The Mother Hunt

Rex Stout is the best of the old school of mystery writers, and his Nero Wolfe stories are priceless. The story lines are good, characterizations are wonderful, and the banter between Wolfe and his assistant and narrator are greatly entertaining. I have read, and re-read, all of the Nero Wolfe mysteries, and is these qualities that keep me coming back. If you want darkness and violence, then these aren't for you, but the story lines are good, characters are likeable, and the wit in his writing, and the banter between Wolfe and Archie Goodwin (his assistant and story narrator) make the stories a pleasure to read. This is one of my favorites, along with Prisoner's Base, The Father Hunt, Too Many Women, The Golden Spiders, and The Rubber Band. Some are dated now, but that can be part of the charm. And all are clever and multifaceted, but it is the characters that make these stories great.

This story makes best use of Archie's abilities with women. In this case, two women - the client and a key informant - help solve an unusual case. A baby is left at a widow's doorstep. A note is attached with a straight pin: "A Boy Should Live In His Father's House." Since the widow was painfully aware of her late husband's philandering, she accepts the responsiblity... But she also wants to know who the mother is. Not to exact revenge, but really to make sure that the baby's mom is OK. This story has a strong plot line, but it is Stout on mental health that makes it memorable. So much of this, almost unconsciously, is about forgiveness, moving on with life, and the power of selfless love for another person. Murder mysteries don't often afford much of a platform for this type of discourse. Here, you'll learn something valuable about life, in addition to seeing a tough case solved...

I was surprised to find that I had been given this book four years ago. Time does fly, it seems, because I find it hard to believe that I've been working my way through the Wolfe books for over four years. But it's true. I am nearing the end, however, and Stout isn't failing yet. While I'm slightly disappointed to discover that every Wolfe novel revolves around not just a mystery, but a murder, I can also understand that this was Stout's formula for the Wolfe stories and to wish it different would be like wishing that Wodehouse had written westerns. Stout continues to be increasingly frank regarding sex in these books--I wonder if the books written in the 70s will go even further. I doubt it. Too much more change in this area and it wouldn't be the same formula.

"The Mother Hunt" by Rex Stout really shines with Stout's wiry humor and classic reparte of Archie and Wolfe. A baby is left on a widow's doorstep with the note "a boy should live in his father's house". Wolfe and Archie tackle one of the most difficult and complex cases of their careers - finding a father needle in a haystack. Everytime they come close to an answer - another person falls victim to a still unknown killer. With time running out, Wolfe cooks up one of his most ingenious charades - all without the benefit of his beloved Brownstone. A great read - this one you will want on your bookshelves.