Rex Stout Books

A woman is dead, and the fortunes of overextended theatrical producer Llewellyn Frost depend on solving the mystery of the red box: two pounds of candied fruits, nuts and creams, covered with chocolate—and laced with potassium cyanide. When Nero Wolfe’s suspicion falls on Frost’s kissing cousin, Frost wants the detective to kill the sickly sweet case—before it kills him.

Vowing to avenge the murder of his dear friend, Marko Vukcic, Nero Wolfe, along with his faithful partner, Archie Goodwin, journey to the hazardous mountains of Montenegro. Reissue.

The guest at a gathering of the greatest chefs in the world, Nero Wolfe must practice his own trade--sleuthing--when he discovers that a murderer is in their midst.

Meet the amazing Alphabet Hicks... Disbarred lawyer, uncommon cabby, and investigator extraordinary, who confronts cynical cops and conniving corporations as he pieces together a complex series of confusing clues to trap a cold-blooded killer.

A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of fiction’s greatest detectives. Here, in Stout’s third and fourth complete Wolfe mysteries, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth and his trusty man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, solve two of their most baffling cases.The Rubber BandWhat do a Wild West lynching and a respected English nobleman have in common? On the surface, absolutely nothing. But when a young woman hires his services, it becomes Nero Wolfe’s job to look deeper and find the connection. A forty-year-old pact, a five-thousand-mile search, and a million-dollar murder are all linked to an international scandal that could rebound on the great detective and his partner, Archie, with fatal abruptness.The Red BoxMurder by chocolate? That’s the premise Nero Wolfe must operate from when a beautiful woman is poisoned after indulging in a box of candy. It’s a case that the great detective—no stranger himself to overindulgence—is loath to take for a variety of reasons, including that it may require that he leave his comfortable brownstone. But he and Archie are compelled by a mystery that mixes high fashion and low motives…and a killer who may have made the deadliest mistake.

The aging millionairess has a question: where is her young playboy husband getting all his money? To help find the answer, Archie infiltrates a party at her palatial estate. But her late-night murder ruins the festive mood . . . and a letter bomb from a powerful crime boss makes Nero Wolfe do the unthinkable—run for his life. Suddenly Archie finds himself on his own, trying to find a killer without the help of his old mentor. For to all appearances, Wolfe has vanished. The career of the world’s most famous detective has ended in cowardice and disgrace . . . or has it?Introduction by Patricia Sprinkle “It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore.”— The New York Times Book Review A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained—and puzzled—millions of mystery fans around the world. Now, with his perambulatory man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth is back in the original seventy-three cases of crime and detection written by the inimitable master himself, Rex Stout.

Faith Usher tells anyone willing to listen that she wants to kill herself. So when she dies after drinking champagne at the annual gala for unwed mothers, everyone insists that it was suicide. Everyone except Archie Goodwin, the perennial wise guy, who was watching her drink.

It’s a wily killer who dares to strike on Nero Wolfe’s hallowed turf—and leave a corpse strangled with Wolfe’s own soup-stained tie. But no sooner does the gourmandizing sleuth clean up this first course of murder than he faces a gun-toting wife who serves up a confession of homicidal intent—only to become the sole suspect when the corpus delicti is found. It’s murder à la carte when the third course is a cop-hating landlady brings Wolfe counterfeit cash—that leads to genuine murder. It’s up to Wolfe to see that the malefactors get their just deserts.  Introduction by Stephen Greenleaf “It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore.”— The New York Times Book Review A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained—and puzzled—millions of mystery fans around the world. Now, with his perambulatory man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth is back in the original seventy-three cases of crime and detection written by the inimitable master himself, Rex Stout.

Radio talk-show host Madeline Fraser's worst nightmare comes true when one of her on-air guests collapses at the mike after drinking a glass of the sponsor's beverage.It's live radio - how do you handle that one with millions listening?You consult Nero Wolfe. Fast.

