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The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe: Parodies and Pastiches Featuring the Great Detective of West 35th Street
Stories that pay tribute to Rex Stout's legendary private detective by Lawrence Block, Loren D. Estleman, John Lescroart, Robert Goldsborough, and more.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin have been widely flattered almost from the moment Rex Stout first wrote about them in 1934. The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe collects two dozen literary tributes to one of crime fiction's best-loved private detectives and his Man Friday. Included
A 1947 pastiche by award-winning crime writer Thomas Narcejac
Rollicking new stories written especially for this collection by Michael Bracken and Robert Lopresti
Stories by bestselling authors including Lawrence Block and Loren D. Estleman
Chapters from Robert Goldsborough's authorized continuation of the Wolfe series; Marion Mainwaring's 1955 tour de force Murder in Pastiche; and John Lescroart's Rasputin's Revenge, which reimagines a young Wolfe as the son of Sherlock Holmes
Also featuring a reminiscence from Rex Stout's daughter, this is a treasury of witty and suspenseful crime writing for every fan of the portly private detective.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin have been widely flattered almost from the moment Rex Stout first wrote about them in 1934. The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe collects two dozen literary tributes to one of crime fiction's best-loved private detectives and his Man Friday. Included
A 1947 pastiche by award-winning crime writer Thomas Narcejac
Rollicking new stories written especially for this collection by Michael Bracken and Robert Lopresti
Stories by bestselling authors including Lawrence Block and Loren D. Estleman
Chapters from Robert Goldsborough's authorized continuation of the Wolfe series; Marion Mainwaring's 1955 tour de force Murder in Pastiche; and John Lescroart's Rasputin's Revenge, which reimagines a young Wolfe as the son of Sherlock Holmes
Also featuring a reminiscence from Rex Stout's daughter, this is a treasury of witty and suspenseful crime writing for every fan of the portly private detective.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2020
540 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Josh Pachter
116 books28 followersJOSH PACHTER is a writer, editor and translator. More than a hundred and twenty of his short crime stories have appeared in EQMM, AHMM, and many other periodicals, anthologies, and year’s-best collections. THE TREE OF LIFE (Wildside Press, 2015) collected all ten of his Mahboob Chaudri stories. His 2023 novel DUTCH THREAT was named a finalist for the Agatha, Lefty, and Macavity awards. FIRST WEEK FREE AT THE ROOMY TOILET, his first chapter book for younger readers, was published in 2024 and was a finalist for the Agatha Award in the Best Childrens/YA Mystery category.
He is the editor of many anthologies, including:
• FRIEND OF THE DEVIL: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD (Down and Out, 2024)
• HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF THE BEATLES (Down and Out, 2023)
• THE BEAT OF BLACK WINGS: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF JONI MITCHELL (Untreed Reads, 2020)
• THE MISADVENTURES OF NERO WOLFE (Mysterious Press, 2020)
• THE MAN WHO READ MYSTERIES: THE SHORT FICTION OF WILLIAM BRITTAIN (Crippen & Landru, 2018)
• THE MAN WHO SOLVED MYSTERIES: MORE SHORT FICTION BY WILLIAM BRITTAIN (Crippen & Landru, 2022)
• PARANOIA BLUES: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF PAUL SIMON (Down and Out Books, 2022).
He also co-edited AMSTERDAM NOIR (Akashic Books, 2019), THE MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN (Wildside Press, 2018), AND THE FURTHER MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN (Wildside Press, 2020), and co-wrote (with the legendary Ellery Queen) THE ADVENTURES OF THE PUZZLE CLUB (Crippen & Landru, 2022).
Coming in 2025:
• EVERY DAY A LITTLE DEATH: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Level Best)
• CRYIN' SHAME: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF LYLE LOVETT (Down and Out)
He is the editor of many anthologies, including:
• FRIEND OF THE DEVIL: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD (Down and Out, 2024)
• HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF THE BEATLES (Down and Out, 2023)
• THE BEAT OF BLACK WINGS: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF JONI MITCHELL (Untreed Reads, 2020)
• THE MISADVENTURES OF NERO WOLFE (Mysterious Press, 2020)
• THE MAN WHO READ MYSTERIES: THE SHORT FICTION OF WILLIAM BRITTAIN (Crippen & Landru, 2018)
• THE MAN WHO SOLVED MYSTERIES: MORE SHORT FICTION BY WILLIAM BRITTAIN (Crippen & Landru, 2022)
• PARANOIA BLUES: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF PAUL SIMON (Down and Out Books, 2022).
He also co-edited AMSTERDAM NOIR (Akashic Books, 2019), THE MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN (Wildside Press, 2018), AND THE FURTHER MISADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN (Wildside Press, 2020), and co-wrote (with the legendary Ellery Queen) THE ADVENTURES OF THE PUZZLE CLUB (Crippen & Landru, 2022).
Coming in 2025:
• EVERY DAY A LITTLE DEATH: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Level Best)
• CRYIN' SHAME: CRIME FICTION INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF LYLE LOVETT (Down and Out)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 21, 2021
Not funny or exciting
Most of these stories are unfunny, unappealing, unsatisfying, unappetizing, unpleasant, unpalatable, uninviting, unpleasing, unbelievable, unexciting and generally uninteresting. Particularly to Nero Wolfe fans. Others may enjoy some of them.
