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Nero Wolfe #26
Three Witnesses
In three cases--a millionaire who writes his own death warrant, a dog who becomes a killer's worst enemy, and an answering service which refuses to talk about a murder--three witnesses hold the solution for detective Rex Stout.
208 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 10, 1956
295 people are currently reading
808 people want to read
About the author
Rex Stout
833 books1,030 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
April 21, 2019
Three enjoyable Nero Wolfe novellas. In the first, Wolfe must testify for the prosecution during an innocent man's murder trial, in the second a man who died twice leaves a clue from beyond the grave, and in the third the behavior of a Labrador retriever holds the key to a murder committed with his leash.
All excellent entertainments. I love the Wolfe novels, but the novellas at their best are even better.
November 16, 2016
The Nero Wolfe team consists of two parts of a whole detective – Archie Goodwin, Wolfe’s leg man, narrator and jack-of-all-trades and Nero Wolfe, the pompous, sedentary (read: fat) brains behind the team. Wolfe is known for his love of food, orchids, money, deductive powers and the ability to confound those around him, including the cops. Archie has the quick wit and people skills.
I’ve never been a big fan of the short fiction; they’re over before they can gain any momentum. These three tales are serviceable. The best Nero Wolfe are the books that take Wolfe out of his element (sitting in a chair) and let him mix it up with new surroundings (Too Many Cooks, The Black Mountain, Death of a Dude) or the ones that throw a monkey wrench into Wolfe’s and Goodwin’s daily life and upend it (A Family Affair, The Doorbell Rang).
I’ve never been a big fan of the short fiction; they’re over before they can gain any momentum. These three tales are serviceable. The best Nero Wolfe are the books that take Wolfe out of his element (sitting in a chair) and let him mix it up with new surroundings (Too Many Cooks, The Black Mountain, Death of a Dude) or the ones that throw a monkey wrench into Wolfe’s and Goodwin’s daily life and upend it (A Family Affair, The Doorbell Rang).
January 27, 2018
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a Nero Wolfe fanatic! I love the whole corpus and will tell you so over and over again. It is not necessarily the plots that fascinate me; instead it is the wordplay and interaction between Mr. Wolfe and Archie that are the joy in Stout's writing. This book contains three short stories, two of which (The Next Witness and Die Like A Dog) were also filmed for the excellent A&E series starring Maury Chaykin and Timothy Hutton, using the dialogue from the books word for word. If you have never read any of the Wolfe series, this will give you a taste of life in the brownstone where the corpulent genius and the snappy assistant work their magic. Wonderful!
Want to read
January 5, 2017003 - "The Next Witness"
067 - "When A Man Murders"
129 - "Die Like A Dog"
All three stories originally appeared in the American Magazine.
Dust jacket design by Bill English.
067 - "When A Man Murders"
129 - "Die Like A Dog"
All three stories originally appeared in the American Magazine.
Dust jacket design by Bill English.
December 13, 2025
There are a good number of Rex Stout volumes that each contain three novellas. This one, published in 1956, like most of the others I have started to look at, contains one excellent novelette and two less excellent ones. Here the excellent one is *Die Like a Dog*, which is sometimes ranked as Stout’s best novella. I read this one, and will give it 4.5 stars, probably rounded up (good, but not jaw-dropping), and skipped the other two. Hence, my final rating.
“Dog” is curious, focuses more on Archie than on Wolfe — the ending is expected, though the means by which it is arrived at is not. And the dog is one of the principal characters — somwhat as the lion is the principal character in Hemmingway’s “Francis McComber”.
“Dog” is curious, focuses more on Archie than on Wolfe — the ending is expected, though the means by which it is arrived at is not. And the dog is one of the principal characters — somwhat as the lion is the principal character in Hemmingway’s “Francis McComber”.
September 30, 2021
I'm not a big fan of Rex Stout's short stories about Nero Wolfe and company . I prefer the novels where the plots have some space to stretch out and Archie Goodwin can spew out wisecracks for page after page.
That said, I enjoyed my time with these three stories. The solutions weren't that important, but the interplay between Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe was present and that's what counted. My favorite of the three stories was "Die Like a Dog", in which Archie brings both a stray dog which has followed him and a young woman, both uninvited by Nero Wolfe, into Nero Wolfe's home. I won't tell which gets a warmer welcome from Wolfe.
The next time I read Rex Stout, it will be to revisit one of the novels. but I enjoyed my time with this short collection.
The copy I read is from our library system and was published in 1955. It's worn and held together by book tape, but it's still hanging in there. I hope that it lasts another 66 years and that someone else will enjoy reading it in 2087.
That said, I enjoyed my time with these three stories. The solutions weren't that important, but the interplay between Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe was present and that's what counted. My favorite of the three stories was "Die Like a Dog", in which Archie brings both a stray dog which has followed him and a young woman, both uninvited by Nero Wolfe, into Nero Wolfe's home. I won't tell which gets a warmer welcome from Wolfe.
The next time I read Rex Stout, it will be to revisit one of the novels. but I enjoyed my time with this short collection.
