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swarmofbees's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
_lilbey_'s review against another edition
2.0
Likely one of my least favorite of the Wolfe books. Archie's antics with numerous women became quickly tiresome and the investigation was slow. Wolfe was hardly present and elaborate meals were somehow nonexistent. Not the best installment.
jdcorley's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The best Wolfe's are those where he is engaged in an impossible task and, having gotten nowhere, just starts trying things. This is one of those - Archie bouncing among a half dozen cute ladies and Wolfe growling at a series of sore headed 20th century executives. It just doesn't get better.
thebeardedpoet's review
3.0
Usually Nero Wolfe books are a guaranteed good time for me and Christi. (I read these aloud to my wife.) However, in this case, we were both a bit disappointed. That's a first for us with the Nero books. What's wrong? Well the case starts out as a workplace rumor that is distracting corporate productivity. Someone claims without any proof that an employee's death in a hit-and-run incident was actually "murder." That's not much to go on for Archie and Wolfe. And for the first half of the book, Archie is grasping at straws to try and establish whether the death was accidental or not. This uncertainty and the interviews that go nowhere caused us to be a bit bored and mystified as to why Archie convinced Wolfe to take the case in the first place. Another problem is Wolfe is only in the background for 75% of this novel. It's really mostly an Archie solo case. Lastly Archie's ogling of beautiful women is normally cute and funny, but here with an "arena" of corporate secretaries, he takes it to mammoth misogynistic proportions. It just goes too far this time with Archie juggling at least four women he's flirting with. Overall, if you're ever going to take a pass on a Nero Wolfe, this is one.
jbleyle63's review
4.0
Another Nero Wolfe title that I've read and enjoyed multiple times. With this reading I particularly enjoyed a witty retort given by Archie to Inspector Cramer and Nero as he got the last word during a little squabble between those two.
mindsplinters's review
2.0
I think this was probably not the Nero Wolfe to start with. Judging by the reactions of others, it was a departure from the usual so that does make me have better hopes for the others. As it stands, I enjoyed the patter and Archie's rather ridiculous method of going-about and the jargon and slang. Local color was, as it were, spot on. The plot was complicated and layered and too many Might Haves... And then it was resolved in a messy tumble of what can best be described as sloppy plotting. Not impressed. I don't demand elaborate or utterly logical MOs but throw me a bone, right? There were better ways to do that, murderer person.
jrenee's review
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75