Most of these stories are unfunny, unappealing, unsatisfying, unappetizing, unpleasant, unpalatable, uninviting, unpleasing, unbelievable, unexciting and generally uninteresting. Particularly to Nero Wolfe fans. Others may enjoy some of them.
November 14, 2020
it was... okay - the pastiches were well done and parodies aren't my thing, so I took them out of the equation.
May 2, 2020
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
In the same vein as the 2018 compilation that he co-edited, The Misadventures of Ellery Queen, Pachter (with the blessing of Stout's daughter), Pachter presents just what the title promises: a collection of short pieces featuring takes on Nero Wolfe (and, generally, Archie Goodwin).
There are three introductory essays—one by Otto Penzler; one by Stout's daughter, Rebecca Stout Bradbury; and then one from Pachter (which served as a typical introduction). All three of these pieces were a pleasure to read, but obviously, Bradbury's is the standout for sentimental reasons.
Then we move into pastiches, although some felt more like parodies to me—but why quibble? The first entry just didn't work for me, and almost put me off the project as a whole. But, it's Wolfe, so as much as I say "almost"—there's no chance that'd stick. Thankfully, the second entry more than made up for it, as did the rest. A personal highlight came from Pachter reprinting the first chapter of Murder in E Minor, Robert Goldsborough's first Wolfe novel—I appreciated the reminder that I did really like his work at one point. (I wish something from William L. DeAndrea's Lobo Blacke/Quinn Booker books had made it in here)
The next section featured a handful of parodies. By and large, I enjoyed this part, but I would've appreciated a bit more subtlety with many of the works. The story "Julius Katz and the Case of Exploding Wine" was simply fantastic—I will be tracking down more of these stories by Dave Zeltserman as soon as I can (I have a browser tab open at the moment for an e-store with the collections).
The final section, "Potpourri," was my favorite. It included things like a story about a circus' Fat Woman doing a fine Nero Wolfe impression (and was a pretty clever story even without that); Pachter's short story about a young man named for Wolfe, "Sam Buried Caesar," which was utterly charming; and a scene from Joseph Goodrich's stage adaptation of Might as Well Be Dead. The highlight of this section (and possibly the entire book) was a little story called "The Damned Doorbell Rang," about a couple who used to live next to Wolfe's Brownstone on West 35th (obviously on the opposite side from Doc Vollmer), who didn't realize who they lived next to, nor appreciate the goings-on in the brownstone. An inspired idea that was executed wonderfully.
As with almost every compilation ever assembled, there were a lot of high highs and very low lows in this one—and most readers will likely disagree with what I'd put in either category. But I can't imagine any Wolfe reader not finding more than enough in this book to consider any time spent with it a win. The writers all clearly had fun with the subject matter, and it's infectious. Pachter has speculated about doing another collection of Wolfean tidbits. If he does, I know I'll be more than ready to grab it.
For a lot more about the book—the background, more information about some of the entries/authors/whatnot—check out Episode 10 of Like the Wolfe podcast. It's a fun episode.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
In the same vein as the 2018 compilation that he co-edited, The Misadventures of Ellery Queen, Pachter (with the blessing of Stout's daughter), Pachter presents just what the title promises: a collection of short pieces featuring takes on Nero Wolfe (and, generally, Archie Goodwin).
There are three introductory essays—one by Otto Penzler; one by Stout's daughter, Rebecca Stout Bradbury; and then one from Pachter (which served as a typical introduction). All three of these pieces were a pleasure to read, but obviously, Bradbury's is the standout for sentimental reasons.
Then we move into pastiches, although some felt more like parodies to me—but why quibble? The first entry just didn't work for me, and almost put me off the project as a whole. But, it's Wolfe, so as much as I say "almost"—there's no chance that'd stick. Thankfully, the second entry more than made up for it, as did the rest. A personal highlight came from Pachter reprinting the first chapter of Murder in E Minor, Robert Goldsborough's first Wolfe novel—I appreciated the reminder that I did really like his work at one point. (I wish something from William L. DeAndrea's Lobo Blacke/Quinn Booker books had made it in here)
The next section featured a handful of parodies. By and large, I enjoyed this part, but I would've appreciated a bit more subtlety with many of the works. The story "Julius Katz and the Case of Exploding Wine" was simply fantastic—I will be tracking down more of these stories by Dave Zeltserman as soon as I can (I have a browser tab open at the moment for an e-store with the collections).
The final section, "Potpourri," was my favorite. It included things like a story about a circus' Fat Woman doing a fine Nero Wolfe impression (and was a pretty clever story even without that); Pachter's short story about a young man named for Wolfe, "Sam Buried Caesar," which was utterly charming; and a scene from Joseph Goodrich's stage adaptation of Might as Well Be Dead. The highlight of this section (and possibly the entire book) was a little story called "The Damned Doorbell Rang," about a couple who used to live next to Wolfe's Brownstone on West 35th (obviously on the opposite side from Doc Vollmer), who didn't realize who they lived next to, nor appreciate the goings-on in the brownstone. An inspired idea that was executed wonderfully.
As with almost every compilation ever assembled, there were a lot of high highs and very low lows in this one—and most readers will likely disagree with what I'd put in either category. But I can't imagine any Wolfe reader not finding more than enough in this book to consider any time spent with it a win. The writers all clearly had fun with the subject matter, and it's infectious. Pachter has speculated about doing another collection of Wolfean tidbits. If he does, I know I'll be more than ready to grab it.