The copy I read is from our library system and was published in 1955. It's worn and held together by book tape, but it's still hanging in there. I hope that it lasts another 66 years and that someone else will enjoy reading it in 2087.
April 22, 2025
This is a great trio of shorter stories. You get all the essentials, satisfying conclusions, and Wolfe and Archie at their idiosyncratic best.
The Next Witness
Notable in that nearly all of the action takes place with Nero Wolfe outside the familiar brownstone.
The story opens with Wolfe and Archie in court waiting to testify for the prosecution in a murder trial. Unconvinced by the Assistant District Attorney's case and unwilling to help convict a possibly innocent man, Wolfe abruptly leaves the courtroom to conduct his own investigation. Once satisfied he knows the truth, he must then devise a means of getting the information before the jury as soon as possible.
When a Man Murders
The story of a man who dies twice.
Sidney Karnow was reported as killed in action in Korea. He left a will giving half of his fortune to his wife Caroline, the other half to various relatives. Caroline went on to marry again, but two years later Sidney turned up alive--and within a month after that he was dead, this time murdered. Caroline's second husband is the prime suspect and Wolfe is hired to prove his innocence.
Die Like a Dog
What happens when a dog follows Archie home from the scene of a murder.
While on an errand to retrieve his rain coat, Archie ends up at an apartment building where a tenant has just been found dead. The police are always suspicious when anyone associated with Nero Wolfe shows up, so Archie quickly slips away unaware that the dog following him belonged to the dead man. Archie takes the dog home and decides to tease Wolfe by declaring he needs a personal pet to ease his loneliness and suggesting 'Nero' as an appropriate name. But the joke backfires: I had expected to induce a major outburst, even possibly something as frantic as Wolfe leaving his chair to evict the beast himself, and there he was gazing at Nero with an expression I had never seen him aim at any human, including me.
The Next Witness
Notable in that nearly all of the action takes place with Nero Wolfe outside the familiar brownstone.
The story opens with Wolfe and Archie in court waiting to testify for the prosecution in a murder trial. Unconvinced by the Assistant District Attorney's case and unwilling to help convict a possibly innocent man, Wolfe abruptly leaves the courtroom to conduct his own investigation. Once satisfied he knows the truth, he must then devise a means of getting the information before the jury as soon as possible.
When a Man Murders
The story of a man who dies twice.
Sidney Karnow was reported as killed in action in Korea. He left a will giving half of his fortune to his wife Caroline, the other half to various relatives. Caroline went on to marry again, but two years later Sidney turned up alive--and within a month after that he was dead, this time murdered. Caroline's second husband is the prime suspect and Wolfe is hired to prove his innocence.
Die Like a Dog
What happens when a dog follows Archie home from the scene of a murder.
While on an errand to retrieve his rain coat, Archie ends up at an apartment building where a tenant has just been found dead. The police are always suspicious when anyone associated with Nero Wolfe shows up, so Archie quickly slips away unaware that the dog following him belonged to the dead man. Archie takes the dog home and decides to tease Wolfe by declaring he needs a personal pet to ease his loneliness and suggesting 'Nero' as an appropriate name. But the joke backfires: I had expected to induce a major outburst, even possibly something as frantic as Wolfe leaving his chair to evict the beast himself, and there he was gazing at Nero with an expression I had never seen him aim at any human, including me.
March 26, 2023
This book was a blast and all three stories were completely fun and entertaining reads.
January 8, 2024
This is one of my favorite Stout novella collections, because it has three absolute winners in it, including a) the one where Nero Wolfe goes to Saul Panzer's apartment and b) THE ONE WHERE NERO WOLFE GETS A DOG. Like, yes, the stories are also good -- these are some of Stout's best novellas -- but I cannot possibly be unbiased about this collection, because it hits me squarely where I am weak: Nero and Archie interacting with Saul and also adorable animals. (It's good, though! And did I mention THEY GET A DOG? He is a really good boy!)
October 3, 2017
Really fun book containing three short mysteries. Each story can be read in one sitting. None are disappointing but are full of Archie's wise guy cracks and Nero's drollery all wrapped up in good little whodunits.
December 21, 2022
3.5☆
I found these 3 novellas or short stories quite pleasurable. However the second story (When a Man Murders) left me puzzled - I had guessed the correct person as the murderer but couldn't figure out what made it clear to Wolfe, even after the denouement!
I found these 3 novellas or short stories quite pleasurable. However the second story (When a Man Murders) left me puzzled - I had guessed the correct person as the murderer but couldn't figure out what made it clear to Wolfe, even after the denouement!
June 10, 2019
COUNTDOWN: - Mid-20th Century North American Crime
BOOK(Novella) 201 (of 250)
Stout 'vogues' with the best of them-at least one pose per work here ! This is actually 3 novellas by Stout: "The Next Witness", "When a Man Murders" and "Die Like a Dog". I'll focus on "The Next Witness", as it has Nero doing the oddest things...
HOOK -3 stars: Archie Goodwin narrates the opening paragraph: "I had had previous contacts with Assistant District Attorney Irving Mandelbaum, but had never seen him perform in a courtroom....he had a neat trick of pausing for a moment to look at the jury as if he half expected one of them to offer a helpful suggestion." So there it is, Vogue move #1.