Two great Nero Wolfe novellas narrated for you by the inimitable Archie Goodwin.In "Black Orchids" we find that not much can get Wolfe to leave his comfortable New York brownstone, but the special showing of rare black orchids lures him to a flower show.Unfortunately, Wolfe's much-anticipated viewing is soon overshadowed by a murder as daring as it is sudden. It’s a case of weeding out a cunning killer who can turn up anywhere - and Wolfe and his assistant Goodwin, who has fallen in love with one of the suspects, must do so quickly.Why? Because a second case awaits their urgent attention, "Cordially Invited to Meet Death." It concerns a society widow on a mailing list of poison-pen letters and leads to a plot as dark as any orchid Wolfe has ever encountered.Librarian's note #1: this book consists of two short stories: the title story, "Black Orchids," and "Cordially Invited to Meet Death." Both are shown in the Nero Wolfe series as #9.Librarian's note #2: the second novella, "Cordially .. ," has its own GR entry elsewhere.

An automobile accident strands Nero Wolfe and Archie in the middle of a private pasture--and a family feud over a prize bull.The feud is about a restauranteur's plan to buy the stud and barbecue it as a publicity stunt. It may be in poor taste, but it isn't a crime . . . until Hickory Caesar Grindon, the soon-to-be-beefsteak bull, is found pawing the remains of a family scion. Wolfe is sure the idea that Caesar is the murderer is, well, pure bull. Now the great detective is on the horns of a dilemma as a veritable stampede of suspects--including a young lady Archie has his eye on--conceals a special breed of killer who wins a blue ribbon for sheer audacity.A grand master of the form, Rex Stout was one of America's greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained--and puzzled--millions of mystery fans around the world. Along with Archie Goodwin, his perambulatory man-about-town, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth Nero Wolfe stars in seventy-three cases of crime and detection.

A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of fiction’s greatest detectives. Here, in Stout’s first two complete Wolfe mysteries, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth and his trusty man-about-town Archie Goodwin solve their most baffling cases.Fer-de-lanceThe fer-de-lance is among the most deadly snakes known to man. When someone makes a present of one to Nero Wolfe, his partner, Archie Goodwin, suspects it means Wolfe is getting close to solving the devilishly clever murders of an immigrant and a college president. But this is a case with more twists than an angry rattler...and if Wolfe doesn’t handle it with extreme care, he’ll be the next one struck by a killer with poison in his heart.The League of Frightened MenPaul Chapin’s Harvard cronies never forgave themselves for the hazing prank that left their friend a cripple. Yet they believed that Paul himself had forgiven them—until a class reunion ends in death and a series of poems promising more of the same. Now this league of frightened men is desperate for Nero Wolfe’s help. But can even the great detective outwit a killer smart enough to commit an unseen murder…in plain sight?

Hours after Priscilla Eads pleads with him to take her case, Nero Wolfe is shocked to find out that she was murdered, and soon he is investigating her fortune-hunting husband and greedy business associates.

A millionaire businessman hires Nero Wolfe to snoop on his daughter's boyfriend. It seems like a simple case. Then a powerful gangland boss tries to convince Wolfe to drop the matter by shooting up his orchid room. The great detective soon finds himself in a highly complex case involving drugged drinks, man-killing debutantes and a decidedly un-American party.

The guest of honor at a gathering of the greatest chefs in the world, Nero Wolfe must practice his own trade--sleuthing--when he discovers that a murderer is in their midst. One of the chefs has been found dead as a result of a knifing, and Wolfe, who only anticipated being a keynote speaker, must now deal with the possibility that he may become a victim as well.

When the seemingly safe return of an abducted millionaire ends in his murder in his own home, Nero Wolfe sends Archie Goodwin to do his usual legwork, while Wolfe uncovers corruption and greed among Manhattan's elite.