For a lot more about the book—the background, more information about some of the entries/authors/whatnot—check out Episode 10 of Like the Wolfe podcast. It's a fun episode.
May 11, 2020
Subtitled ‘Parodies and Pastiches Featuring the Great Detective of West 35th Street,’ this anthology houses a plethora of amazing, bestselling authors who pay real tribute to Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin with their contributions.
For those who don’t know (which is hard to believe) Archie Goodwin is a fictional character in Rex Stout’s incredible mysteries. As a witty narrator, Archie recorded the cases of his famous boss, Nero Wolfe, beginning in 1934. This book, for both the introduction as well as the stories, brings together names like Otto Penzler, Lawrence Block, Loren D. Estleman, John Lescroart, and so, so many more to flatter these characters and bring them to a brand new audience.
Rex Stout proved his detective (Wolfe) and his Man-Friday (Goodwin) to be one of the best mystery teams, rivaling that of Sherlock Holmes and his partner-in-solving-crime Dr. John Watson when Stout first released his pair to the reading world. And being that Sherlock and Watson became a part of a new generation, when the box-office blockbusters were made with Robert Downey, Jr., it is only fitting to make sure that Wolfe and Goodwin aren’t denied.
A few that readers can look forward to include: memorable stories written especially for this collection by Michael Bracken and Robert Lopresti; chapters from Robert Goldsborough’s authorized continuation of the Wolfe series; and John Lescroart’s “Rasputin’s Revenge” which ended up being my favorite because it actually shows Wolfe with Sherlock Holmes as his father.
You do not want to miss out on this one! A true treasure, the authors did a remarkable job offering detailed plotlines, suspense, and charm that would have left Nero Wolfe and his own creator in stitches.
For those who don’t know (which is hard to believe) Archie Goodwin is a fictional character in Rex Stout’s incredible mysteries. As a witty narrator, Archie recorded the cases of his famous boss, Nero Wolfe, beginning in 1934. This book, for both the introduction as well as the stories, brings together names like Otto Penzler, Lawrence Block, Loren D. Estleman, John Lescroart, and so, so many more to flatter these characters and bring them to a brand new audience.
Rex Stout proved his detective (Wolfe) and his Man-Friday (Goodwin) to be one of the best mystery teams, rivaling that of Sherlock Holmes and his partner-in-solving-crime Dr. John Watson when Stout first released his pair to the reading world. And being that Sherlock and Watson became a part of a new generation, when the box-office blockbusters were made with Robert Downey, Jr., it is only fitting to make sure that Wolfe and Goodwin aren’t denied.
A few that readers can look forward to include: memorable stories written especially for this collection by Michael Bracken and Robert Lopresti; chapters from Robert Goldsborough’s authorized continuation of the Wolfe series; and John Lescroart’s “Rasputin’s Revenge” which ended up being my favorite because it actually shows Wolfe with Sherlock Holmes as his father.
You do not want to miss out on this one! A true treasure, the authors did a remarkable job offering detailed plotlines, suspense, and charm that would have left Nero Wolfe and his own creator in stitches.
December 16, 2020
I was REALLY disappointed when the lead-off story had Archie both kissing a client in Wolfe's office, and coming on to her like a wolf rather than like Archie's wisecracking "Sure I'll kiss/make out/sleep with you if you want" attitude.
It put me off the entire book, so I DNF'd.
It put me off the entire book, so I DNF'd.
July 6, 2021
Kind of a mixed bag, I was hoping for more alternate stories and less goofy crap and mockery. Some of the stories were pretty well done but most of them only would really hold interest for superfans of Nero Wolfe
November 26, 2020
So so
There were several good (in imitation of) Nero Wolf stories in this anthology, but they were too few to bring the book up to a three-star level.
There were several good (in imitation of) Nero Wolf stories in this anthology, but they were too few to bring the book up to a three-star level.
January 8, 2021
Really about a 1.5. Most of these stories were bad, some were truly awful, and only 2 were actually enjoyable at all. Such a waste.
July 16, 2022
What a fun book to read! I have been a devoted fan of the Nero Wolfe mysteries since my teams, so I was excited to find this book with so many new and fun stories. I have a strong preference for the pastiches as opposed to the parodies, but this collection of stories really is a lot of fun. Some of the pastiches are good enough that I want to read more by their authors, even if they write in other genres.
August 23, 2021
The parodies are excellent and most of the pastiches are fine. Overall a very good selection of stories.
July 12, 2021
The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe
Edited by Josh Pachter
Subtitled: Parodies and Pastiches Featuring the Great Detective of West 35th Street
I loved this collection of stories, with only a few exceptions. Overall, I would give it 4.5 out of 5.
Introductions: Trouble in Triplicate
“At Wolfe’s Door” by Otto Penzler ~ about the characters.
“A Family Affair” by Rebecca Stout Bradbury ~ Rex Stout’s daughter provides a peek at the author.
“Plot It Yourself” by Josh Pachter ~ how the collection came to be.