PACE - 3: Fine for a novella.
PLOT - 2: Nero (hardly ever leaving his townhouse) and Archie are in a courtroom, both are about to testify about a man accused of guilt, and Nero simply stands and exits the courtroom. He has been inspired suddenly. But Nero and Archie can't go home: the cops are chasing them, so they must remain on the move and hang-out for the evening at a friends house who has only one room and a small bed for the huge Nero. Imagine: Nero, not at home, without his chef Fritz cooking up great food, running from the cops, and yes, being put under arrest when he steps into the courtroom the next day. This is an entirely different Nero, but he's gotta save this innocent man from a conviction of murder! Too standard murder/courtroom story for the genre.
CHARACTERS - 2: Then the judge vogues! "A shadow of stir and murmer rippled across the packed audience, and Judge Corbett on the bench turned his head to give it a frown (vogue move #2) and then went back to his knitting. Nero is just odd here, Archie seems to get better looking and bigger and stronger as this series progresses. And Nero describes his own movements as a result of 'autokenisis." (But about Sergeant Stebbins, Archie specifically notes, "...he wasn't striking a pose" in "When a Man Murders", for non-vogue move of Stebbins).
ATMOSPHERE - 2: To me, I felt lost outside of Nero's cozy townhouse with its custom-made furniture, Fritz cooking brilliant dishes in the kitchen, orchids by the thousands on the rooftop. Yes, NY is a busy city. As far as "Bagby Answers, Inc., "It was a dump, an old five-story walkup, brick that had been painted yellow about the time I had started working for Nero" thinks Archie. From courtroom to the streets of NY we move, a solid but less than stellar go at the world of Nero.
SUMMARY: 2.4. "The Next Witness" and the 2 other shorts here feel like parts of notes tacked to Stout's "idea wall". I enjoyed them, though, but these aren't among the best of Stout/Nero. Oh, and the vogue #3 occurs in the third short, "Die Like a Dog", a lady strikes a pose for a painting.
BOOK(Novella) 201 (of 250)
Stout 'vogues' with the best of them-at least one pose per work here ! This is actually 3 novellas by Stout: "The Next Witness", "When a Man Murders" and "Die Like a Dog". I'll focus on "The Next Witness", as it has Nero doing the oddest things...
HOOK -3 stars: Archie Goodwin narrates the opening paragraph: "I had had previous contacts with Assistant District Attorney Irving Mandelbaum, but had never seen him perform in a courtroom....he had a neat trick of pausing for a moment to look at the jury as if he half expected one of them to offer a helpful suggestion." So there it is, Vogue move #1.
PACE - 3: Fine for a novella.
PLOT - 2: Nero (hardly ever leaving his townhouse) and Archie are in a courtroom, both are about to testify about a man accused of guilt, and Nero simply stands and exits the courtroom. He has been inspired suddenly. But Nero and Archie can't go home: the cops are chasing them, so they must remain on the move and hang-out for the evening at a friends house who has only one room and a small bed for the huge Nero. Imagine: Nero, not at home, without his chef Fritz cooking up great food, running from the cops, and yes, being put under arrest when he steps into the courtroom the next day. This is an entirely different Nero, but he's gotta save this innocent man from a conviction of murder! Too standard murder/courtroom story for the genre.
CHARACTERS - 2: Then the judge vogues! "A shadow of stir and murmer rippled across the packed audience, and Judge Corbett on the bench turned his head to give it a frown (vogue move #2) and then went back to his knitting. Nero is just odd here, Archie seems to get better looking and bigger and stronger as this series progresses. And Nero describes his own movements as a result of 'autokenisis." (But about Sergeant Stebbins, Archie specifically notes, "...he wasn't striking a pose" in "When a Man Murders", for non-vogue move of Stebbins).
ATMOSPHERE - 2: To me, I felt lost outside of Nero's cozy townhouse with its custom-made furniture, Fritz cooking brilliant dishes in the kitchen, orchids by the thousands on the rooftop. Yes, NY is a busy city. As far as "Bagby Answers, Inc., "It was a dump, an old five-story walkup, brick that had been painted yellow about the time I had started working for Nero" thinks Archie. From courtroom to the streets of NY we move, a solid but less than stellar go at the world of Nero.
SUMMARY: 2.4. "The Next Witness" and the 2 other shorts here feel like parts of notes tacked to Stout's "idea wall". I enjoyed them, though, but these aren't among the best of Stout/Nero. Oh, and the vogue #3 occurs in the third short, "Die Like a Dog", a lady strikes a pose for a painting.
October 30, 2017
Rex Stout’s book entitled Three Witnesses is a three-novella collection from the Nero Wolfe mystery series. As I’ve said before, I don’t enjoy blood and guts or horror. Stout’s murder mysteries are more cozy-ish, which I enjoy.
Reading Stout’s Wolfe mysteries, I’m reminded of other mystery authors I’ve read. It seems part of the genre to have an underling narrate the story of great detectives. Dr. Watson narrates Sherlock Holmes’ many adventures. Agatha Christie’s Captain Hastings narrates Hercule Poirot’s cases. And in Stout’s books, Archie Goodwin narrates Nero Wolfe’s endeavors to assist the police in solving mysterious cases in New York City.