When a powerful government official scheduled to speak to a group of millionaire business men turns up dead, it is an event worthy of the notice of the great Nero Wolfe. Balancing on the edge of financial ruin, the orchid-loving private detective grudgingly accepts the case. Soon a second victim is found bludgeoned to death, a missing stenographer's tape causes an uproar, and the dead official speaks, after a fashion. While the business world clamors for a solution, Wolfe patiently lays a trap that will net him a killer worth his weight in gold.

When everyone who has read Leonard Dykes's unpublished manuscript - including the author himself - is found dead, Nero Wolfe, along with his sidekick, decides to set a trap.

Rex Stout fans will relish this book, a whodunit in the authentic style of Stout's classics. Nero Wolfe and his sidekick, Archie Goodwin, are back again--this time, to solve the murder of a nasty newspaper magnate whose death has been labeled a suicide.

In all his years of detecting, Nero Wolfe has never encountered an investigation as damnably messy as this one. For what began as a clean case of larceny quickly sank into a quagmire of blackmail and broken promises, international scandal and cold-blooded murder. Now Wolfe and his assistant, Archie Goodwin, must bridge eras and oceans to find the link between a Wild West lynching and a respected British peer. Only then can they save Wolfe's beautiful young client--and a hotly disputed stake of a cool million dollars.

An alternate cover of this ISBN can be found here.One thing is certain to distract Nero Wolfe from his culinary and horticultural pursuits: murder. This time Wolfe and his able assistant, Archie Goodwin, are put in the hot seat when they are called upon to investigate three different murders.

When a Balkan beauty gets in trouble over some missing diamonds, whom else can she turn to but the world-famous Nero Wolfe?  Especially since she claims to be Wolfe's long lost daughter!  The stakes are suddenly raised when a student at this woman's fencing school ends up dead after a pointed lesson.  As Wolfe and his sidekick, Archie, thrust and parry into a tangle of documents, identities and international intrigue, another student body turns up, expertly skewered through the heart.  Is Wolfe's long lost daughter the black sheep of the family, a hot-blooded mistress of murder?

If Nero Wolfe and his sidekick, Archie, would ever admit to an Achilles' heel—which they wouldn't—it would be a weakness for damsels in distress. In these three charming chillers the duo answer the call of helpless heroines with nothing to lose-except their lives. First a beautiful young Aphrodite comes to Nero looking for a hero-and the answer to the mystery of her father's death.... Then an old flame of Archie's reignites with a plan that may corner him into a lifetime commitment-behind bars.... And finally a detective's work is never done, as a hot tip leads the team into the sizzling center of a sexy scandal that could leave them cold-dead cold.

Three cases bring perplexing challenges to Nero Wolfe, as a man unsuccessfully attempts suicide just before he is killed, a murder victim's family hides the identity of the killer, and a horticulturist discovers his girlfriend's body.

President Kidnapped! Hysteria and treason shrouded Washington- the Vice President a virtual prisoner-the Army threatened revolt, the country reeled toward disaster. The whole burden of the search for the President rested on Secret Service agent Chick Moffat."a little too real for comfort" New York Herald Tribune

When a bright young heiress with a flair for romance and one too many enemies is found brutally murdered, Nero Wolfe and his sidekick, Archie, find themselves embroiled in a case that is not as black and white as it first appears.Susan Brooke has everything going for her. Men would have killed themselves to marry her, and, in fact, one did.Susan came to New York to find love and fulfillment, and ended up dead on a tenement floor. The police say her black fiance did it, but Wolfe has other ideas. Before he's done, he'll prove that good intentions and bad deeds often go hand in hand and that the highest ideals can sometimes have the deadliest consequences.

Wealthy clients support Nero Wolfe's penchant for fine food and prize orchids. So why has the brilliant sleuth taken a case for $4.30? Better yet, why were his last two clients murdered?Wolfe's assistant, Archie Goodwin, goes undercover as a mortician to find out. And Wolfe ponders the cryptic clues: a gray Cadillac, a mysterious woman, a pair of earrings -- shaped like spiders and dipped in gold.