Pastiches (Respectful imitations of the original works)
“The Red Orchid” by Thomas Narcejac
Translated from French, the story was written in 1947. The first English publication wasn’t until 1961. A young woman comes to hire Wolfe to discover who is trying to kill her uncle, a man who claims to have developed a red orchid. More creepy than respectful, especially how Archie hits on the female client. Too offensive for me. DNF
“Chapter 8 from ‘Murder in Pastiche’” by Marion Mainwaining
Published in 1955, this novel can also be found under the title of “Nine Detectives All at Sea”. A notorious gossip columnist is murdered during a sea cruise across the Atlantic. There are nine famous detectives on the ship as passengers. Trajan Beare, aka Nero Wolfe, is the focus of this particular chapter. It is hard to judge the whole book based on just one chapter. However, the characterization should be noted as being extremely close to the original source material. A nice read. No rating as it is just an excerpt.
“The Archie Hunters” by Jon L. Breen
Written in 1968, but never published until now. A cross of Nero Wolfe and Mike Hammer. Mock Himmler beats the crap out of anyone he encounters, particularly if they disagree with him or do something he doesn’t like. After beating up a news seller for carrying a “commie” magazine, Mock discovers an ad in the back requesting a private investigator for a missing person case. The ad, placed by Nero Wolfe, leads Mock to presume the missing person is Archie Goodwin. I’ve never been a fan of Mike Hammer nor his creator, Mickey Spillane, finding both of them to be disgusting in their love of violence, misogyny, and attitudes in general. I did enjoy this story nonetheless. 4 out of 5
“The Frightened Man” by O. X. Rusett
Gave up early on this anagram-stuffed story, even to the author’s name. More annoying than clever or cute. DNF
“Chapter 1 from ‘Murder in E Minor’” by Robert Goldsborough
I read the whole book when it was first published and, frankly, wasn’t too impressed. I do know that Goldsborough was selected by the Stout Estate to be the official author of the novels and I have read a few of his more recent books. I may try and reread it sometime down the road to see if my opinion has changed. No rating as it is only one chapter.
“The Purloined Platypus” by Marvin Kaye
While Goldsborough has the exclusive novel rights, Kaye asked to write short stories and was given the Estate’s permission as long as no novels were ever written. Benjamin Moultrie, president and board chairman of the Museum of the Strange, Odd and Peculiar, wants to hire Wolfe to investigate a robbery at the museum. As I wasn’t reading the magazines such as Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock, I missed reading any of these stories. Which is quite a tragedy. Excellent portrayals of not only the characters, but the case itself. 4 out of 5.
Parodies (Exaggerated imitations intended to poke fun at the source material)
“The House on 35th Street” by Frank Littler
Originally appeared in The Saturday Review in 1966. Little is known about the author, despite Pachter’s research attempts. A crowd is assembled in the Brownstone in a murder case, wanting to see some of the detective’s famous actions and quirks. There is an undercurrent of a very personal nature, especially at the end. 3.5 out of 5
“The Sidekick Case” by Patrick Butler
Another entry from The Saturday Review, this time in 1968, and another case of little information on the author. Wolfe objects to Archie being called a “sidekick” in a listing of the latest book. Cute. 3.5 out of 5
“The Case of the Disposable Jalopy” by Mack Reynolds
America has turned into an illiterate welfare state, Wolfe and Archie are old and sometimes forgetful, and things are beyond tight financially. Reynolds uses the last names of some of the biggest authors in Science Fiction in the story. These men want to hire Wolfe for a case of sabotage and the disappearance of a key developer. What a weird world Reynolds has built. As to the updates on the normal cast of characters in the series? Well, I never liked Orrie anyway. 4 out of 5
“As Dark as Christmas Gets” by Lawrence Block
An unpublished manuscript written by Cornell Woolrich is stolen during a Christmas party. The owner hires Wolfe wannabe Leo Haig and his Goodwin substitute, Chip Harrison, to recover it. I’ve come across stories in this series before and loved them, both for the obvious affection for the source material as well as the excellent characterization. 4.5 out of 5
“Who’s Afraid of Nero Wolfe?” by Loren D. Estleman
Arnie Woodbine, currently on parole, was fired from his last job for gambling on company time. He needs a job and finds an ad looking for an assistant sharp of wit. He finds himself hired by Claudius Lyon, a corpulent man with delusions of being Nero Wolfe. Arnie is hired as his Archie. Now all they need is a case. Since Lyon doesn’t have a private detective license and Arnie’s felony record prevents him from ever getting one, they would not be able to charge for their services. No problem as Lyon is actually quite wealthy. Their first case is regarding a poetry award that carries with it a $10,000 prize. One winner doesn’t appear to actually exist. Seriously one of the best sendups that I’ve ever read! This was a delight to read and deserved more stories. 4.5 out of 5.
“Julius Katz and the Case of Exploding Wine” by Dave Zeltserman
A friend of Julius’ that has a champion bulldog and heads a dog food company comes to see Julius with the dog in tow, asking for help to find someone to prevent Brutus from being kidnapped. He also asks that Julius find his murderer if he’s killed. Sure enough, the man is killed. Julius had agreed to investigate, but only after he gave the police a week to solve it themselves. Just as the week is up, an adversary calls to warn Julius that there is a bomb in his house, contained in a box of wine. Julius allows almost everyone to believe he is dead after the townhouse is completely destroyed from top to bottom. I absolutely loved this sorta tribute to Rex Stout. I’m particularly intrigued by Archie, an AI who is installed in Julius’ tie pin. That alone has me eyeing the book collections, but to be honest, this is a damn fine mystery. Julius is definitely not Nero Wolfe, at least in size, athleticism (martial arts), and loving women (a former womanizer who now has a regular girlfriend). He definitely is in the aspects of intelligence, laziness, and cutting Archie out of the loop. His collecting focus is wine rather than orchids, but both can be very expensive hobbies. 4.5 out of 5.
