sockweather's review
3.0
So before you read my review, I want you all to know that this is my first encounter with the Nero Wolfe series, so I cannot compare it to the other books. The story behind this book is quite interesting, too, about how this was the last book of the series, how he said goodbye, etc. So, please read my review with an open mind.
Like I said before, The Missing Chapter reminds me too much of Sherlock Holmes. There are a lot of differences though, like how Wolfe is VERY anti-social, how his assistant, Archie Goodwin, is more of a slave than a friend, and how they maintain a public and prestigious household.
The story was actually very good, and I caught a glimpse of the publishing life, the hustle and bustle of editors, authors and agents. The Childress rift was a good story, and it all makes the novel an example of metafiction—the murder of a writer who has continued a beloved series of detective fiction written by a writer who is continuing a beloved series of detective fiction.(sounds familiar *wink) The way Goldsborough writes, I think was too self conscious. It somehow disrupted the main rule of detective fiction, that the reader should have no clue ahead, and that the clue should be laid out but not too obviously. Also, the ruling out of murder by his editor was a little too uncalled for, and the suspects were too obvious.
The book as a whole was fine, but it wasnt compelling and I had a hard time getting invested in the story.
Like I said before, The Missing Chapter reminds me too much of Sherlock Holmes. There are a lot of differences though, like how Wolfe is VERY anti-social, how his assistant, Archie Goodwin, is more of a slave than a friend, and how they maintain a public and prestigious household.
The story was actually very good, and I caught a glimpse of the publishing life, the hustle and bustle of editors, authors and agents. The Childress rift was a good story, and it all makes the novel an example of metafiction—the murder of a writer who has continued a beloved series of detective fiction written by a writer who is continuing a beloved series of detective fiction.(sounds familiar *wink) The way Goldsborough writes, I think was too self conscious. It somehow disrupted the main rule of detective fiction, that the reader should have no clue ahead, and that the clue should be laid out but not too obviously. Also, the ruling out of murder by his editor was a little too uncalled for, and the suspects were too obvious.
The book as a whole was fine, but it wasnt compelling and I had a hard time getting invested in the story.
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