But similarities don’t stop there. Stout’s detective, Nero Wolfe, is a large man who doesn’t like to miss a meal and would rather sit and consider the facts. I’m thinking of the armchair detective of C. Auguste Dupin, Edgar Allan Poe’s detective, considered the birth of the detective mystery genre. Dupin, also, would rather sit and think than do his own fieldwork. Unfortunately, I had to read Poe’s mysteries in college. They were NOT cozies. Those mysteries are why I don’t enjoy graphic blood and guts.
If you’re looking for an interesting cozy mystery—without blood and guts—Stout’s Nero Wolfe series are the mysteries for you. And like other good cozy mystery writers I’ve read, I couldn’t guess whodunnit before the detective.
Reading Stout’s Wolfe mysteries, I’m reminded of other mystery authors I’ve read. It seems part of the genre to have an underling narrate the story of great detectives. Dr. Watson narrates Sherlock Holmes’ many adventures. Agatha Christie’s Captain Hastings narrates Hercule Poirot’s cases. And in Stout’s books, Archie Goodwin narrates Nero Wolfe’s endeavors to assist the police in solving mysterious cases in New York City.
But similarities don’t stop there. Stout’s detective, Nero Wolfe, is a large man who doesn’t like to miss a meal and would rather sit and consider the facts. I’m thinking of the armchair detective of C. Auguste Dupin, Edgar Allan Poe’s detective, considered the birth of the detective mystery genre. Dupin, also, would rather sit and think than do his own fieldwork. Unfortunately, I had to read Poe’s mysteries in college. They were NOT cozies. Those mysteries are why I don’t enjoy graphic blood and guts.
If you’re looking for an interesting cozy mystery—without blood and guts—Stout’s Nero Wolfe series are the mysteries for you. And like other good cozy mystery writers I’ve read, I couldn’t guess whodunnit before the detective.
April 15, 2019
Rex Stout in excellent form - concur with other reviewers that the third story, "Die Like a Dog", is the best.
October 29, 2018
This was a truly signature collection of Nero Wolfe mysteries. I enjoyed all three of them.
First one was "The Next Witness". Nero Wolfe, while sitting in a Court to act as a witness for the prosecution, realises that something is amiss in the way facts are being presented. Risking contempt, and facing a warrant as well as stiff penalty, he undertakes actual physical movement. Rest assured, he doesn't die. Instead, by next morning, he has found the actual killer.
Second novella, i.e. "When a Man Murders..." presents a case that is full of charm, wit, tension, and all such stuff that we expect in a Nero Wolfe 'case'. Thoroughly enjoyable, and a breezy read, goes without saying.
Third novella "Die Like a Dog" was actually the best of the lot, as we get to see a completely different persona of Nero Wolfe. Loved it.
Prefaced by a witty introduction from Susan Conant, this book is a must-read for Wolfe-lovers. It would do no harm even if you haven't read anything from Rex Stout, since the mysteries are solid enough.
Highly Recommended.
First one was "The Next Witness". Nero Wolfe, while sitting in a Court to act as a witness for the prosecution, realises that something is amiss in the way facts are being presented. Risking contempt, and facing a warrant as well as stiff penalty, he undertakes actual physical movement. Rest assured, he doesn't die. Instead, by next morning, he has found the actual killer.
Second novella, i.e. "When a Man Murders..." presents a case that is full of charm, wit, tension, and all such stuff that we expect in a Nero Wolfe 'case'. Thoroughly enjoyable, and a breezy read, goes without saying.
Third novella "Die Like a Dog" was actually the best of the lot, as we get to see a completely different persona of Nero Wolfe. Loved it.
Prefaced by a witty introduction from Susan Conant, this book is a must-read for Wolfe-lovers. It would do no harm even if you haven't read anything from Rex Stout, since the mysteries are solid enough.
Highly Recommended.
February 21, 2020
This is three shorter stories as indicated by the title. After reading Might as Well Be Dead before it I liked this one better. All three of the stories included clues to the villians identity and the cleaver solution provided by Nero referenced those clues.
My favorite of the three was the last one, Die Like a Dog. No dogs were harmed in the telling of the story, but a dog did play an important role. The addition of the dog gives some insight into what Nero was like growing up. It becomes clear that he likes dogs, and wouldn't mind keeping the one in the story if it needed a home. But, being Nero, he can't admit any of that out loud so manipulates the situation so it's Archies idea to have the dog around, at least for a while.
My favorite of the three was the last one, Die Like a Dog. No dogs were harmed in the telling of the story, but a dog did play an important role. The addition of the dog gives some insight into what Nero was like growing up. It becomes clear that he likes dogs, and wouldn't mind keeping the one in the story if it needed a home. But, being Nero, he can't admit any of that out loud so manipulates the situation so it's Archies idea to have the dog around, at least for a while.