“The Possibly Last Case of Tiberius Dingo” by Michael Bracken
Age and diet are catching up to Tiberius Dingo’s body, but his mind and deductive reasoning is still as sharp as ever. His long-time assistant, Jughead Badloss, brings a client he dances with at the Senior Center, a woman who is certain she is being stalked. Family ties and age-old secrets are ripped out into the open before the case is done, for their client and for Jughead himself. The names are a little lame, but the story made up for it. 3.5 out of 5.
Potpourri
“The Woman Who Read Rex Stout” by William Brittain
Gertrude Jellison was the fat lady at a carnival sideshow, an intelligent woman whose extreme weight, over 500 pounds, kept her from her dream job of teaching psychology. Her partner, Robert Kirby, is the thin man, barely weighing seventy-five pounds. As a stunt, the carnival boss gave her Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe books to read during the shows. Surprisingly enough, Gert loved them and continued reading. She never expected to use what she learned to solve a murder, but sadly a newer member of the troup, a beautiful woman named Lili who was like a daughter to Gert, is murdered and the older woman knows she can solve the crime. This is a character that I could seriously have loved to read more about. A good little mystery as well, even if I quickly realized who the murderer would turn out to be. 3.5 out of 5.
“Sam Buried Caesar” by Josh Pachter
Police inspector Griffen had eleven children, each of whom was named after a famous fictional detective. Nero, just eleven years old, had set up his own detective agency, aided by his best friend and neighbor Artie Goodman. Their latest client, Sam, came to them after his dog, Caesar, was hit and killed by an out-of-state driver. Not wanting the poor animal to be left coldly abandoned on the street, he buried the dog in an empty lot. Coming back a short time later to get Caesar’s collar, the body is missing. He hires Nero and Artie to find the killer and recover the body. Sad and cute and inventive, but how Artie puts up with Nero will always be a mystery. 3.5 out of 5.
“Chapter 24 from Rasputin’s Revenge” by John Lescroart
The basic premise is that Nero Wolfe is the son of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. I’ve not read this particular book, but it appears to be the last chapter in which Archie and Wolfe, going under his original name, are in Russia, appeared to have come up against Gregori Rasputin (although the author has it as Gregory), and was helped by Holmes and Dr. Watson after they were wanted for murder. I’m not going to rate it as I don’t consider it fair to rate a novel based on just one chapter.
“A scene from Might as Well Be Dead” by Joseph Goodrich
Adaptation of the story into a play. Once again, not rated.
“The Damned Doorbell Rang” by Robert Lopresti
When their fourteen granddaughter came to visit in a snit because her parents won’t allow her to go with friends to a concert in New York City, Eve and Jack decide to tell her about why they left the City. When they were younger, they had a brownstone in the City. Their neighbors were definitely different, all men living there. Jack didn’t much like any of them and keeps disparaging Eve’s stories about what they saw while living there. But Eve tells a tale of how she saved the men’s lives. Too many close calls are the reason that they moved to New Jersey. How could I not love this outsider’s look at Nero Wolfe? 3.5 out of 5.
Edited by Josh Pachter
Subtitled: Parodies and Pastiches Featuring the Great Detective of West 35th Street
I loved this collection of stories, with only a few exceptions. Overall, I would give it 4.5 out of 5.
Introductions: Trouble in Triplicate
“At Wolfe’s Door” by Otto Penzler ~ about the characters.
“A Family Affair” by Rebecca Stout Bradbury ~ Rex Stout’s daughter provides a peek at the author.
“Plot It Yourself” by Josh Pachter ~ how the collection came to be.
Pastiches (Respectful imitations of the original works)
“The Red Orchid” by Thomas Narcejac
Translated from French, the story was written in 1947. The first English publication wasn’t until 1961. A young woman comes to hire Wolfe to discover who is trying to kill her uncle, a man who claims to have developed a red orchid. More creepy than respectful, especially how Archie hits on the female client. Too offensive for me. DNF
“Chapter 8 from ‘Murder in Pastiche’” by Marion Mainwaining
Published in 1955, this novel can also be found under the title of “Nine Detectives All at Sea”. A notorious gossip columnist is murdered during a sea cruise across the Atlantic. There are nine famous detectives on the ship as passengers. Trajan Beare, aka Nero Wolfe, is the focus of this particular chapter. It is hard to judge the whole book based on just one chapter. However, the characterization should be noted as being extremely close to the original source material. A nice read. No rating as it is just an excerpt.