Nero Wolfe and his sidekick, Archie Goodwin, are called in by a consortium of publishers and writers to investigate several cases of false plagiarism, but the probe soon becomes complicated by murder. Reissue.

Three clever murderers challenge Nero Wolfe in cases involving lovers who want to make sure neither is a killer, a stable full of suspects in the search for a killer on horseback, and a murderer stalking Wolfe's brownstone.Cover Artist: Tom Hallman

Don't tempt Nero Wolfe to find the culprit. When foul play's the game, he always wins--and in these three crime puzzles, the stakes are high. HOME TO ROOST THE COP-KILLER THE SQUIRT AND THE MONKEY First, there's little nourishment for the detective when someone drops a poison pellet into a vitamin addict's pillbox. Then, a murdered policeman leaves a clue folded in a newspaper, and Wolfe has to read the fine print to decipher his killer's identity. And what do you do when a chimp is the only witness to a crime? This is no time for monkeyshines from the world's most celebrated armchair detective.

Someone has been doctoring the gourmet appetizers at family-run Tingley’s Titbits. And when old man Tingley meets a sudden end, suspicion falls on a gorgeous young detective whose fingerprints are on the knife. Moved by feminine beauty and professional courtesy, Tecumseh Fox takes the case, only to find he’s got more on his plate than he bargained for. Suddenly he has enough suspects to fill a fair-sized cocktail party. On the menu are corporate pirates, crackpot economics, a license plate that doesn’t exist, and a phone conversation with a dead man. Now it’s up to Fox to provide the missing ingredient in this smorgasbord of absurdity: a cold-blooded killer.

This collection showcases Nero Wolfe’s uncanny crime-solving ability—as well as his incredible appetite—when he tackles murder three times over. Features an introduction by Rex Stout biographer John J. McAleer. Contents: Bitter end — Frame-up for murder [Murder is no joke] — Assault on a brownstone

Tecumseh Fox thinks that he is seeing double when financier Ridley Thorpe is shot twice, two gorgeous suspects appear, two very good motives are revealed, and two murder weapons surface.

Two Nero Wolfe novellas for the price of one! The first is "Not Quite Dead Enough" which came out in 1942 and lent its name to the collection, and the second is "Booby Trap" from 1944. The background for both is the the American war effort in WW2. The U.S. army wants Nero Wolfe urgently, but the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth refuses the call to duty. It takes his perambulatory confidential assistant, Archie Goodwin, that's now Major Goodwin if you please, to titillate Wolfe's taste for crime. The two malevolent morsels deal with a corpse that won't rest in peace and a sinister 'accident' involving national security. So as Goodwin lays the bait on the wrong side of the law, Wolfe sets a trap to catch a wily killer. Or two?"It's always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore." (The New York Times)Librarian's note: this entry is for the two novella collection, and also for "Not Quite Dead Enough" on its own (characters, settings, etc.). There is a Goodreads entry elsewhere for "Booby Trap" where such information can be found.

Nero Wolfe, a genius at detection, prefers gourmet food and prize-winning orchids to damsels in distress. But at the prodding of his confidential assistant, Archie Goodwin, he opens his office door to three beautiful women, who usher in three of the most intriguing cases of Wolfe's career. With them come three baffling clues -- a shoeshine, an ear of corn, and a bloodstained tie. The killers in question turn out to be virtuosi in the use of instruments -- blunt instruments, that is. This medley of malice, mayhem, and premeditated murder comes courtesy of Rex Stout, among the greatest of all mystery writers... Contents: Kill now—pay later — Murder is corny — Blood will tell

Sedentary sleuth Nero Wolfe and his sidekick, Archie Goodwin, leave West Thirty-fifth Street for a Montana dude ranch to clear an innocent man of a murder charge.

