Review of "The Battered Badge: A Nero Wolfe Mystery" by Robert Goldsborough

Nero Wolfe is a legendary fictional private investigator created by Rex Stout. When Stout died, the series was continued by Robert Goldsborough. This is the 13th Nero Wolfe book by Goldsborough, and - like the rest of the series - can be read as a standalone.

*****

Nero Wolfe is an eccentric, obese private detective who lives and works in a brownstone in New York City in the mid-1900s. Wolfe almost never leaves his house; spends four hours a day tending his orchids; has a chef who prepares delicious gourmet meals; loves beer; and would rather read books than take new cases.



Wolfe employs Archie Goodwin as his assistant, legman, and gadfly - a smartmouth who prods Wolfe to 'go to work' when the bank account is running low.



When Wolfe's investigations encroach on those of the police, which happens frequently, Wolfe can expect a visit from Inspector Lionel T. Cramer - head of NYPD homicide. Though Cramer generally has bitter complaints about Wolfe's 'interference', he almost always benefits from Wolfe's inquiries.



Now Inspector Cramer himself is in trouble. A man named Lester Pierce, executive director of the 'Good Government Group' (GGG) - a watchdog organization that has harshly criticized Cramer - was gunned down in the street.....and Cramer has been put on administrative leave. In Cramer's place is Captain George Rowcliff, a spiteful boob whom Wolfe and Archie can't stand.



Though Wolfe would MUCH prefer to have Cramer back as head of homicide, he considers it imprudent to interfere in the Pierce investigation, or do anything else to help his 'frenemy.' Still, when rumors surface that Pierce's killing was a mob hit, Wolfe quietly dispatches one of his most reliable free-lance operatives, Saul Panzer, to make enquiries.



Saul gets roughed up by thugs and ends up hospitalized, and Wolfe goes on the warpath.

Wolfe is now determined to find out who killed Pierce....and who hurt Saul. Thus Saul and another free-lance private eye called Fred Durkin are dispatched to make inquiries, and Archie is sent to interview people who knew Pierce. These include:

- Pierce's widow Audra - who isn't especially grief-stricken;



- Pierce's adult children Malcolm, Marianne, and Mark - who insist the mob killed their dad;



- Roland Marchbank - Pierce's colleague, who expects to take over as executive director of GGG;



- And Laura Cordwell - Pierce's extramarital lover, who ALSO expects to take over as executive director of GGG.



As he's going about his work, Archie gets a good many tips from Lon Cohen, editor of The New York Gazette, whose job keeps him well-informed about criminal activities in New York City.



Amidst the questioning and re-questioning of persons of interest, Wolfe, Archie, and others do a lot of speculating about why (or why not) the mob would kill Pierce, and who else might have wanted him dead. In the end, all the suspects are gathered together and the truth is revealed.

This is a typical plot for a Nero Wolfe book, but it doesn't quite work this time. Normally, Archie persuades (or bullies) people to come to Wolfe's office, so the brilliant detective can question the suspects himself. This doesn't happen, and Wolfe is pretty much distanced from the action....relying mostly on the reports of others.

There's also a lot of blather about vocabulary, with the characters congratulating each other (and themselves) if they use 'hard words' (such as dalliance, for example). This is condescending, and if it's supposed to be funny, it doesn't succeed. Moreover, Archie doesn't exhibit his usual hilarious wisecracking, which normally adds a nice element of humor to the books.

It's always fun to visit with the recurring characters in the series, and I enjoyed the novel from that perspective. Archie and Wolfe eat lots of delicious meals;



Wolfe argues with his chef Fritz about what spices to use;



Wolfe decorates his desk with orchid racemes;



Archie goes out with his long-time girlfriend Lily Rowan;



Archie jokes about playing poker with his buddies; etc.



The book was fine from that perspective.....but the story itself, not so much. I hope Goldsborough ups his game in future books.

Rating: 3 stars