Murder by the Book

Written with such a mastery over words and phrases, that it's really hard not to like it. I've read almost every Nero Wolfe novel and while this one is not my absolute favorite, it has several scenarios that I find among the most memorable. The first being the 'scam' that Wolfe and Goodwin contrive to attempt to lure the murderer to the sister of one of the people who've read the book - this is expertly handled and quite thorough. The second is (I'm obviously not going in order :P) the 'group interrogation' with the dozen or so secretaries. But there's alot of little nuances throughout the novel that are professional touches that make it seem almost as if the characters are real and that you're reading a piece of history. Stout's almost tedious attention to detail is more fuller appreciated the more you read it, or better yet listen to the audiobook (read by Michael Prichard).

(If you're interested in an audio edition, Michael Pritchard's unabridged narration is pretty good.)We begin with the murder of a man who had no life: Leonard Dykes, fished out of the river on New Year's Day, a confidential clerk in the law firm of Corrigan, Phelps, Custen, and Briggs. No family (other than a married sister in California), no lovers, no unsavoury habits, no money problems (neither debts nor a large net worth), no problems with his job. Somebody somewhere, though, hit him on the head before leaving him to drown, and ransacked Dykes' apartment, but the only thing the Manhattan homicide squad could find was a single sheet of paper in a book, with a list of men's names, none of whom could be found in New York City.Stuck, Cramer pays a call at the brownstone, but Wolfe can only suggest that Dykes or someone he knew had tried to come up with an alias for someone, but never used it. Cramer, frustrated (and embarrassed at having sunk so low as to ask for help without getting anywhere), leaves it at that.Six weeks later, John R. Wellman hires Wolfe to find the man who killed his daughter Joan; he's not satisfied with the Bronx's handling of the case. From a letter, he knows that after Joan rejected a manuscript - "Put Not Your Trust", by Baird Archer - for her publishing firm, Archer had made an appointment to see her privately and get feedback on how to improve it, and the appointment coincided with her death. But nobody can find either the man or the manuscript. Wolfe has no information that the police don't have - collectively, between Manhattan and the Bronx - but he remembers that "Baird Archer" was one of the names on Dykes' list. So begins the hunt for "Put Not Your Trust", beginning with a search of all the typing services in the city - and soon another murder is added to the tally, that of typist Rachel Abrahms, only minutes before Archie could speak to her.Stout has given us a real story here - where the lives of the survivors have been torn up with the loss of their daughters, with a man who's going against the advice of his pastor and his wife in hiring Wolfe. Not that it's a tale *only* of human suffering; Archie's telling it, after all. As balance, Wellman's a bit disturbed by Wolfe's tactics at times, particularly when Wolfe decides to have Archie go to work on extracting information from the female clerical staff of Dykes' law firm. Fritz nobly offers to help with the ladies, since there are so many. :)

Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe / Archie Goodwin books comprise one of the best mystery series of all time, and *Murder by the Book* is one of the best of the series. Sparkling with Stout's sharp wit, brilliant in detail and characterization, rich in period ambiance, the book is a total pleasure from start to finish. Even from the viewpoint of formal detection, usually not one of Stout's stronger points, this one is a flawless gem. The fact that it is out out print is little short of appalling, but the fact that used copies (as well as "audios") are readily available save the day. Still, the book deserves to be reissued and to be kept in print for posterity.

If you are a Nero Wolfe fan--and few mystery lovers who have ever read a Nero Wolfe novel are not--you are sure to enjoy "Murder by the Book." I have read a couple score of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novels and novellas, and this is one of the best. Stout has a unique voice, and he is at the top of his form here. The banter between Wolfe and wiseacre sidekick Archie Goodwin races effortlessly along. "Dissed" by Wolfe on the telephone, Archie hangs up and says sarcastically: "I got the impression that I had interrupted him at something important like a crossword puzzle." And the mystery in "Murder by the Book" is well done, too. A real winner!

This doesn't seem to be a well known Wolfe story, but I think it's one of the best three. It's outstanding for the cleverness of the plot, which is not always a Stout strength. For once, Wolfe really has to unravel complex cause and effect like a Poirot, and there's no cheating of the reader.