Review of "Archie Meets Nero Wolfe: A Prequel to Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe Mysteries" by Robert Goldsborough

This 8th book in the 'Nero Wolfe Mysteries' is a prequel.

*****

Rex Stout's "Nero Wolfe" books - set in the middle years of the 20th century - are among my favorite light mysteries.



Wolfe is an eccentric, obese private detective who lives in a brownstone in New York City; almost never leaves his house; spends four hours a day tending his orchids; has a chef who prepares delicious gourmet meals; loves beer; and employs Archie Goodwin as his assistant, legman, and gadfly.



After Rex Stout died, the series was continued by Robert Goldsborough, who stayed true to Stout's formula. This Goldsborough book is a bit of a departure, being a prequel that harks back to the depression, when nineteen-year-old Archie first arrives in New York City from Chillicothe, Ohio.



The depression makes employment hard to find, and Archie's first job is night watchman for the Moreland Import Company docks. Soon after Archie starts, two thugs try to steal a shipment of Swiss watches and clocks, and - after the goons shoot at Archie - he returns fire and kills them. This leads to Archie's dismissal for being 'trigger happy', but Archie's determination and smarts get him a position with Del Bascom's private detective agency.....which results in his meeting Nero Wolfe.

Wolfe, a private detective who sees clients in his home on 34th Street, is hired by hotel magnate Burke Williamson. Williamson's eight-year-old son Tommie was kidnapped from the family's front lawn and a $100,000 ransom has been demanded, with a warning NOT to call the police. Williamson hires Wolfe to help deliver the money and retrieve the boy.



Wolfe calls in his usual free-lance operatives, Saul Panzer;



Fred Durkin;



and Orrie Cather.



For extra manpower Wolfe also hires Bill Gore and Del Bascom - who totes Archie along to help. Archie proves himself invaluable to the operation, and - by the end of the book - is hired to be Wolfe's assistant.



It's interesting to see Archie as a very young man, and fun to observe his decision to buy a dictionary, so he can look up the 'hard' words that make up Wolfe's everyday conversation.

In addition to the series' recurring PI characters, we meet belligerent stuttering Lieutenant Rowcliff - who's continually enraged by Archie's wisecracks and Wolfe's arrogance;



cigar-chomping Inspector Cramer - who gets annoyed with Wolfe's interference in (what Cramer considers) police matters;



and Sergeant Purley Stebbins - who's usually on hand to arrest the perps.



Wofle's personal chef, Fritz Brenner, is present as well....



.....and he prepares a Cassoulet de Castelnaudary. Archie skips eating it though because (in those early days) Archie 'was unsure as to what kind of grub this was.'



Of course fans of the series know that Archie becomes quite the gourmand later on.

This is a fun prequel, recommended to readers who like the series and fans of cozy mysteries.

Rating: 3.5 stars