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The Black Widowers #6
The Return of the Black Widowers
Until his death in 1992, author Isaac Asimov would write more than 120 ingenious tales of detection and deduction, and in 66 of them he would present his armchair detectives, the Black Widowers, with the mind-teasing puzzles that they would strive to solve in often-quarrelsome conversation. The Black Widowers club is meeting again. In a private dining room at New York's luxurious Milano restaurant, the six brilliant men once more gather for fine fare served impeccably by their peerless waiter, Henry. At table, too, will of course be that requisite dinner guest to challenge their combined deductive a man whose marriage hinges on finding a lost umbrella; a woman shadowed by an adversary who knows her darkest secrets; a debunker of psychics unable to explain his unnerving experience in a haunted house; or a symphony cellist accused of attacking his wife with a kitchen knife. In addition to six stories that have never before appeared in any collection, this volume includes the ten best-ever Black Widowers cases, among them the very first to be published, in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, as well as the first brand new Black Widowers story to appear in more than ten years.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
11 people are currently reading
669 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,337 books27.6k followersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
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October 8, 2024
Vintage Asimov understated humour!
The drill with Asimov's Black Widower mysteries (in music circles, one might call these "divertimenti") is well known to dedicated fans. Six members of the Black Widowers Club (chauvinists one and all, "no women allowed", if you puhhlease!) meet once a month at their club for a gourmet dinner. The members of the group - a lawyer, a cryptographer, a math teacher, a chemist, a mystery writer, an artist (who usually draws a portrait of the evening's guest), and Henry, their inestimable waiter - never fail to ferret out an interesting mystery, theft, disappearance, swindle or some other form of interesting puzzle during the grilling of their dinner guest which invariably starts with the formula question "How do you justify your existence?" Despite the collective intelligence of the group (which Asimov humorously portrays them as being inordinately proud of), the solution of the puzzle always seems just beyond their grasp. Henry, in a quiet, self-effacing manner that doesn't quite succeed in covering his own serving of pride, comes to the rescue with the solution and the explanations for the other members and readers alike!
Readers of previous Black Widower shorts will be thrilled to return to the publication of this posthumous "best of" collection plus a handful of previously unpublished works by the good doctor! Cynicism, word play, jokes, puns, locked room mysteries, irony, sarcasm and other quiet diversions take centre stage. Don't look for violence, mayhem or thrills in this collection. They're just not there. Almost certainly, readers will twig to some of the solutions before Henry provides the answers and those brighter armchair sleuths will undoubtedly indulge in a little chuckling at the expense of the members. Other times, Henry's explanation will result in the proverbial slap in the forehead - "Now why didn't I think of that!" In either event, every story in the collection will provide ten to fifteen minutes of thoroughly enjoyable diversion from this hectic work-a-day world and a satisfied smile at its conclusion.
Give yourself a treat and add some of Asimov's gentle humour to your bookshelf.
Paul Weiss
The drill with Asimov's Black Widower mysteries (in music circles, one might call these "divertimenti") is well known to dedicated fans. Six members of the Black Widowers Club (chauvinists one and all, "no women allowed", if you puhhlease!) meet once a month at their club for a gourmet dinner. The members of the group - a lawyer, a cryptographer, a math teacher, a chemist, a mystery writer, an artist (who usually draws a portrait of the evening's guest), and Henry, their inestimable waiter - never fail to ferret out an interesting mystery, theft, disappearance, swindle or some other form of interesting puzzle during the grilling of their dinner guest which invariably starts with the formula question "How do you justify your existence?" Despite the collective intelligence of the group (which Asimov humorously portrays them as being inordinately proud of), the solution of the puzzle always seems just beyond their grasp. Henry, in a quiet, self-effacing manner that doesn't quite succeed in covering his own serving of pride, comes to the rescue with the solution and the explanations for the other members and readers alike!
Readers of previous Black Widower shorts will be thrilled to return to the publication of this posthumous "best of" collection plus a handful of previously unpublished works by the good doctor! Cynicism, word play, jokes, puns, locked room mysteries, irony, sarcasm and other quiet diversions take centre stage. Don't look for violence, mayhem or thrills in this collection. They're just not there. Almost certainly, readers will twig to some of the solutions before Henry provides the answers and those brighter armchair sleuths will undoubtedly indulge in a little chuckling at the expense of the members. Other times, Henry's explanation will result in the proverbial slap in the forehead - "Now why didn't I think of that!" In either event, every story in the collection will provide ten to fifteen minutes of thoroughly enjoyable diversion from this hectic work-a-day world and a satisfied smile at its conclusion.