May 6, 2021
Three novellas that are just plain fun. Archie's droll humor makes all three stories a joy to read. I even laughed out loud at one point. Picture Wolfe marching out of a courtroom or adopting a dog. Plus, in addition to the humor, there are three solid mysteries to solve. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
December 3, 2024
I started reading this book in November 2024, and then started watching the Nero Wolfe mysteries DVD from the early 2000s on A&E network. That made the reading go so much better, because I could envision Archie and Nero as real people. I even got to watch the episode, Die Like a Dog, that the third story in this book was based on. Of course, I knew who the killer was by then, but it was still an enjoyable read.
April 2, 2020
Superlative stuff from Stout, as usual.
It features three short stories, and I generally prefer his three-fers to his single, extended stories. The mysteries are more distilled, and Wolfe's presence is less rationed (if you can mention Wolfe in the same sentence as the word "rationed" that is!).
I read it a while ago but I remember that of the three witnesses one of them was Wolfe himself in a story which was unusually intense, and that another of them was a dog, so what's not to like? Archie was in fine form too.
Buy it, read it, give your Agatha Christie collection to a charity shop.
It features three short stories, and I generally prefer his three-fers to his single, extended stories. The mysteries are more distilled, and Wolfe's presence is less rationed (if you can mention Wolfe in the same sentence as the word "rationed" that is!).
I read it a while ago but I remember that of the three witnesses one of them was Wolfe himself in a story which was unusually intense, and that another of them was a dog, so what's not to like? Archie was in fine form too.
Buy it, read it, give your Agatha Christie collection to a charity shop.
August 1, 2016
I reread this for the first time in a long time. On the whole I like the novels better than the short stories which means I read them more often. That said, how can I not like a story in which Archie brings home a dog. He does it in part to annoy Wolfe, and discovers that Wolfe would be happy to have the dog there as long as it was *Archie's* dog. All the benefits of having a dog, but he can blame someone else for any inconvenience. Sometimes Stout shows a very clear understanding of human nature. This is one of those times.
April 19, 2025
Three Witnesses is a decent, emblematic collection of Nero Wolfe short stories. The (enjoyable) formula is consistent with his other mysteries.
"The Next Witness": Predictable but very lively. As soon as the mechanics of the answering service is described it's hard not to start thinking about it as a wiretap. Wolfe and Archie have been fugitives before, but this story has a more immediate impression that they are hunted and cornered. Difficult to stop reading with a breakneck pace.
"When a Man Murders": A lapse in judgement comes back on a lawyer when his wealthy client, presumed KiA, returns briefly before ultimately being murdered.
This is the most humorous of the three:
Archie:
Wolfe:
"Die Like a Dog": Stout uses the device of a canine 'witness' to help solve the case. After the police try to leverage its behavior to find a strangler, Wolfe intuits the correct method. It's another shell game story. When Archie interrogates multiple suspects the story bogs down a bit. Stout uses a sort of timer device that sets a rigorous pace but it fragments the plot a little. Stout hints at the solution. It's reasonably easy to keep up with him, and it's only a piece of the overall puzzle and a clever way to drop the hint.
"The Next Witness": Predictable but very lively. As soon as the mechanics of the answering service is described it's hard not to start thinking about it as a wiretap. Wolfe and Archie have been fugitives before, but this story has a more immediate impression that they are hunted and cornered. Difficult to stop reading with a breakneck pace.
I'm too late to try any of the conventional lines of inquiry, and anyway they have all been fully and competently explored by the police and the District Attorney on one side and Mr. Ashe's lawyer on the other.
"When a Man Murders": A lapse in judgement comes back on a lawyer when his wealthy client, presumed KiA, returns briefly before ultimately being murdered.
Wolfe: "In describing it to me, how candid have you been?"
"Completely. Absolutely."
"Nonsense. Complete candor is beyond the reach of man or woman."
This is the most humorous of the three:
... it's always desirable to get your name in the paper, provided it's not in the obituary column.
At Manhattan Homicide West ... I was hoping to be assigned to Lieutenant Rowcliff so I could try once more to make him mad enough to stutter...
She was large not only in bulk but also in facial detail, each and all of her features being so big that space above her chin was at a premium.
Archie:
[Wolfe] keeps telling me we mustn't get discouraged, that some day you [the police] will be right about something, but this will be a blow--
Wolfe:
To ask any of you about it would of course have been jackassery.
"Die Like a Dog": Stout uses the device of a canine 'witness' to help solve the case. After the police try to leverage its behavior to find a strangler, Wolfe intuits the correct method. It's another shell game story. When Archie interrogates multiple suspects the story bogs down a bit. Stout uses a sort of timer device that sets a rigorous pace but it fragments the plot a little. Stout hints at the solution. It's reasonably easy to keep up with him, and it's only a piece of the overall puzzle and a clever way to drop the hint.
"Yes. You have met Mrs. Meegan. Would you like to meet her again?"
August 28, 2019
This is another anthology of 3 novellas, all quite enjoyable. As the title suggests, all 3 focus on the testimony of a particular witness, not necessarily an eye-witness, to a murder.
In the first one, Wolfe disappears from the courtroom where he has been called to testify in a murder trial. He has suddenly got the idea the defendant didn’t do it, and goes off to try and prove it.