With Nero Wolfe on the job, you'd think murderers would take caution. But even the master detective can't stop a killing, especially if it's an inside job -- right under the roof of his client, millionaire Otis Jarrell. What's more, it's Jarrell's own missing revolver that the killer uses. Wolfe must find the truth behind the scandals in Jarrell's ill-behaved family. One of its members sleeps the fitful sleep of the guilty, and Wolfe's getting dead-tired of murder.

Set against the backdrop of pre-World War I Europe, the story follows Aline Solini, a captivating Russian woman seeking to elevate her status after abandoning her husband. In Marisi, she encounters Richard Stetton, a wealthy but naive American playboy. Aline cunningly exploits Richard's affections and wealth to infiltrate high society, all while plotting her ascent toward the throne. The narrative explores themes of ambition, manipulation, and the allure of social prestige in a world on the brink of upheaval.

"Murder, seduction, and incest are among the cruel rewards for selfless love in Sade's stories; tragedy, despair, and death the inevitable outcome. In this text Sade asks questions about society, about ourselves, and about life, for which we have yet to find the answers"--Provided by publisher.

STAIRWAY TO HOMICIDE Unpublished for more than 50 years, HOW LIKE A GOD is the earliest masterpiece by an author who would later be named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America and become world famous for creating one of the most enduring characters in the mystery genre. In the shadowy stairwell of a New York City brownstone, a man stealthily begins to climb. In the pocket of his coat, a loaded revolver. At the top of the stairs, a woman he intends to kill. But who…? This extraordinary novel by Rex Stout, the legendary creator of Nero Wolfe, is a psychological thriller like none you have ever read. As William Sidney climbs the stairs, you’ll dive deep into his troubled past, uncovering scandalous secrets and deceptions. And all the while, step by creeping step, he draws closer to a shocking act of violence…

Tells the tale of Idaeus, a Trojan warrior in the ninth year of the seige, who must confront the enemies who have seduced him before he can deal with those who would have his life

Lora Winter, a woman entangled with four men—each the father of her child—finds her life spiraling when a fifth man arrives unexpectedly. As she hides from this new threat, the narrative unfolds into a complex psychological puzzle, exploring themes of desperation and moral ambiguity. The characters engage in dark actions like kidnapping and blackmail, challenging traditional crime novel conventions. This gripping tale intricately weaves their stories, revealing the depths of human relationships and the lengths one might go to protect oneself.

Under the Andes is an early novel by Rex Stout, first published in the All-Story Magazine in 1914. Temptress Desirée Le Mire and brothers Paul and Harry Lamar search for lost treasure in a mysterious cave. They encounter Incas who have been deformed by living underground. Rex Stout was an American crime writer best known for creating the character Nero Wolfe. During the Great Depression, he was an enthusiastic supporter of the New Deal. He was an original board member of the American Civil Liberties Union. Rex Stout, like many other writers, was closely watched by the FBI during the McCarthy era.

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Nero Wolfe, das ist ein Drezentnermann und Frauenfeind, ein Orchideenzüchter, Biertrinker und Gourmet, vor allem aber ein Spezialist in Sachen Mord. Was ihn von vielen bekannten Detektiven der Literatur unterscheidet, das ist, dass er als ein messerscharfer Denker in der Regel seine Fälle vom Schreibtisch aus löst. Da er ein ausgemachter Faulpelt ist, würde er wegen eines änormalenä Mordfalls nie sein Haus verlassen.

Für gutes Geld übernimmt Privatdetektiv Nero Wolfe so manches - sogar die undankbare Aufgabe, einer Millionärstochter den Zukünftigen auszureden. Sein Assistent Archie Goodwin schmuggelt sich in die Familie und heftet sich an die Fersen des Verlobten. Der ist allerdings keineswegs so harmlos wie vermutet, und plötzlich hat Archie es mit einem skrupellosen Gangsterboss zu tun ...