Give yourself a treat and add some of Asimov's gentle humour to your bookshelf.
Paul Weiss
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August 21, 2021جان هر کی دوست دارید نکنید این کار رو. ترجمه کردن صرفاً برگردوندن واژه ها و جمله ها از یه زبان به زبان دیگه نیست.
May 30, 2021
نمره به خود کتابه
معماهای شیرین و جذاب و شخصیت هنری که با فروتنی کامل معماها رو جواب میده بسیار به دل میشینن
اما ترجمه
مزخرف،نابود،در حد ترنسلیت و حتی پایینتر
آخه امپراتوری اوتومون؟:))))))
روی جلد اسمو زده آیزاک آسیمو بعد تو یکی از داستانا که اسمش میاد زده اسحاق آسیموف:))))))))
سمه سمه ترجمه
خبر خوب اینکه جناب سیمرغ داره کل سری بیوه مردان رو ترجمه میکنه و نیازی به خوندن این سم ندارید
معماهای شیرین و جذاب و شخصیت هنری که با فروتنی کامل معماها رو جواب میده بسیار به دل میشینن
اما ترجمه
مزخرف،نابود،در حد ترنسلیت و حتی پایینتر
آخه امپراتوری اوتومون؟:))))))
روی جلد اسمو زده آیزاک آسیمو بعد تو یکی از داستانا که اسمش میاد زده اسحاق آسیموف:))))))))
سمه سمه ترجمه
خبر خوب اینکه جناب سیمرغ داره کل سری بیوه مردان رو ترجمه میکنه و نیازی به خوندن این سم ندارید
March 25, 2011
Awhile ago, something someone did or said sparked a memory for me of a Black Widowerer story. It goes like this: A man lives on a street of outwardly identical houses, one night comes home dead drunk, and enters the wrong house, wherein he busts in on a counterfeiting ring mid-illegal-operation. When he is woken up lying in the street the next morning by his wife, he can't remember which house it was: He was fortunately unharmed by the counterfeiters but is now unfortunately haunted by the question: Which one of his neighbors is a crook?
Asimov's Black Widower stories are all, essentially, the same -- they adhere to a rigid structure; So when the memory of this story came back to me so clearly -- I could remember nearly every detail -- I wondered: why did this one stick with me all these many, many years -- I hadn't read an Asimov book since high school and I had -- like a good mystery series obsessive -- read nearly all of the Black Widowerer titles. I promptly checked this book out of the library to figure it out.
The answer for the man with the counterfeiting neighbor is, just as it always is in BW stories, so very obvious. Rereading the story, I knew what was coming and so could, of course, pick out the clues that Asimov subtly scattered -- but I remembered that "Aha, of Course!" moment the first time around and enjoyed the story just as much anticipating it. Asimov was a master at putting all of the clues necessary to solve a mystery right where you wouldn't expect them: directly in front of you.
And of course I couldn't just read that one story: I read a book full of them, and didn't remember any of the others. But now, I'm just as confused: because so many of the BW stories were fantastic, just as worthy of remembrance, and I've no idea why that one in particular stuck with me. Oh well. It's a mystery.
Asimov's Black Widower stories are all, essentially, the same -- they adhere to a rigid structure; So when the memory of this story came back to me so clearly -- I could remember nearly every detail -- I wondered: why did this one stick with me all these many, many years -- I hadn't read an Asimov book since high school and I had -- like a good mystery series obsessive -- read nearly all of the Black Widowerer titles. I promptly checked this book out of the library to figure it out.
The answer for the man with the counterfeiting neighbor is, just as it always is in BW stories, so very obvious. Rereading the story, I knew what was coming and so could, of course, pick out the clues that Asimov subtly scattered -- but I remembered that "Aha, of Course!" moment the first time around and enjoyed the story just as much anticipating it. Asimov was a master at putting all of the clues necessary to solve a mystery right where you wouldn't expect them: directly in front of you.
And of course I couldn't just read that one story: I read a book full of them, and didn't remember any of the others. But now, I'm just as confused: because so many of the BW stories were fantastic, just as worthy of remembrance, and I've no idea why that one in particular stuck with me. Oh well. It's a mystery.