The second one is a classic mistaken death scenario: when a man is thought to have been killed in the Korean War, his wife remarried, and then the first husband reappears alive and well. But not for long. And in spite of Wolfe’s famous antipathy for women, he doesn’t think the wife did it.
The last one was my favorite, because, as its title “Die Like a Dog” implies, the dog is the important witness in the case. Also, Wolfe adopts the dog. 👍🏻
In the first one, Wolfe disappears from the courtroom where he has been called to testify in a murder trial. He has suddenly got the idea the defendant didn’t do it, and goes off to try and prove it.
The second one is a classic mistaken death scenario: when a man is thought to have been killed in the Korean War, his wife remarried, and then the first husband reappears alive and well. But not for long. And in spite of Wolfe’s famous antipathy for women, he doesn’t think the wife did it.
The last one was my favorite, because, as its title “Die Like a Dog” implies, the dog is the important witness in the case. Also, Wolfe adopts the dog. 👍🏻
July 16, 2018
Or have I read this before? The trouble with Stout’s three-novella sets is that the titles don’t really connect to the stories, so I constantly get them mixed up. I think I would have remembered the first story (“The Next Witness”), because it’s terrific, Wolfe is sharp, Archie funny, and you get to see Saul’s apartment. And the last (“Die Like a Dog”), because it features a dog that wins Wolfe’s heart—and it’s a pretty sloppy, clumsy, subpar story. All told, though, all three are well worth reading, whether or not you remember having read them before.
April 17, 2022
I fell into Nero Wolfe via the Timothy Hutton series many years ago. I am slowly working my way through the canon, although not in order. In this particular series there is no real reason to follow the chronological order of publication, at least not in my experience. I am happy to defer to others if I am wrong. Many seem to like the full length novels over the three story vignettes. I'll take short stories all day long! Sign me up.
One thing to note about this book and all other Nero Wolfe books, they pre-date cell phones, computers, Uber, and just about anything else that one can think of in this day and time. It gives a taste of what life was like "back-in-the-day."
One thing to note about this book and all other Nero Wolfe books, they pre-date cell phones, computers, Uber, and just about anything else that one can think of in this day and time. It gives a taste of what life was like "back-in-the-day."
August 17, 2021
One of the better ones. Read this in book form, one of the 3 stories will be discussed this week on The Wolfe Pack facebook group.
January 3, 2018
Thee good stories. I like the last where Nero gains a dog as a pet. I haven't read about the dog in any other stories though.
February 2, 2016
This is a very enjoyable trio of short stories that move with great rapidity. The first story, "The Next Witness," has been one of my favorites for several years, thanks to the series, and I was glad to finally read it for myself (fifteen years after seeing it on the screen). Mr. Stout still finds engaging ways to bring us into these mysteries: here, Wolfe and Archie are finally called to testify in a courtroom, something they've managed to escape almost every other time it seems. Wolfe finds sufficient reason to skedaddle, sending Archie and him into an investigation without any client in sight (another rarity). Adding to the unusual nature, Wolfe has to spend the entire adventure away from home: no beer, no books, no Fritz. Saul Panzer, though, helps save the day (as usual). Somehow, it seems Saul lost his family (since I'm pretty sure he used to have a wife and children), but he seems to be living alone in an apartment these days. Wolfe manages to save the day in a very amusing way (to us), twisting the circuitous legal system in knots all for the sake of justice.
"When a Man Murders" was a surprisingly enjoyable story, perhaps the most enjoyable story to date of which I had no prior knowledge. Without sounding macabre, it was a fun, humorous story, with more unusual antics by Archie and Wolfe. The premise is likewise fresh: a man declared dead from war is back, causing consternation for his widow, her new fiance, his extended family, and his legal team - all of whom have been profiting from his death. Suddenly, perhaps not unexpectedly, the investigation turns into murder, with Archie smiling in Purley's face without becoming an outright dissembler (as usual). This is definitely one of the best shorter Wolfe adventures.
"Die Like a Dog" is among my least favorite Wolfe stories (of which I currently have knowledge), in part because it has a palpable amount of wife-threatening and marital turmoil. I'm not a fan of murder, of course, but this extra unpleasantness has always made this story difficult to enjoy. Still, it's here in a collection of two of my favorites, which is just how life is, usually. I'm not a huge dog fan, but the interactions between Archie and Wolfe because of the dog are certainly the highlight of this story. We're not quite sure what becomes of the dog, nor are we sure of what becomes of the characters after the murder has been solved (though we don't often get a lot of detailed closure for these guest-star-like characters), but I suppose we can assume Champion Nero of Bandyscoot finds a good home (though one with less exquisite repast).
Top-notch collection, this. If it had been almost anything other than "Die Like a Dog," I'd be sorely tempted to go with all five stars.
"When a Man Murders" was a surprisingly enjoyable story, perhaps the most enjoyable story to date of which I had no prior knowledge. Without sounding macabre, it was a fun, humorous story, with more unusual antics by Archie and Wolfe. The premise is likewise fresh: a man declared dead from war is back, causing consternation for his widow, her new fiance, his extended family, and his legal team - all of whom have been profiting from his death. Suddenly, perhaps not unexpectedly, the investigation turns into murder, with Archie smiling in Purley's face without becoming an outright dissembler (as usual). This is definitely one of the best shorter Wolfe adventures.
