Archie Goes Home by Robert Goldsborough

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Archie Goodwin has a lot of experience with crime detection as Nero Wolfe’s indispensable assistant, but this time he’s undertaking an investigation of his own.  Archie’s Aunt Edna calls with suspicions that the suicide of a local banker is murder.  Her suspicions seem to be confirmed when a reporter—let me add here that it is a very pretty female reporter—has a shot fired through her window.   Still, it’s not enough to really interest Archie, but he and Wolfe both know that Aunt Edna is not going to give up but will continue to badger him until he goes.  Besides, she’s made some veiled comments about his mother not being well, probably to guilt him into coming home, and of course it works.  Archie heads off to small town Ohio.

Once there, he finds gossip aplenty about the deceased banker.  The question is, did anyone have a big enough grudge to commit murder?  The local police don’t think so, and don’t care for some slick detective from New York butting in, while the intrepid reporter seems determined to rush in where angels fear to tread.  The fact that this story could be her break through to move on to bigger and better things, maybe even a job at a big city newspaper, definitely factors in.  It’s definitely to her advantage that this turns out to be murder.  But is it?  And if so, who is the culprit?

I am a long-time fan of the original Nero Wolfe books by Rex Stout so when Robert Goldsborough continued the series, I had to check his books out.  I’ll be honest:  some work better than others.  His version of Wolfe especially is “off” to me, but that is a personal feeling.  Others have felt his portrayals were good (and he has gotten support from Stout’s daughter) and a strong continuation of the series.  Still others have disparaged them.  I’m in the middle.

That said, for me this is one of the more successful entries he’s done.  In part I think I like it because Goldsborough has created new characters and put Archie in a different setting.  The plot was good too, which always helps.  I liked the relationship Archie has with his mother, and that she and Wolfe are friendly.  Aunt Edna is another matter, but she’s never so obnoxious that I wanted to close the book. Also, lest someone think this is a Nero Wolfe Mystery without Wolfe, rest assured that the great detective does put in an appearance.

Definitely one of the better of Goldsborough’s interpretations.

Mystery Series in Brief: Nero Wolfe & Josie Prescott

Reviewed by Jeanne

Stop the Presses!: A Nero Wolfe Mystery by Robert Goldsborough

When Lon Cohen of the Gazette comes by to ask Nero Wolfe to take a case, Wolfe’s long time assistant Archie is pretty sure he’ll be turned down.  After all, the bank account is healthy and Wolfe only works when he has to.  Besides, the case involves threats made against Cameron Clay, a newspaper columnist who specializes in innuendo, scandal, and gossip, and Wolfe’s opinion of Clay is quite low.  However, Wolfe surprises Archie by agreeing to look into it, though only because of their long time association with Lon who has helped them out many times before.  

Death threats are nothing new, but this one seems have Clay shaken.  He gives Wolfe a list of five people, one of which he believes must be the perpetrator.  Before Wolfe can question any of them, however, Clay turns up dead—an apparent suicide.  But was it?

As a long time fan of the Rex Stout books, I appreciate Goldsborough’s attempts to keep the series alive.  I’m never under any illusion that I’m reading the real thing, but I do enjoy a visit with the characters I know and love.  I especially enjoyed the scenes between Archie and his long-time love, Lily, who has managed to invite a suspect to a party. Otherwise, Goldsborough works in the usual touches:  describing the gourmet food, Wolfe’s books, the rules of grammar, orchids, etc. 

Bottom line:  It’s a solid little mystery, but it’s more for fans.  Those who aren’t familiar with the characters might find it slow going.

Ornaments of Death:  A Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery by Jane Cleland

As an only child of only children, Josie has grown up with very little family around.  After her parents’ deaths, she created a new life for herself by opening a new business and creating ties with friends and community.  Now much to her surprise, she has been contacted by Ian, a British man who claims to be a cousin.  They meet, and Josie is charmed. 

Then her cousin fails to turn up for a dinner date and doesn’t return her phone calls.  His car is left at a local lot.  And where are the two miniature watercolor portraits he had wanted Josie to appraise?

