Murder in E Minor

Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe Mysteries #1

by Robert Goldsborough

An expert on Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe faithfully recreates the legendary, eccentric sleuth and his debonair assistant, Archie Goodwin, in a new mystery involving a series of threatening notes, sent to Milan Stevens, a world-famous conductor

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Detective, Audiobook, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Adult

196 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Robert Goldsborough is an American author of mystery novels. He was born in 1937 and grew up in the Chicago area. Although he worked for 45 years for the Chicago Tribune and Advertising Age, he first came to prominence in the 1980s with the publication, with the approval of the estate of Rex Stout, of his Nero Wolfe mystery Murder in E Minor. Written privately for his mother back in 1978, shortly after the death of Stout, creator of the Wolfe stories, the novel received a Nero Award.

Six other Nero Wolfe books followed from Goldsborough, all favorably received. However, more recently he has turned his attention to creating books with his own characters, beginning with Three Strikes You're Dead, a novel set in pre-war Chicago, and starring Steve Malek, a reporter for the Tribune.

Series:
* Nero Wolfe Novels by Robert Goldsborough
* Snap Malek Mystery

Reviews

[TXGAL1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 stars

A classic whodunit starring the unequaled detective, Nero Wolfe and his sidekick, Archie Goodwin.

While Archie is wondering if Wolfe will ever come out of his retirement and take ANY case to do so, a visitor to their brownstone brings a request and surprising information regarding Wolfe’s past that sets the story in motion.

An entertaining mystery.

[John Yeoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful simulacrum of Nero Wolfe's world that nearly works. The familiar tropes are trotted out. No motif or allusion to Rex Stout's prior novels is missed. The curious habits of their whale-sized protagonist and his accomplices are meticulously conveyed. Yet it never goes beyond the script. And that is its (pardonable) weakness.

How we yearn for a perverse digression that, in retrospect, was no digression at all! Some flight of wanton fancy or inventiveness! (Stout was good at that.) This is Stout in his planner phase, before he threw away his notes and became a pantser - and he let his vintage Underwood typewriter write the story, all by itself.

Even so, it's a very good read.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading (and in some cases rereading) the Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout and decided to try one of Robert Goldsborough’s continuations of the series. I started with his first book, Murder in E-Minor. It’s well written and almost feels like Stout wrote it. Goldsborough’s mastery of the characters is absolute and I got all the enjoyment out of this book that I get from a genuine Rex Stout Nero Wolfe story. At the start of the story, Wolfe’s been in “retirement” for two years due to events in the last of Stout’s full novels (more on that later) and a case has finally arisen that Archie Goodwin is desperately hoping can pull Wolfe back into the detective business. It’s a good mystery and lets Wolfe do his thing, although I would suggest that perhaps the true “joy” of the book is getting the cast back together, letting Cramer yell at Wolfe, seeing Saul Panzer make his contributions, getting Archie and Fritz back into their respective grooves.

My complaint may not be a fair one. I have not yet read the last of Stout’s Nero Wolfe books, but, thanks to this novel I now know who the killer is and how shocking that was for Wolfe and Archie. I really regret that. I feel like I’ve had that book spoiled for me, although I think that it was not unreasonable for Goldsborough to expect that those choosing to read his new series would be familiar with Stout’s old one. So, unfortunate, but not something I can in good conscious hold against Goldsborough.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Goldsborough's Nero Wolfe mysteries do a great honor to Rex Stout. Archie and Wolfe are in great form.

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few things, when I first read Robert Goldsborough's Nero Wolfe books 20+ years ago I read them mixed in with the Rex Stout series so for me they were pretty much the same in my mind. Now after reading the original series in chronological order, the differences are both obvious and glaring. That didn't make this book a bad book but it put things into perspective for me on how this series would be. RG's series features the same characters but they all act slightly different. This series reads just like what it is, a pastiche series written by a weaker writer who seems familiar with the characters but doesn't really love them. All that aside, this book was a jarring change but still entertaining and managed to give me the Archie/Wolfe fix I wanted. I still look forward to reading the rest of this series and hopefully, I will settle in with these alternative versions of some of my favorite characters.
3.5/5

[Kay Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read all the Nero Wolfe books by Rex Stout back in the day, and Robert Goldsborough has done a good job of picking up where Stout left off. Murder in E Minor is set in 1977, two years after Stout's last installment (A Family Affair), and I had to do a little research (you can find out just about anything on line) to catch up with the events mentioned in the book. Wolfe is lured into taking on his first case in two years by the niece of a man he knew back in Montenegro.

I've only read a couple of Goldsborough's books (I have more waiting on my Kindle), but so far I think he's done an excellent job of capturing Archie Goodwin, Nero Wolfe, and all their associates (none of whom have aged a day since Stout began writing about them in 1934. I'm enjoying returning to the old brownstone on West 35th Street.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit trepidatious about trying this book having read all of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe books (though there still may be a few short stories that I missed). Overall, I would say Goldsborough did a decent job of capturing the flavor of Stout's characters but was a bit more wordy than Stout was, especially in the wrap-up after the case had been solved.

A note to Stout fans - don't read this if you haven't yet read Stout's "A Family Affair"! This book talks about the ending of that final full length novel in the original Nero Wolfe series in some detail (which, if you have read it, makes sense).

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read four of the 40+ titles in the original Nero Wolfe Mysteries by Rex Stout, I wanted to give Robert Goldsborough's whirl at the eccentric private detective a go. I found what I feel is a seamless transition from the original author's storytelling to that of Goldsborough.