"Die Like a Dog" is among my least favorite Wolfe stories (of which I currently have knowledge), in part because it has a palpable amount of wife-threatening and marital turmoil. I'm not a fan of murder, of course, but this extra unpleasantness has always made this story difficult to enjoy. Still, it's here in a collection of two of my favorites, which is just how life is, usually. I'm not a huge dog fan, but the interactions between Archie and Wolfe because of the dog are certainly the highlight of this story. We're not quite sure what becomes of the dog, nor are we sure of what becomes of the characters after the murder has been solved (though we don't often get a lot of detailed closure for these guest-star-like characters), but I suppose we can assume Champion Nero of Bandyscoot finds a good home (though one with less exquisite repast).
Top-notch collection, this. If it had been almost anything other than "Die Like a Dog," I'd be sorely tempted to go with all five stars.
April 18, 2012
Three Nero Wolfe Mysteries
1) The Next Witness - Confound it! Nero Wolfe is stuck sitting in court, waiting to be a witness for the prosecution along with Archie Goodwin. But it wasn't the perfumed woman he had to sit next to that made him get up and leave, even with the threat of being in contempt of court and maybe facing jail for it. It was an idea... a very compelling idea that will flip the case on it's ear and expose the truth.
2) When a Man Murders - When a soldier who was supposed to have been killed in the Korean War suddenly appears quite alive his widow sure gets a surprise - especially because she has married someone else. Throw in the fact that this ghost from the past was one very wealthy man and since his "death" his relatives have carved up the financial pie and have been enjoying it all around. You have the makings of a very messy case.
3) Die Like a Dog - The black Labrador Retriever's master had been murdered. Could it be that the dog was smart enough to follow Archie Goodwin back to the old brownstone to get Nero Wolfe to solve the crime? With Nero meaning "Black," how can Wolfe resist helping the noble and loyal animal?
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SPOILERS NEEDING A WALK IN THE PARK
Cover Art - Oh, brother! There isn't a knife in any of these stories - except maybe an un-needed one for the dining table if Fritz is cooking. OK, maybe to spread butter on fresh, hot griddle cakes. But I'm sure the meat is tender. This picture tempted me back into my longer review format. PFUI!
Story 1 is a little obvious. After all, a real Van Gogh?! And with someone lower down on the scheme? Can you say "Piles of money?" I knew you could!
Story 2 contains a really rare occurrence. Archie Goodwin gets punched in the jaw!
Story 3 - I love this one! We learn that Nero Wolfe does like dogs, at least well behaved ones. He isn't mentioned again, so I don't think he stayed. Pity. Although he would have probably bitten Inspector Cramer or Sgt. Stebbins sooner or later.
1) The Next Witness - Confound it! Nero Wolfe is stuck sitting in court, waiting to be a witness for the prosecution along with Archie Goodwin. But it wasn't the perfumed woman he had to sit next to that made him get up and leave, even with the threat of being in contempt of court and maybe facing jail for it. It was an idea... a very compelling idea that will flip the case on it's ear and expose the truth.
2) When a Man Murders - When a soldier who was supposed to have been killed in the Korean War suddenly appears quite alive his widow sure gets a surprise - especially because she has married someone else. Throw in the fact that this ghost from the past was one very wealthy man and since his "death" his relatives have carved up the financial pie and have been enjoying it all around. You have the makings of a very messy case.
3) Die Like a Dog - The black Labrador Retriever's master had been murdered. Could it be that the dog was smart enough to follow Archie Goodwin back to the old brownstone to get Nero Wolfe to solve the crime? With Nero meaning "Black," how can Wolfe resist helping the noble and loyal animal?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPOILERS NEEDING A WALK IN THE PARK
Cover Art - Oh, brother! There isn't a knife in any of these stories - except maybe an un-needed one for the dining table if Fritz is cooking. OK, maybe to spread butter on fresh, hot griddle cakes. But I'm sure the meat is tender. This picture tempted me back into my longer review format. PFUI!
Story 1 is a little obvious. After all, a real Van Gogh?! And with someone lower down on the scheme? Can you say "Piles of money?" I knew you could!
Story 2 contains a really rare occurrence. Archie Goodwin gets punched in the jaw!
Story 3 - I love this one! We learn that Nero Wolfe does like dogs, at least well behaved ones. He isn't mentioned again, so I don't think he stayed. Pity. Although he would have probably bitten Inspector Cramer or Sgt. Stebbins sooner or later.
May 24, 2013
"The Next Witness" finds Wolfe called as a witness to a peripheral matter in a murder trial. While being out and watching the trial, he becomes convinced that the prosecution's case is wrong and leaves the courtroom with Archie, with going on the run from the law while Wolfe tries to find the truth.
"The Next Witness" is truly a top notch story and it shows Wolfe at his wiliest and most resourceful as he's forced to stay in a strange house, travel around in a car, and question witnesses in strange places. The payoff scene in the courtroom is a brilliant strategem.
