • In The Best Families
- Reviews: 1 August 2000
- • The Silent Speaker
- Reviews: 1 September 2000
- • Death of a Doxy
- Reviews: 1 September 2000
- • The Doorbell Rang
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Some Buried Caesar
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Three Doors to Death
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Three at Wolfe's Door
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Homicide Trinity
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Prisoner's Base
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Trio for Blunt Instruments
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Three Witnesses
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Not Quite Dead Enough
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Trouble in Triplicate
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • The Mother Hunt
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • Three for the Chair
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
- • And Four to Go
- Reviews: 1 July 2002
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