I’ve said several times that a Josie Prescott mystery is like a cross between Antiques Roadshow and Agatha Christie.  I always learn a lot from reading these books, and the learning keeps me coming back for more.  I applaud Cleland’s research and attention to detail; she explains her moves step by step, from how to authenticate an item to how to locate a visiting scholar, but for me this never bogs the story down.  At another point, Josie asks the police for help, noting that her cousin has been missing for over 24 hours, and is told that simply being missing for a certain number of hours is not a reason for police involvement.  There must be some reason to assume that the person is endangered or may have been injured.  

Like Christie, Cleland plants many of her clues in conversations, leading to a satisfying conclusion.  I like when an author plays fair with the reader.  I also like that Josie is in a happy and stable relationship with her boyfriend and that her business is going well. This is in sharp contrast to some other mysteries, in which the heroine spends a great deal of time worrying about the status of her relationship or the state of her bank account.  While these could be valid concerns, most of the time they are used as stalling tactics to slow the story down.  

As you may gather from the jacket, the book takes place at Christmas for those who enjoy a good holiday theme, and yes, there is a cat.  Hank is a Maine Coon and adorable, but he does not solve any mysteries.

You don’t have to have read any of the other books in the series to appreciate this one.

The Return of Nero Wolfe (and Archie)

Reviewed by Jeanne

Robert Goldsborough’s mother was an avid fan of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe mysteries.  After Stout’s demise, her son decided to write a new Wolfe novel for his mother’s reading pleasure.  The book was authorized by Stout’s estate and so in 1986 fans again visited the old brownstone in Murder in E Minor.

Goldsborough turned out several more Nero and Archie adventures before taking a hiatus and writing his own stories.  Recently, however, he’s returned to his origins, starting with 2012’s Archie Meets Nero Wolfe and continuing with two more adventures.

For those who aren’t familiar with the series, Nero Wolfe is a genius detective who rarely leaves his New York home, preferring to drink beer, tend his ten thousand orchids, read, and eat gourmet meals prepared by his chef.  Unfortunately for Mr. Wolfe, these occupations demand a good deal of money, which he earns by solving cases based on information gathered by his assistant Archie Goodwin and  an assortment of other operatives.  Stout cleverly blended two distinct mystery styles:  Archie is the tough talking, street wise partner in the mode of Sam Spade while Wolfe is the erudite connoisseur of the British gentleman sleuth school.  

In Murder in the Ball Park, Archie and series regular Saul Panzer are attending a baseball game when a state senator is shot to death.  Since the senator was behind a very controversial highway improvement plan, reneged on a deal with a crime boss, was carrying on an affair with a married woman under the nose of his wife and had his sights set on higher office, the line of suspects extends around the block.  Goldsborough does a good job with his 1950s setting, and I could almost smell the hot dogs in the ball park.  He also introduces some colorful characters and has the classic Wolfe gathering of the suspects at the climax.

Archie in the Crosshairs brings Wolfe to a case by making it personal:  someone takes a shot at Archie.  Since both Archie and Wolfe have made numerous enemies over the years, the line of suspects extends two blocks.

As a long time Nero Wolfe fan, I have to admit that these two efforts fall short of the original novels for several reasons.  One is that the characters are somehow shadows of the originals, without the nuances that I so enjoyed.  Archie is a bit more naive; Wolfe is bluster without substance.  There’s an attempt to convey the love of language, the love of food, and stimulating conversation, but the books just don’t quite pull it off. The original Wolfe was a man of ideas and ideals and could express them eloquently, whether or not a reader agreed with him.  

Another is that these are now historical novels.  Stout wrote the books in the present, while Goldsborough seeks to recreate an era.  He’s certainly done his research.  He likes to drop in little tidbits and explanations, aware that a contemporary audience wouldn’t have any idea about watching the Giants play at the Polo Grounds.  The trouble is that the explanations just remind me that this is all in the past in a way I never felt I was in the original books, even though those began in the 1930s.

All that said, I did enjoy these books because they reminded me of characters I love.  Goldsborough also worked hard at evoking a time and place in American history and succeeded to a certain extent.  I will read any others he produces.  I'm not the only one: we recently had a Rex Stout fan who lives outside of our service area to come and get a card from us because we were the only library in the area which had these two titles. If I were to choose just one to recommend, I'd go with Murder in the Ball Park just because I felt the setting was a bit better done and I had a good sense of place.  I'm not a pro baseball fan, so that aspect didn't influence my choice.

