alice_horoshev's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Brilliant
hotsake's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5
It has its good moments but the mystery itself wasn't very interesting.
It has its good moments but the mystery itself wasn't very interesting.
jbleyle63's review against another edition
4.0
After finishing this one a comment made by Art Bourgeau in his 1986 The Mystery Lover's Companion about Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series came vaguely into my mind, so much so that I had to dig up my old copy of Art's guide to double check my recollection.
stuffandwhatnot's review against another edition
4.0
Such fun. This series continues to be utterly delightful.
kabaum's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bel017's review against another edition
Didn't quite work out Wolfe got to the motive of the murderer but enjoyed how he worked out whodunit. Usual warning of dated language and beliefs.
I didn't like the intro by Dean Koontz. The only bit I liked is that he praised the 1970s for not having freeway shootouts or Donald Trump, "so it wasn't altogether a less appealing era."
Other than that, it meanders around explaining how other writers are bad (for not reading widely, or for choosing experience over reading) but both Stout and the writer of the intro are awesome!! They read so widely!! Then he lists his personal "omnivorous literary diet" and it's exclusively old white British/American men (all now -- with John Le Carre's passing last year -- dead). The intro was written in 1992, do better. His only criticism of Stout is that Wolfe "snaps" out a reply. Not 'he uses language that is no longer accepted' but that he uses the word 'snap'. Again. 1992. Do better.
I didn't like the intro by Dean Koontz. The only bit I liked is that he praised the 1970s for not having freeway shootouts or Donald Trump, "so it wasn't altogether a less appealing era."
Other than that, it meanders around explaining how other writers are bad (for not reading widely, or for choosing experience over reading) but both Stout and the writer of the intro are awesome!! They read so widely!! Then he lists his personal "omnivorous literary diet" and it's exclusively old white British/American men (all now -- with John Le Carre's passing last year -- dead). The intro was written in 1992, do better. His only criticism of Stout is that Wolfe "snaps" out a reply. Not 'he uses language that is no longer accepted' but that he uses the word 'snap'. Again. 1992. Do better.
jonjeffryes's review against another edition
5.0
More of a cozy-style mystery than you usually see in a Nero Wolfe mystery--very satisfying.
wildsheepstitch's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
shawnbilodeau's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
What could get Nero Wolfe to voluntarily leave his home on West 35th on business? A request from the Secretary of State, of whose brother-in-law's will Nero was negotiating the settlement. Why? It turns out said brother-in-law was murdered, and the Secretary is now one of the possible suspects. Solid novel, with some interesting development of Archie's character. Well worth re-reading.
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