February 18, 2020
Waaaay back in high school, I did a term paper on Asimov for my American Lit course, but it was entirely focused on his science fiction. I didn't know he wrote mysteries at all until I found this tucked away on a low shelf at a used book sale. Of course I bought it.
The wit and precision I remember from his other work is present here, and the cleverness, too. As individual stories, I have few real complaints, despite generally disliking mystery. These are much more puzzlers than they are whodunits, and most of the stories resolved with a ending, a revelation, that I found satisfactory. (I say most because some of them are highly academic, and you don't have a chance of figuring it out if you aren't familiar with the exact same canon of knowledge as the author.)
The problem I have with this is that putting together this many stories in an anthology is that it shows clearly how formulaic they are. The details repeat in a way that would make sense of stories published over months and years, but are completely redundant when read back to back. The structure of each story is brutally identical, and despite the small idiosyncracies of each man in the Widowers, they all speak with the same high-handed posh manner that made me think they're British, even though a) this is set in the US, and b) they use none of the British slang that I would expect from male-only rich-people puzzle-solving dinners. They're all horribly elitist, and it's grating.
So what it really boils down to is that I like the style of the puzzles, they're the sparkling gemstones in a terrible setting that detracts from their beauty. I can admire the wit and cleverness while hating that this is an old white boy's club that makes it a point never to admit women.
The wit and precision I remember from his other work is present here, and the cleverness, too. As individual stories, I have few real complaints, despite generally disliking mystery. These are much more puzzlers than they are whodunits, and most of the stories resolved with a ending, a revelation, that I found satisfactory. (I say most because some of them are highly academic, and you don't have a chance of figuring it out if you aren't familiar with the exact same canon of knowledge as the author.)
The problem I have with this is that putting together this many stories in an anthology is that it shows clearly how formulaic they are. The details repeat in a way that would make sense of stories published over months and years, but are completely redundant when read back to back. The structure of each story is brutally identical, and despite the small idiosyncracies of each man in the Widowers, they all speak with the same high-handed posh manner that made me think they're British, even though a) this is set in the US, and b) they use none of the British slang that I would expect from male-only rich-people puzzle-solving dinners. They're all horribly elitist, and it's grating.
So what it really boils down to is that I like the style of the puzzles, they're the sparkling gemstones in a terrible setting that detracts from their beauty. I can admire the wit and cleverness while hating that this is an old white boy's club that makes it a point never to admit women.
November 13, 2020
This is like the intersection of my favourite kind of detective stories and my one of my favourite authors. Really like the puzzles, the jokes and the characterisations. This is the last book of the black widowers stories, I think. There are two stories by other authors which pay homage to Isaac Asimov's black widowers stories
February 12, 2024
Asmiov's Black Widower social group banquet stories are generally entertaining puzzle mysteries. He promises he plays fair and all are solvable by the reader. I managed a few.
October 5, 2017
I've loved the Black Widowers mysteries ever since I found an old copy at my library's book sale 20+ years ago. (OMG has it really been that long since I was in high school?!?!) This anthology did make me sad as it was published after Mr. Asimov's death, the stark reminder there are no more Black Widower stories to tell (at least from Mr. Asimov's point-of-view).
Every story has the same premise: a group of men who call themselves the "Black Widowers" gather monthly in a private room at a restaurant. One of the members brings a guest, who is asked to justify his existence after dinner. In each case, the guest presents a mystery - a puzzle to which neither he nor the members cannot solve. At that point, Henry, the trusted and beloved waiter, steps in with his thoughts - and the mystery is solved!
These stories are great for fans of old-fashioned mysteries. The puzzles are always intriguing and entertaining.
Every story has the same premise: a group of men who call themselves the "Black Widowers" gather monthly in a private room at a restaurant. One of the members brings a guest, who is asked to justify his existence after dinner. In each case, the guest presents a mystery - a puzzle to which neither he nor the members cannot solve. At that point, Henry, the trusted and beloved waiter, steps in with his thoughts - and the mystery is solved!
These stories are great for fans of old-fashioned mysteries. The puzzles are always intriguing and entertaining.
September 20, 2014
The Return of the Black Widowers includes ten of the best Black Widowers stories from previous collections, so if you’re curious about them, that’s a good enough reason to pick up the book. Fans have probably read these collections already, though. So the only reason for me to have the book was the new material, and there’s where the book faltered.
