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Over My Dead Body. Nero Wolfe Mysteries. Illustrated
Over My Dead Body by Rex Stout is a thrilling mystery featuring the brilliant and eccentric detective Nero Wolfe and his sharp-witted assistant, Archie Goodwin. The novel begins when a young woman named Carla Lovchen, who claims to be Wolfe’s long-lost daughter, comes to him for help. She is accused of stealing valuable diamonds at a prestigious fencing school, and Wolfe reluctantly agrees to take the case. However, the investigation takes a darker turn when murder enters the scene, and Wolfe is drawn into a complex web of espionage, deception, and international intrigue.
Set against the backdrop of pre-World War II tensions, the story explores political conspiracies and the looming dangers of European conflict. Stout expertly combines suspense, humor, and sharp dialogue, with Wolfe’s keen deductive skills at the forefront as he navigates clues and hidden motives. Archie’s charm and street-smart attitude provide a lively counterpoint to Wolfe’s intellectual rigor, making their partnership as dynamic as ever.
Over My Dead Body is a compelling entry in the Nero Wolfe series, blending classic detective work with an intricate plot filled with twists and turns. This novel is a treat for fans of traditional mysteries and those who appreciate Stout’s memorable characters and cleverly crafted puzzles.
Set against the backdrop of pre-World War II tensions, the story explores political conspiracies and the looming dangers of European conflict. Stout expertly combines suspense, humor, and sharp dialogue, with Wolfe’s keen deductive skills at the forefront as he navigates clues and hidden motives. Archie’s charm and street-smart attitude provide a lively counterpoint to Wolfe’s intellectual rigor, making their partnership as dynamic as ever.
Over My Dead Body is a compelling entry in the Nero Wolfe series, blending classic detective work with an intricate plot filled with twists and turns. This novel is a treat for fans of traditional mysteries and those who appreciate Stout’s memorable characters and cleverly crafted puzzles.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2024
About the author
Rex Stout
841 books1,038 followersRex Todhunter Stout (1886–1975) was an American crime writer, best known as the creator of the larger-than-life fictional detective Nero Wolfe, described by reviewer Will Cuppy as "that Falstaff of detectives." Wolfe's assistant Archie Goodwin recorded the cases of the detective genius from 1934 (Fer-de-Lance) to 1975 (A Family Affair).
The Nero Wolfe corpus was nominated Best Mystery Series of the Century at Bouchercon 2000, the world's largest mystery convention, and Rex Stout was nominated Best Mystery Writer of the Century.
The Nero Wolfe corpus was nominated Best Mystery Series of the Century at Bouchercon 2000, the world's largest mystery convention, and Rex Stout was nominated Best Mystery Writer of the Century.
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March 16, 2026
Rex Stout’s greatest creation, Nero Wolfe, is one of the most famous private detecties of literary history. Not as widely known nowadays, he appeared in 33 novels from 1933 to 1975, a period of some forty years as well as in excess of 40 novellas. Wolfe is a brilliant and respected brain among brains who never leaves his upper west side brownstone and has his assistant, private detective Archie Goodwin, do his footwork. It might be his amazing girth that keeps Wolfe homebound or a frightening sense of agoraphobia, but there he is to be found, tending to his orchids two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. “Wolfe was ordinarily as immovable as a two-ton boulder.”
This novel begins with a visit from Carla Lovchen, a Montenegro immigrant who represents that Neya Tormic, who taught fencing at a nearby studio along with Carla, needs Nero’s help. Before leaving though, Carla leaves a hidden note in a book in Nero’s library, bearing the Donevitch crest and empowering the Princess Donevitch to act with regard to the Bosnian foreign concessions.
When Carla returns, she tells Wolfe that Neya is in trouble and that Neya is his long-lost daughter, who he had adopted in Yugoslavia when she was three, but who had disappeared these long years. It seems that one of the fencing pupils, Nat Driscoll, was accusing Neya of pilfering diamonds from his overcoat which he had in his locker while fencing.
Nero dispatches Archie to the fencing studio to sort it out and that leads to further trouble for Percy Ludlow is the only witness in Neya’s favor and he is found quickly with an epee piercing through his body after supposedly taking a lesson with Neya. Archie tries to keep order until he realizes something has been placed in his jacket pocket, specifically a “col de mort,” a sharp point that can replace the dull bob at the end of an epee used in fencing.
From there, it is a maze of disappearing Yugoslavian women and bodies appearing and Nero not quite sure if he is representing anyone, but eventually realizing that the diamonds were unimportant and that something with far more worldly consequences had taken place involving far-off countries and secret agents all of whom had met up in New York City, which was the world’s financial capital.
The story, as is the case in this series, is told in the first-person through Archie’s eyes as he plays his part as Watson to Nero Wolfe’s part as Holmes. The fact that a long-lost daughter of Nero’s suddenly appears out of nowhere is quite remarkable. Also of note is that the way that Nero and Archie fence with the police, particularly Inspector Cramer, making off with evidence and witnesses, is similar to Perry Mason’s obfuscations.
This novel begins with a visit from Carla Lovchen, a Montenegro immigrant who represents that Neya Tormic, who taught fencing at a nearby studio along with Carla, needs Nero’s help. Before leaving though, Carla leaves a hidden note in a book in Nero’s library, bearing the Donevitch crest and empowering the Princess Donevitch to act with regard to the Bosnian foreign concessions.
When Carla returns, she tells Wolfe that Neya is in trouble and that Neya is his long-lost daughter, who he had adopted in Yugoslavia when she was three, but who had disappeared these long years. It seems that one of the fencing pupils, Nat Driscoll, was accusing Neya of pilfering diamonds from his overcoat which he had in his locker while fencing.
Nero dispatches Archie to the fencing studio to sort it out and that leads to further trouble for Percy Ludlow is the only witness in Neya’s favor and he is found quickly with an epee piercing through his body after supposedly taking a lesson with Neya. Archie tries to keep order until he realizes something has been placed in his jacket pocket, specifically a “col de mort,” a sharp point that can replace the dull bob at the end of an epee used in fencing.
From there, it is a maze of disappearing Yugoslavian women and bodies appearing and Nero not quite sure if he is representing anyone, but eventually realizing that the diamonds were unimportant and that something with far more worldly consequences had taken place involving far-off countries and secret agents all of whom had met up in New York City, which was the world’s financial capital.
The story, as is the case in this series, is told in the first-person through Archie’s eyes as he plays his part as Watson to Nero Wolfe’s part as Holmes. The fact that a long-lost daughter of Nero’s suddenly appears out of nowhere is quite remarkable. Also of note is that the way that Nero and Archie fence with the police, particularly Inspector Cramer, making off with evidence and witnesses, is similar to Perry Mason’s obfuscations.
Displaying 1 of 1 review