A fairly good mystery, though a bit far-fetched as to what constitutes evidence and circumstantial evidence. It is good to read about the Brownstone and its inhabitants, even though the spark is missing. ( )

As a book by Robert Goldsborough, this was a good cozy. Good plot, good characterizations and the writing is fine.
As a Nero Wolfe book, it is - okay. There was minimal Nero Wolfe, and lots of Archie. I have no problem with that. But. I love Rex Stout's Archie. Fast talking, smooth with the ladies, big on vernacular, though not always grammatically correct . . . And this Archie just was a hair off. There was minimal slang, not much interaction with the ladies, not much about his sharp dressing - just not quite there.
As for the plot - oh, here be spoilers . . .






One of Nero's part time employees is in trouble. Not just trouble, but in jail on a murder charge. Shades of Orrie Cather in Death of a Doxie! Now in that book, Nero and the entire gang jumps in to save Orrie because he is one of theirs. Orrie had a lot more reason to commit murder, and he was definitely more a murderous type.
But Nero, after consulting with Archie and the boys, accepts his innocence and sets to work proving him innocent. So why, when the much more likeable, and much less likely, Fred Durkin is accused - with far less reason - does Nero take such a back seat, even to the extent of never mentioning Saul, and taking to his room with a 'relapse'.
When he does reluctantly solve the murder, he gets in a car and heads to the scene. His excuse for this outlandish change of the habits of almost a lifetime? He didn't think Archie could get the suspects to the brownstone. 1. Nero rarely thinks Archie can't gather the people - He says do it, and expects it to be done. 2. When he does anticipate reluctance, he has Cramer summon them. But not this time - no, he summons Cramer, unbeknownst to Archie.
No, for me this was not a good example of a Nero Wolfe. ( )

4/9/22

4/9/22