Rating: Very Satisfactory
"When a Man Murders"-
This is Nero Wolfe's Enoch Arden case as a millionaire husband returns from after being declared Killed in Action in the Army. However, the wife has a new husband and needs Wolfe's help in trying to reason with the old one. When the old husband's found murdered and suspicion falls on the couple that benefits most, Wolfe is hired to investigate. The Enoch Arden plot has been done quite a bit in mystery fiction. This one is fairly well thought out.
Rating: Satisfactory
"Die Like a Dog"
A man accidentally takes Archie's coat rather than his own. Archie goes to switch coats and finds homicide crawling detectives all over the scene and given his history, he leaves. However, a dog follows him home. Wolfe bends over backwards to try and keep the dog while making Archie the one to blame for it. However, Inspector Cramer throws a monkey wrench it when its revealed the dog belongs to the man murdered at the apartment.
This one is good for the characterization as Wolfe's interplay with the dog is definitely a humanizing factor. The solution seems pretty simple in retrospect but if you read the whole story with everyone walking around it, it seems clever by the time you reach it.
Rating: Satisfactory
The last two stories are above average but the Next Witness is enough to carry the collection to:
Rating: Very Satisfactory
"The Next Witness" is truly a top notch story and it shows Wolfe at his wiliest and most resourceful as he's forced to stay in a strange house, travel around in a car, and question witnesses in strange places. The payoff scene in the courtroom is a brilliant strategem.
Rating: Very Satisfactory
"When a Man Murders"-
This is Nero Wolfe's Enoch Arden case as a millionaire husband returns from after being declared Killed in Action in the Army. However, the wife has a new husband and needs Wolfe's help in trying to reason with the old one. When the old husband's found murdered and suspicion falls on the couple that benefits most, Wolfe is hired to investigate. The Enoch Arden plot has been done quite a bit in mystery fiction. This one is fairly well thought out.
Rating: Satisfactory
"Die Like a Dog"
A man accidentally takes Archie's coat rather than his own. Archie goes to switch coats and finds homicide crawling detectives all over the scene and given his history, he leaves. However, a dog follows him home. Wolfe bends over backwards to try and keep the dog while making Archie the one to blame for it. However, Inspector Cramer throws a monkey wrench it when its revealed the dog belongs to the man murdered at the apartment.
This one is good for the characterization as Wolfe's interplay with the dog is definitely a humanizing factor. The solution seems pretty simple in retrospect but if you read the whole story with everyone walking around it, it seems clever by the time you reach it.
Rating: Satisfactory
The last two stories are above average but the Next Witness is enough to carry the collection to:
Rating: Very Satisfactory
March 22, 2017
Another of the three novella books. I generally tend to like these a lot - the novella length is great for Stout. This collection isn't the absolute best, but it's very pleasant.
In "The Next Witness", Wolfe and Archie are witnesses in a murder trial. Waiting for his turn to testify, Wolfe decides the prosecution has got it all wrong, and absconds from the courthouse (guaranteeing himself a contempt of court charge) to do some detection and bring the actual murderer to justice. I absolutely love the second trial scene, with Wolfe running rings around everyone and driving both lawyers and judge batty.
"When a Man Murders" has two of the most memorable of the Wolfe clients. They're a married couple who are deeply in love, but have just found out that they're not actually married - the bride's first husband, who died in the Korean War and left her half of his sizeable fortune, has turned up alive! The bride and her new husband just want Wolfe to cajole the first husband into a divorce, but when the first husband turns up dead, things get markedly more complicated.
Finally, "Die Like a Dog" introduces Jet (aka Bootsy) into the Wolfe household. I'm not myself a dog person, but Wolfe definitely seems to be. I love how Archie brought Jet home to annoy Wolfe, only to have it backfire on him when Wolfe falls in love with Jet and decides to keep him, even to the point of doing unnecessary pro bono murder detecting to find out who killed Jet's owner. I wish Jet featured in more novels - as far as I know he's not mentioned again - because his presence is a fun addition.
In "The Next Witness", Wolfe and Archie are witnesses in a murder trial. Waiting for his turn to testify, Wolfe decides the prosecution has got it all wrong, and absconds from the courthouse (guaranteeing himself a contempt of court charge) to do some detection and bring the actual murderer to justice. I absolutely love the second trial scene, with Wolfe running rings around everyone and driving both lawyers and judge batty.
"When a Man Murders" has two of the most memorable of the Wolfe clients. They're a married couple who are deeply in love, but have just found out that they're not actually married - the bride's first husband, who died in the Korean War and left her half of his sizeable fortune, has turned up alive! The bride and her new husband just want Wolfe to cajole the first husband into a divorce, but when the first husband turns up dead, things get markedly more complicated.
Finally, "Die Like a Dog" introduces Jet (aka Bootsy) into the Wolfe household. I'm not myself a dog person, but Wolfe definitely seems to be. I love how Archie brought Jet home to annoy Wolfe, only to have it backfire on him when Wolfe falls in love with Jet and decides to keep him, even to the point of doing unnecessary pro bono murder detecting to find out who killed Jet's owner. I wish Jet featured in more novels - as far as I know he's not mentioned again - because his presence is a fun addition.
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