There’s a reason the new material wasn’t published in its own, standalone collection — it’s not very good. There are many Widowers mysteries where I haven’t been able to guess the twist or the answer — “The Redhead”, “The Iron Gem”, “Early Sunday Morning”, etc. — and these are brilliant. There are also a few where I do, well ahead of the characters, like “None so Blind”, but usually this only happens once or twice in a volume.
In this collection, I guessed the solutions to “Northwestward”, “Yes, But Why?” (when you’ve eliminated all the other possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, is the answer), “The Haunted Cabin” and “The Last Story”. That’s half of the new stories in the collection. As for the remainder, one of the stories doesn’t feature the Black Widowers at all and another revolves around where a man left his umbrella. I like questions such as How did a poorly achieving student manage to ace the hardest exam? from “Ph as in Phony”, which is included in this collection. I just couldn’t get too interested in the whereabouts of an umbrella.
The book has an interesting foreword by Harlan Ellison, so maybe that’s another reason to read it. But buying it? For newcomers and die-hard enthusiasts only.
There’s a reason the new material wasn’t published in its own, standalone collection — it’s not very good. There are many Widowers mysteries where I haven’t been able to guess the twist or the answer — “The Redhead”, “The Iron Gem”, “Early Sunday Morning”, etc. — and these are brilliant. There are also a few where I do, well ahead of the characters, like “None so Blind”, but usually this only happens once or twice in a volume.
In this collection, I guessed the solutions to “Northwestward”, “Yes, But Why?” (when you’ve eliminated all the other possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, is the answer), “The Haunted Cabin” and “The Last Story”. That’s half of the new stories in the collection. As for the remainder, one of the stories doesn’t feature the Black Widowers at all and another revolves around where a man left his umbrella. I like questions such as How did a poorly achieving student manage to ace the hardest exam? from “Ph as in Phony”, which is included in this collection. I just couldn’t get too interested in the whereabouts of an umbrella.
The book has an interesting foreword by Harlan Ellison, so maybe that’s another reason to read it. But buying it? For newcomers and die-hard enthusiasts only.
September 30, 2020
I miss him so much :´(
I didn't know he had written mysteries. I rather like these. Though, I don't like it that it's always Henry coming up with the answer. But, that's what Isaac wanted, so that's the only way it can be.
I didn't know he had written mysteries. I rather like these. Though, I don't like it that it's always Henry coming up with the answer. But, that's what Isaac wanted, so that's the only way it can be.
March 1, 2020
After Asimov's death, there were several uncollected Black Widowers stories extant, but not enough to make a traditional volume (the other books all have 12 stories each). So this book includes a selection of previously published Black Widowers' tales, a sort of "greatest hits" collection. These are paired with the five or six uncollected tales and two non-Asimov stories that serve as homages to the Black Widowers' style and oeuvre.
The new tales are no better or worse than earlier stories in the series. They are mildly entertaining, drawing-room style mysteries, of varying quality. What makes this book worthwhile, to me at least, is the two non-Asimov stories. "The Men Who Read Isaac Asimov" by William Britain mimics the Black Widowers' style, but transposes the action to a small town somewhere in the US where a group of men must solve a mystery involving a contest at a local retailer. And "The Final Story" by editor Charles Ardai gives the Black Widowers one last puzzle to solve, this one involving Asimov himself. It is a fun tribute and tip of the hat to the Grandmaster himself.
Still, this collection is probably only for die-hard fans of this series. If you haven't read the previous entries, this is not where I would suggest you start.
The new tales are no better or worse than earlier stories in the series. They are mildly entertaining, drawing-room style mysteries, of varying quality. What makes this book worthwhile, to me at least, is the two non-Asimov stories. "The Men Who Read Isaac Asimov" by William Britain mimics the Black Widowers' style, but transposes the action to a small town somewhere in the US where a group of men must solve a mystery involving a contest at a local retailer. And "The Final Story" by editor Charles Ardai gives the Black Widowers one last puzzle to solve, this one involving Asimov himself. It is a fun tribute and tip of the hat to the Grandmaster himself.
Still, this collection is probably only for die-hard fans of this series. If you haven't read the previous entries, this is not where I would suggest you start.
October 18, 2022
Isaac Asimov is known for writing science fiction books but he dabbled in different types of genres. He was a professor of biochemistry at Boston University and wrote many nonfiction-related science books. I had the opportunity to read some of his science books but when it came to fiction well I kept to his science fiction repertoire, I know most of his sci-fi novels by memory, but not all sci-fi short stories. They are many. Since I am housebound I took an interest in reading his mysteries.