“The Archie Hunters” by Jon L. Breen
Written in 1968, but never published until now. A cross of Nero Wolfe and Mike Hammer. Mock Himmler beats the crap out of anyone he encounters, particularly if they disagree with him or do something he doesn’t like. After beating up a news seller for carrying a “commie” magazine, Mock discovers an ad in the back requesting a private investigator for a missing person case. The ad, placed by Nero Wolfe, leads Mock to presume the missing person is Archie Goodwin. I’ve never been a fan of Mike Hammer nor his creator, Mickey Spillane, finding both of them to be disgusting in their love of violence, misogyny, and attitudes in general. I did enjoy this story nonetheless. 4 out of 5
“The Frightened Man” by O. X. Rusett
Gave up early on this anagram-stuffed story, even to the author’s name. More annoying than clever or cute. DNF
“Chapter 1 from ‘Murder in E Minor’” by Robert Goldsborough
I read the whole book when it was first published and, frankly, wasn’t too impressed. I do know that Goldsborough was selected by the Stout Estate to be the official author of the novels and I have read a few of his more recent books. I may try and reread it sometime down the road to see if my opinion has changed. No rating as it is only one chapter.
“The Purloined Platypus” by Marvin Kaye
While Goldsborough has the exclusive novel rights, Kaye asked to write short stories and was given the Estate’s permission as long as no novels were ever written. Benjamin Moultrie, president and board chairman of the Museum of the Strange, Odd and Peculiar, wants to hire Wolfe to investigate a robbery at the museum. As I wasn’t reading the magazines such as Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock, I missed reading any of these stories. Which is quite a tragedy. Excellent portrayals of not only the characters, but the case itself. 4 out of 5.
Parodies (Exaggerated imitations intended to poke fun at the source material)
“The House on 35th Street” by Frank Littler
Originally appeared in The Saturday Review in 1966. Little is known about the author, despite Pachter’s research attempts. A crowd is assembled in the Brownstone in a murder case, wanting to see some of the detective’s famous actions and quirks. There is an undercurrent of a very personal nature, especially at the end. 3.5 out of 5
“The Sidekick Case” by Patrick Butler
Another entry from The Saturday Review, this time in 1968, and another case of little information on the author. Wolfe objects to Archie being called a “sidekick” in a listing of the latest book. Cute. 3.5 out of 5
“The Case of the Disposable Jalopy” by Mack Reynolds
America has turned into an illiterate welfare state, Wolfe and Archie are old and sometimes forgetful, and things are beyond tight financially. Reynolds uses the last names of some of the biggest authors in Science Fiction in the story. These men want to hire Wolfe for a case of sabotage and the disappearance of a key developer. What a weird world Reynolds has built. As to the updates on the normal cast of characters in the series? Well, I never liked Orrie anyway. 4 out of 5
“As Dark as Christmas Gets” by Lawrence Block
An unpublished manuscript written by Cornell Woolrich is stolen during a Christmas party. The owner hires Wolfe wannabe Leo Haig and his Goodwin substitute, Chip Harrison, to recover it. I’ve come across stories in this series before and loved them, both for the obvious affection for the source material as well as the excellent characterization. 4.5 out of 5
“Who’s Afraid of Nero Wolfe?” by Loren D. Estleman
Arnie Woodbine, currently on parole, was fired from his last job for gambling on company time. He needs a job and finds an ad looking for an assistant sharp of wit. He finds himself hired by Claudius Lyon, a corpulent man with delusions of being Nero Wolfe. Arnie is hired as his Archie. Now all they need is a case. Since Lyon doesn’t have a private detective license and Arnie’s felony record prevents him from ever getting one, they would not be able to charge for their services. No problem as Lyon is actually quite wealthy. Their first case is regarding a poetry award that carries with it a $10,000 prize. One winner doesn’t appear to actually exist. Seriously one of the best sendups that I’ve ever read! This was a delight to read and deserved more stories. 4.5 out of 5.
“Julius Katz and the Case of Exploding Wine” by Dave Zeltserman
A friend of Julius’ that has a champion bulldog and heads a dog food company comes to see Julius with the dog in tow, asking for help to find someone to prevent Brutus from being kidnapped. He also asks that Julius find his murderer if he’s killed. Sure enough, the man is killed. Julius had agreed to investigate, but only after he gave the police a week to solve it themselves. Just as the week is up, an adversary calls to warn Julius that there is a bomb in his house, contained in a box of wine. Julius allows almost everyone to believe he is dead after the townhouse is completely destroyed from top to bottom. I absolutely loved this sorta tribute to Rex Stout. I’m particularly intrigued by Archie, an AI who is installed in Julius’ tie pin. That alone has me eyeing the book collections, but to be honest, this is a damn fine mystery. Julius is definitely not Nero Wolfe, at least in size, athleticism (martial arts), and loving women (a former womanizer who now has a regular girlfriend). He definitely is in the aspects of intelligence, laziness, and cutting Archie out of the loop. His collecting focus is wine rather than orchids, but both can be very expensive hobbies. 4.5 out of 5.
“The Possibly Last Case of Tiberius Dingo” by Michael Bracken
Age and diet are catching up to Tiberius Dingo’s body, but his mind and deductive reasoning is still as sharp as ever. His long-time assistant, Jughead Badloss, brings a client he dances with at the Senior Center, a woman who is certain she is being stalked. Family ties and age-old secrets are ripped out into the open before the case is done, for their client and for Jughead himself. The names are a little lame, but the story made up for it. 3.5 out of 5.