But I will also go back and reread Rex Stout’s original novels.  Maybe I’ll have a hot dog while I read. I've been craving one ever since I read about the Polo Grounds.

Archie Meets Nero Wolfe by Robert Goldsborough

Reviewed by Jeanne

I’m a fan of some of the old mystery authors: Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Dorothy L. Sayers, Josephine Tey, and others. One of my all time favorites was Rex Stout, creator of Nero Wolfe, the overweight orchid aficionado, gourmet, and avid reader who solves mysteries while seated at his desk drinking beer. Wolfe’s aversion to doing investigations in person meant he had to have an assistant. Archie Goodwin acts as Wolfe’s eyes and ears. He’s a wisecracking and energetic, and never misses a chance to thumb his nose at certain cops whom he feels don’t deserve their badge. In short, Stout melded the gentleman detective genre with the hard-boiled school to produce a wonderful hybrid.


Unfortunately, Rex Stout died in 1975, which meant no new adventures from him short of a seance. In 1986, with permission from Stout’s estate, Robert Goldsborough wrote Murder in E Minor with Archie and Wolfe investigating the murder of a conductor. Goldsborough’s mother had been a fan of the series and he’d begun the story to entertain her. He went on to write six more, with the last one appearing in 1994. As someone pointed out, the story about a murdered writer who was continuing the series of another author seemed to be a good tongue in cheek way of ending the series.

I’d read several of Goldsborough’s books and while they weren’t quite up the originals, they made for a pleasant diversion. I hadn’t thought of them in some time, until 2012 saw publication of  Archie Meets Nero Wolfe. I liked the idea of finding out how the first meeting of these two played out-- or at least one writer's view.

Archie is fresh off the farm, albeit with a two week diversion to college, and trying to make his way in the big city. He gets a job as a night watchman, but that job ends when he shoots two people. Although the Crash of ’29 is still a couple of years away, the economy still is tight for young guy looking to do more than wash dishes. He meets up with aging private eye Del Bascom and offers to work as an assistant for next to nothing. Then they’re called in to help with a huge case: the young son of a tycoon has been kidnapped, and Nero Wolfe is on the job. Wolfe suspects an inside job, but the tycoon is sure all his employees are loyal. The police aren’t to be brought in, but they’re plenty suspicious of Archie and company, especially after they’re spotted in the vicinity of a murder. Not coincidentally, the murder occurs just where the ransom money was to be dropped.

There have a been a lot of post WW I books lately, but most of the ones I’ve read are either set in Europe or else are America as seen through immigrant eyes. Archie is originally an Ohio farm boy, and while he's a bit of a greenhorn, he’s neither awed nor cowed. He knew he was looking for a faster paced life and quickly adapts. Prohibition is still on the books, but that doesn’t mean the booze doesn’t flow for those in the know. The plot is well done, complete with the standard Wolfian gathering of suspects for the denouement. The characters are serviceable. Sometimes a line or two wouldn’t ring quite true, but since it’s been several years since I read Stout’s work I don’t know if that’s a true impression or false memory.

Frankly, I enjoyed the book. If you haven’t read Stout’s work this makes a nice introduction.

Of course, I read a few online reviews and was a bit dismayed to find that most of the criticism was of the nit-pick variety. For example, one searched for references to the kidnapping case (mentioned in passing in Stout’s works as an early case) to conclude that it couldn’t have happened in 1926.Don't get me wrong:  I do understand many fans' desire for absolute fidelity to the original and to a point I'm sympathetic.  On the other hand, if I held for absolute authenticity in any work by another author, I would have missed some very fine Sherlock Holmes stories written by Laurie King, Nicholas Meyer and others.

This brings me to the question I had pondered: would non-Stout fans like this book? My answer is yes, and probably more than the avid fans looking to pounce on every variation from the original books. If you like period mystery pieces with a bit of the hardboiled about them, then give it a try or just go straight to Rex Stout’s books.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll add that I enjoyed the A & E Nero Wolfe, even if the actor playing Wolfe didn’t match the one I’d imagined. Tim Hutton was a dandy Archie and the series was fun. They took liberties but caught the spirit, at least to my way of thinking; much more so than the short-lived NBC series in which Wolfe was secretly a softie.