I started reading "The Return of the Black Widowers". Apparently, there were more "Black Widowers" short stories that I wasn't aware of. I will try to fetch them. Come to think of it, Maybe in the future, I will try to read all of Asimov's books. After a bit of research it seems, Asimov was a member himself of NYC "Trap doors Spiders" which was a debaters club and dinner male-only dinners club. The group was fictionalized in the 1960's "The Strangers of Rhodes"
If you do get to read The "Return of the Black Widowers" or any other Black Widowers series let me know which one was your favorite.
I started reading "The Return of the Black Widowers". Apparently, there were more "Black Widowers" short stories that I wasn't aware of. I will try to fetch them. Come to think of it, Maybe in the future, I will try to read all of Asimov's books. After a bit of research it seems, Asimov was a member himself of NYC "Trap doors Spiders" which was a debaters club and dinner male-only dinners club. The group was fictionalized in the 1960's "The Strangers of Rhodes"
If you do get to read The "Return of the Black Widowers" or any other Black Widowers series let me know which one was your favorite.
April 10, 2021
Wow! Am I glad I found this! While searching for authors in Apple books, I found this one, Black Widower stories never collected before, plus some of the best stories from other collections, plus two stories written by other authors. And at long last I found the other five collections also as ebooks in the Apple store. The Black Widowers is a club meeting regularly for a meal and the grilling of a guest. The guest always has some problem which the Widowers try to solve. Eventually Henry, the waiter, solves the problem. These mysteries seldom involve crime and are very humorous.
Because I have so many books, I try to get digital copies of books whenever I can. This saves on space and the problem of dust. I am amazed that people still prefer dusty paper books. We have to go along with the times and all its advantages.
I am so glad that I now have all the BlackWidower stories in ebook format. I can’t wait to read them all again.
Because I have so many books, I try to get digital copies of books whenever I can. This saves on space and the problem of dust. I am amazed that people still prefer dusty paper books. We have to go along with the times and all its advantages.
I am so glad that I now have all the BlackWidower stories in ebook format. I can’t wait to read them all again.
May 13, 2024
In this short-story collection, Asimov presents some reinterpretations of traditional mystery stories:
*All the writings in this collection are shorts.
*The Black Widowers Club welcomes their butler/server as a co-member.
*Most of these stories are not about murder (yay!)!
For the reasons listed above, I like this book. I will say, however, that several of the stories contain surprise endings and/or cannot be solved with the clues provided therein.
*All the writings in this collection are shorts.
*The Black Widowers Club welcomes their butler/server as a co-member.
*Most of these stories are not about murder (yay!)!
For the reasons listed above, I like this book. I will say, however, that several of the stories contain surprise endings and/or cannot be solved with the clues provided therein.
December 22, 2019
Favorite quote from the book:
How do you justify your existence?
Less and less as time goes on.
The recurring characters in this set of short stories are ones that never overstay their welcome. I could say more, but don't want to give away anything and you're much better off seeing for yourself. Go on, read it!
How do you justify your existence?
Less and less as time goes on.
The recurring characters in this set of short stories are ones that never overstay their welcome. I could say more, but don't want to give away anything and you're much better off seeing for yourself. Go on, read it!
January 23, 2018
These are a series of short mystery stories, solved over conversation. They are decent stories, not exceptional. Some clever descriptive phrases, as if the author is just having some fun. A good book for beach reading.
January 24, 2020
A light buffet of little mysteries by Asimov. There's nothing deep or profound here, just some fun whodunnits and whydunnits that give the reader enough information to solve the mystery themselves, should they be so inclined.
February 12, 2023
The last collection. It has the uncollected stories. It also has an original story from Charles Ardai. It also has great intro by Harlan Ellison. Ardai's story uses a character based on Harlan. As always it fun.
October 30, 2025
Сборник, состоящий из лучших рассказов предыдущих книг, а также 6 новых рассказов. Есть хорошие, есть посредственные. Из новых мне понравились Northwestward, Lost In a Space Warp, Police at the Door.
June 27, 2017
Several new ones in this book. I enjoy the quaint language but get old after a while. Still love Henry!
August 5, 2018
Not SF and the tales of detection ?? were not much.
October 27, 2018
If you like his Black Widower stuff, you'll like this. I'm not a big fan.