Potpourri
“The Woman Who Read Rex Stout” by William Brittain
Gertrude Jellison was the fat lady at a carnival sideshow, an intelligent woman whose extreme weight, over 500 pounds, kept her from her dream job of teaching psychology. Her partner, Robert Kirby, is the thin man, barely weighing seventy-five pounds. As a stunt, the carnival boss gave her Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe books to read during the shows. Surprisingly enough, Gert loved them and continued reading. She never expected to use what she learned to solve a murder, but sadly a newer member of the troup, a beautiful woman named Lili who was like a daughter to Gert, is murdered and the older woman knows she can solve the crime. This is a character that I could seriously have loved to read more about. A good little mystery as well, even if I quickly realized who the murderer would turn out to be. 3.5 out of 5.
“Sam Buried Caesar” by Josh Pachter
Police inspector Griffen had eleven children, each of whom was named after a famous fictional detective. Nero, just eleven years old, had set up his own detective agency, aided by his best friend and neighbor Artie Goodman. Their latest client, Sam, came to them after his dog, Caesar, was hit and killed by an out-of-state driver. Not wanting the poor animal to be left coldly abandoned on the street, he buried the dog in an empty lot. Coming back a short time later to get Caesar’s collar, the body is missing. He hires Nero and Artie to find the killer and recover the body. Sad and cute and inventive, but how Artie puts up with Nero will always be a mystery. 3.5 out of 5.
“Chapter 24 from Rasputin’s Revenge” by John Lescroart
The basic premise is that Nero Wolfe is the son of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. I’ve not read this particular book, but it appears to be the last chapter in which Archie and Wolfe, going under his original name, are in Russia, appeared to have come up against Gregori Rasputin (although the author has it as Gregory), and was helped by Holmes and Dr. Watson after they were wanted for murder. I’m not going to rate it as I don’t consider it fair to rate a novel based on just one chapter.
“A scene from Might as Well Be Dead” by Joseph Goodrich
Adaptation of the story into a play. Once again, not rated.
“The Damned Doorbell Rang” by Robert Lopresti
When their fourteen granddaughter came to visit in a snit because her parents won’t allow her to go with friends to a concert in New York City, Eve and Jack decide to tell her about why they left the City. When they were younger, they had a brownstone in the City. Their neighbors were definitely different, all men living there. Jack didn’t much like any of them and keeps disparaging Eve’s stories about what they saw while living there. But Eve tells a tale of how she saved the men’s lives. Too many close calls are the reason that they moved to New Jersey. How could I not love this outsider’s look at Nero Wolfe? 3.5 out of 5.
May 5, 2021
This is for die-hard Nero Wolfe fans only, and even they will find it a mere bagatelle, as Wolfe might say. There are pastiches where other authors have used Wolfe and Archie, and parodies where the main characters have other names but are based on the two. Usually they combine a Roman Emperor first name with an animal last name for Wolfe, and a sound-alike name for Archie Goodwin. (Although one author went completely the other way with Jughead Badloss).
You could spend a pleasant hour or so with this, but it will primarily make you want to head back to the Corpus and re-read the originals.
You could spend a pleasant hour or so with this, but it will primarily make you want to head back to the Corpus and re-read the originals.
May 6, 2020
Some hits, some misses, an unfortunate political remark that should have been edited out, but overall a delightful series of love letters to New York's greatest private detective. While I probably won't read this from cover to cover again, all the stories leave a lingering impression and I'll definitely revisit a few of these again and again. But as good and fun as an homage is, nothing compares to the original.
January 14, 2021
Overall, this collection was disappointing. Stories either had a solid plot, but the characters of Archie & Nero were completely off OR they managed to get the characters true but the stories themselves were ridiculously bad. The only 2 that I really cared for were Murder in E Minor (and they only included the 1st chapter of the book) and As Dark As Christmas Gets by Lawrence Block (which was about a completely different detective that just idolized Nero Wolfe).
September 27, 2020
I love Nero Wolfe. Res Stout was one of the first mysteries I read. I went from Nancy Drew to Nero Wolfe. His brilliance, even then when I was a then 9 year old girl astounded me. And Archie was my first crush. Every year I read one or more of the many choices on my shelves and so to see something new was, of course something I had to purchase.
What I should have remembered is that I'm not a huge fan of comedies and I love the original writing so the writing has to be superb. So it will come as now surprise that there are some stories that I think are terrific, but others that I really hated. One of them that I both loved and hated was 'The Archie Hunters'. I never liked Mikey Spilane - have to agree way to violent. BUT in that story there was a beautifully written piece that talks about what Wolfe for in the war he rarely mentioned. It was moving and so fitting to our current times.
What I should have remembered is that I'm not a huge fan of comedies and I love the original writing so the writing has to be superb. So it will come as now surprise that there are some stories that I think are terrific, but others that I really hated. One of them that I both loved and hated was 'The Archie Hunters'. I never liked Mikey Spilane - have to agree way to violent. BUT in that story there was a beautifully written piece that talks about what Wolfe for in the war he rarely mentioned. It was moving and so fitting to our current times.
April 27, 2022
I read only two Nero Wolfe novels before reading this. The history of detective stories' parodies and pastiches is well documented here, thankfully. Early pastiche in translation, kiddie-versions, anagrams and other wordplay, an enjoyable variety. The potpourri ain't bad either. There's even a
This collection includes a story by Robert Goldsborough, the author who now pens Nero Wolfe novels. I mention this in case someone who hasn't yet read post-Stout NW may want a small sample of RG.
Also learned of The Wolfe Pack, a Nero Wolfe Literary Society, some of whose members are featured in this recent collection.
This collection includes a story by Robert Goldsborough, the author who now pens Nero Wolfe novels. I mention this in case someone who hasn't yet read post-Stout NW may want a small sample of RG.
Also learned of The Wolfe Pack, a Nero Wolfe Literary Society, some of whose members are featured in this recent collection.
July 20, 2022
The first story, The Red Orchid, is described as a find--it's a translation. Presumably the editor thought it a good story, since it's in the lead-off position, but I found it dreadful. I thought it so bad, in fact, that I kept checking the introduction, to make sure I understood the difference between pastiche and parody, because I kept thinking, surely this is a parody?
Anyway, most of these stories are pretty terrible, and I have to wonder if getting Archie's voice/tone correct is just too hard to write a serviceable pastiche.
I liked the stories in Potpourri section best--stories inspired by Wolfe, but not trying to be Wolfe.
Anyway, most of these stories are pretty terrible, and I have to wonder if getting Archie's voice/tone correct is just too hard to write a serviceable pastiche.
I liked the stories in Potpourri section best--stories inspired by Wolfe, but not trying to be Wolfe.
July 10, 2022
Only die-hard fans need bother with this collection of Nero Wolfe homages. Despite Pachter's attempts to include a broad array of entries, nearly all of them poke fun at the corpulent detective and his wise-cracking assistant, and not often kindly. It's more bearable to see Archie recast as an AI tie clip than a senile codger, sex criminal, or (shudder) smartphone user. Goldsborough (authorized by Stout's estate to continue the series) captures the spirit of the original series and Lopresti (in one of only two new pieces) tips the corpus on its side and gives it a good shake.
January 2, 2021
This was a nice little compilation of short stories about and around Nero Wolfe. If you like me is a fan of him and Archie Goodwin and has read all the books by Rex Stout and Robert Goldsborough then you need to read this as well. Some of the stories where ok and some of them where great. I have been a fan of the inhaitants of the brownstone on west 35th street since my early teens and have read and reread the adventures many times. Great fun.
August 8, 2022
Two stars because those who are not fans may enjoy this. I wanted to have a good time; I thought surely these noted authors love Rex Stout and will do justice to Nero Wolfe. Boy, was I wrong. I could not read a story without mentally noting every word and deed that were out of character for Archie and his portly boss. As the narrator for the series, Archie’s ways are well known and loved. I was completely disappointed by this weak attempt.
December 28, 2020
I usually don't read stories, preferring a full-length tale. But, I am an avid Nero Wolfe fan and so thought I would give this a try, noting the diverse list of authors.
This book did not disappoint. Each tale had a different flavor and some only featured Wolfe and Goodwin as a thought or reference. Yet even these kept to the promise that this book was all about Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.
A must-read for fans.
This book did not disappoint. Each tale had a different flavor and some only featured Wolfe and Goodwin as a thought or reference. Yet even these kept to the promise that this book was all about Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.
A must-read for fans.
January 19, 2026
I had read a few of these; namely the chapter excerpts as I already have read those novels. The rest were new to me, and I found them a a mixed bag with some not quite honoring the nature of the characters they were writing about, while others in the parody section were pretty funny as one didn't expect the characters to be quite the same.
May 3, 2020
Like all books around a theme, there are highs and lows. I enjoy the pastiches more than the parodies; Wolfe is so easy to parody and many of these stories go for the obvious. However, I am a huge Rex Stout fan and it was a pleasure to spend time with others who share my enthusiasm.
May 14, 2020
While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I was constantly left hungry for more! Which I'm certain was the editor's intent, but disconcerting none-the-less. I have already downloaded several others of his offerings, and look forward to testing my willingness to endure my patience with his format!
November 19, 2020
I love Nero Wolfe
But some of these I didn’t like at all. I couldn’t figure out the Rasputin one. And to give us a start on a larger work seems unfair. I do like the Robert Goldsborough books. And I like two others. The Lawrence Block ones and one other. Worth my $1.99.
But some of these I didn’t like at all. I couldn’t figure out the Rasputin one. And to give us a start on a larger work seems unfair. I do like the Robert Goldsborough books. And I like two others. The Lawrence Block ones and one other. Worth my $1.99.
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March 11, 2021A fun trip to New York in the forties.
Although the writing was good and captured the flavor of Nero Wolf, some stories were frustratingly incomplete. Otherwise it would have been five stars.
Although the writing was good and captured the flavor of Nero Wolf, some stories were frustratingly incomplete. Otherwise it would have been five stars.
June 27, 2021
An interesting collection...
Of fun stories of all sizes and shapes. All of them are by authors who love the characters of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin enough to write about them.
Of fun stories of all sizes and shapes. All of them are by authors who love the characters of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin enough to write about them.
June 30, 2021
Like most compilations, there were good parts and so-so parts. I was disappointed that there were a couple of chapters included from 2 other novels - just individual chapters. The only thing I did not like at all was a Nero Wolfe - Mike Hammer mash-up. I hated that.
July 1, 2021
If you don't know Nero Wolfe or Rex Stout this is a fun introduction to outstanding authors trying their hand at the world of Nero Wolfe. Fun, entertaining and enjoyable. I highly recommend this collection of short stories.
February 3, 2023
This collection of stories was a mixed bag of good, bad, and extremely silly. As a fan of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe, I wanted to read other authors' interpretations of these beloved characters. None of them are as good as the originals, but I did find some pleasure in about half.
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