June 19, 2019
Love the Black Widowers stories.
March 13, 2023
بازم یک بار دیگه به محبوب ترین نویسنده م آفرین میگم. عالی بود.
December 10, 2019
Think this was my favorite of the series - a mix of some of the old from previous books & some new ones that hadn't been previously published in book format before his death
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October 26, 2008The primary draw of this book is the final set of Black Widowers mysteries written by Asimov before his death which had not yet otherwise been published in a collection. The book also contains additional "best of" stories and a pair of stories written by other authors in honor of Asimov's Black Widowers stories (one actually being a Black Widowers story).
For those who've never read them, the basic concept is that a small group of men meet for dinner at the same restaurant once a month, served by their faithful waiter Henry, who is also part of the club (see below). One person invites a guest who invariably has some mystery in their life which needs to be solved. The club members discuss possible solutions, with the final solution always to be provided, in the end, by Henry.
The mysteries are fairly typical of those found in the earlier books. The Black Widowers stories were written by Asimov over 20 years; although they supposedly take place at the time they are written (some of the last few stories reference the first Gulf War), they never seemed to me to actually take place in modern times. The characters have a very old fashioned feel, and while I enjoy the mysteries, I never found the relationships among the characters to work very well, particularly the rather odd relationship between the club members and the waiter, Henry. Although Henry is often referred to as "part of the club" he's still not treated by the other characters are more than a servant, and these stories seem to stress that dichotomy even more. In fact, in one of the stories, Henry becomes the "guest" and one of the other characters seems horrified by the idea that Henry might actually sit down and have dinner with them. I've always found this relationship bothersome and this book just made it more irritating.
For those who've never read them, the basic concept is that a small group of men meet for dinner at the same restaurant once a month, served by their faithful waiter Henry, who is also part of the club (see below). One person invites a guest who invariably has some mystery in their life which needs to be solved. The club members discuss possible solutions, with the final solution always to be provided, in the end, by Henry.
The mysteries are fairly typical of those found in the earlier books. The Black Widowers stories were written by Asimov over 20 years; although they supposedly take place at the time they are written (some of the last few stories reference the first Gulf War), they never seemed to me to actually take place in modern times. The characters have a very old fashioned feel, and while I enjoy the mysteries, I never found the relationships among the characters to work very well, particularly the rather odd relationship between the club members and the waiter, Henry. Although Henry is often referred to as "part of the club" he's still not treated by the other characters are more than a servant, and these stories seem to stress that dichotomy even more. In fact, in one of the stories, Henry becomes the "guest" and one of the other characters seems horrified by the idea that Henry might actually sit down and have dinner with them. I've always found this relationship bothersome and this book just made it more irritating.
March 7, 2012
I have heard of Isaac Asimov's "the Black Widowers" before but have never read any of their stories until now. In short, the Black Widowers is a male only club that meets once a month to have dinner and talk. There is an invited guest, and through the course of the evening's discussion, a mystery is inevitably introduced, which the Black Widowers talk out in logical fashion with the aim of solving the mystery. However, they are all thwarted in their attempts and at the end, their inestimable waiter, Henry, applies a simple deduction to the mystery and reveals the solution.
Asimov is a master storyteller, and this is very clearly evidenced in these stories. The characters are distinct and vocal, the mysteries complex, and yet frustratingly simple once explained. The stories are FUN to read, which I think is a quality overlooked in much modern fiction. I very much enjoyed my romp through the book.
Having been a lifelong fan of Asimov's science fiction, I can tell you quite honestly that I enjoyed the Black Widowers more than his sf stories. This is a great book to have by your bed side so that you can enjoy a story or two before bed. I can't wait to find and read the other Black Widowers collections.
One other note: this collection was published after Asimov's death, and is edited by his close friend Harlan Ellison. His contributions (in terms of background and personal history) to the anthology are also well worth reading.
Asimov is a master storyteller, and this is very clearly evidenced in these stories. The characters are distinct and vocal, the mysteries complex, and yet frustratingly simple once explained. The stories are FUN to read, which I think is a quality overlooked in much modern fiction. I very much enjoyed my romp through the book.
Having been a lifelong fan of Asimov's science fiction, I can tell you quite honestly that I enjoyed the Black Widowers more than his sf stories. This is a great book to have by your bed side so that you can enjoy a story or two before bed. I can't wait to find and read the other Black Widowers collections.
One other note: this collection was published after Asimov's death, and is edited by his close friend Harlan Ellison. His contributions (in terms of background and personal history) to the anthology are also well worth reading.
December 11, 2025
El último brindis de un club anacrónico: una colección de puzles de salón que, pese a oler a naftalina y elitismo, funciona con una precisión lógica insultante.
Es la despedida de los Viudos Negros: seis intelectuales que se reúnen mensualmente para cenar, beber y jugar a ser detectives con los problemas triviales de sus invitados, solo para ser humillados sistemáticamente por Henry, su camarero. Este volumen rasca el fondo del cajón con relatos inéditos o dispersos, pero mantiene la estructura inalterable: planteamiento, preguntas pedantes de los socios y la solución final, limpia y racional, servida con el café.
No debería gustarnos tanto. Es un formato teatral, estático y lleno de "señoros" encantados de conocerse; un cozy mystery puramente cerebral donde no hay riesgo real, solo el placer matemático de ver encajar las piezas. Asimov no escribe personajes, escribe funciones lógicas con patas, y sin embargo, la fórmula es adictiva. Destaca cómo Henry desmonta la soberbia de los eruditos con puro sentido común, recordándonos que la inteligencia académica a menudo no sirve para nada en el mundo real.
Recomendable para incondicionales del Asimov misterioso y amantes de los acertijos de lógica lateral que perdonen la falta de acción; abstenerse quienes busquen profundidad psicológica, thrillers modernos o les irrite (con razón) un club exclusivo de hombres resolviendo el mundo desde su mesa.
Es la despedida de los Viudos Negros: seis intelectuales que se reúnen mensualmente para cenar, beber y jugar a ser detectives con los problemas triviales de sus invitados, solo para ser humillados sistemáticamente por Henry, su camarero. Este volumen rasca el fondo del cajón con relatos inéditos o dispersos, pero mantiene la estructura inalterable: planteamiento, preguntas pedantes de los socios y la solución final, limpia y racional, servida con el café.
No debería gustarnos tanto. Es un formato teatral, estático y lleno de "señoros" encantados de conocerse; un cozy mystery puramente cerebral donde no hay riesgo real, solo el placer matemático de ver encajar las piezas. Asimov no escribe personajes, escribe funciones lógicas con patas, y sin embargo, la fórmula es adictiva. Destaca cómo Henry desmonta la soberbia de los eruditos con puro sentido común, recordándonos que la inteligencia académica a menudo no sirve para nada en el mundo real.
Recomendable para incondicionales del Asimov misterioso y amantes de los acertijos de lógica lateral que perdonen la falta de acción; abstenerse quienes busquen profundidad psicológica, thrillers modernos o les irrite (con razón) un club exclusivo de hombres resolviendo el mundo desde su mesa.
March 26, 2015
And here I come to the end of the series I love. The first half of this book, exempting the affectionate foreword by Harlan Ellison, is entirely reprinted stories from the previous books, which I skipped over as I've read all of them in the span of a week. There are several new stories, though, plus two by other authors in the spirit of the originals (one an outright homage with new characters, and the other more directly derivative of the originals but whose plot focuses on treating Asimov reverentially). An excerpt from Asimov's memoir - which I now realize I absolutely need to read, after I acquaint myself more thoroughly with his other works - concludes the collection, which is in a way a bit of a eulogy to Asimov from his colleagues and fans. It's wonderful to know I'm not alone in my adulation of these little mystery stories, and I only wish I had the benefit of age, so that I might have discovered them while they were still being written and enjoyed them along with the other fans and the author, rather than 20 years after the author's death.
June 26, 2013
These stories of armchair detectives are somewhat simple in their approach. They are puzzle mysteries, solved by deduction rather than real investigation. Many of the puzzles are not difficult, and often the reader arrives at the answer before Henry. In that way they are, as a co-worker of mine stated, Encyclopedia Brown stories for adults. But it is the armchair detectives themselves that drew me to the stories. While none are truly fleshed out, you still get hints as to their character. Mr. Asimov based each person on a real life friend of his, so it is interesting to think if this friend truly acted this way or is it Mr. Asimov’s perspective. Regardless, it is their interaction with each other that brings the stories to life. They argue with each other, tease each other, provide entertainment for all, and are funny. The best is when they manage to disparage poor Mr. Asimov himself (which actually seems to happen a lot).
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