The characters are true to those that Stout created and developed through his original series, even if they are getting a little long in the tooth by the time Goldsborough takes up their stories. The same formula is used. It's like slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes for fans of Nero Wolfe.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good as a follow-up to Rex Stout. There were times when I thought the author was trying too hard to be R.S., but overall it was a good read, and I plan to read more of his Nero Wolfe novels.

[Bryan Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first of the Nero Wolfe books written by Robert Goldsborough. Goldsborough has the reputation and knowledge to carry on the Nero Wolfe tradition and while his voices for Archie and Nero sound a little different that those composed by Rex Stout they are good enough to make you feel like you are in the old brownstone building again.

Another interesting point is that this Goldsborough book, and presumably the rest, are set in modern times which to me means times when I've been alive. When Stout moved his decades forward it felt jarring to me. With Goldsborough it felt natural to have Archie in Nero set in the 1970s.

The premise of the book is that Nero has been idling for two years after the betrayal and death of one of his long time operatives. Archie is near stir crazy and Fritz is worried sick. Several references are made to this previous mystery, possibly as an attempt to link the story to the past. I don't think that was necessary but it was a nice touch. Archie is more willing to drink when "on duty" and I don't mean milk. Nero feels a tiny bit less loquacious. In spite of small changes like this they both feel like satisfactory representations of the characters.

Goldsborough wrote seven of these follow up novels and then went on to write some prequel like stories more focused on Archie. I'll continue with the Nero books for now and hope that the remainder are at least this good.

[Elena Barbero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro piacevole, il primo di Goldsboroungh, che ha eredittato il personaggio di Nero Wolfe.
Si sente la mancanza della mano di Rex Stout, il ritmo è più lento, Nero Wolfe è fin troppo socievole, Goodwing un po' meno sarcastico e manca un po' di azione, ma tutto sommato un libro che scorre via veloce. Un libro che io definisco da ombrellone 😂

[Moira Allbritton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was skeptical that Goldsborough could carry on Stout's legacy.

Happily, I was wrong.

The joy of an unchanging brownstone schedule continues.

[Jamie Jonas · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are a few good points in this book. However, it suffers dismally by comparison to Rex Stout's nearly perfect and exquisitely crafted Nero Wolfe mysteries. Goldsborough doesn't even begin to hold a candle to the real Archie Goodwin's snappy patter and delightfully conceited narration, nor can his vocabulary and character-coloring come up to the standards of that manifested in the real Nero Wolfe. And a MAJOR literary sin committed here is Goldsborough's presumptuousness regarding the first name of Inspector Cramer. So, Rex Stout wavered a little in regards to that name, first using 'Fergus' and later applying the initials 'L.T.C.' And so what?! No writer who presumes to continue the work of a foregoing one, especially one as illustrious as Stout, has the right to arbitrarily assign a name to an existing character. 'Lionel' our red-faced, cigar-chomping inspector is NOT.

The mystery in the story is not bad, but in this opening attempt at mimicking Rex Stout's prowess Goldsborough gets a D- from me.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remember that storm earlier this week? All it took was a snow day to whiz through this book.

This is Goldsborough's first novel in the shoes of Rex Stout. He hits all the right notes in an engaging mystery for Nero and Archie. Some might say that he used a checklist to make sure all the usual poeple (Lt. Cramer, Lon Cohen, Saul Panzer, etc.) and all the usual objects (Archie's dates, orchids, fabulous meals, etc.) are included. But, I found this a well executed, quick and satisfying read.

[CatBookMom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd forgotten that I'd read this in 2015. It's better than I expected, from some of the reviews.

I have to say I DO like the prequel better (wherein Archie and Nero meet, soon after Archie moved to NYC). Maybe that's because that story, the plot, the interactions of the Usual Players, are all before/outside of the expectations that we long-time fans of the Rex Stout mysteries have.

[John Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It gets five stars not for its inherent virtues, but because Goldsborough has done such an amazing job of taking Stout’s Wolfe and Archie and continuing their adventures for us. Not perfect, of course, but a very impressive job.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

6/4/2015 re-read
12/27/2024 re-read of paperback, need new copy since this one is falling apart

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Nero Wolfe mysteries that Robert Goldsborough has taken over. Of the three, I think I like this one the best. It’s awfully hard to read these because Rex Stout was such a fine writer, the clever ways he had of conveying info in very simple, perfect descriptions, and Archie’# witty dialogue—it would be hard to replicate that. As I read the Goldsborough books, I do get tripped up because once in a while I see something and think: that’s not how they would say it, or that’s too mundane a comment. It feels like a lot of filler in spots to presumably get the word count up. Of course, these books are written years after the years of the original stories so these are a more modern take of characters that have been together for decades. Despite all of this, I did enjoy this book. I have two others waiting in the wings which I’ll read and perhaps buy another book or two or three when they’re on sale. I’m really not sure how I feel about people taking over a series from a dead author, but that seems to be the way of the world today.

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author has taken on the challenge of continuing the Nero Wolfe mystery series after the death of the creator of Nero Wolfe, Rex Stout. This is the first book in that continued series and I believe Mr. Goldsborough has done a great job in capturing the characters as originally portraited by Mr. Stout. He has the same snappy, witty dialogue and narration that makes the narrator of these mysteries, Wolfe’s assistant Archie Goodwin, so enjoyable. In this mystery, the conductor of the New York City Symphony Orchestra has been murdered. Wolfe and Goodwin were working on this case prior to the murder. They were investigating death treats the victim had been receiving. There are plenty of suspects in this mystery and while NY police inspector Cramer believes the murder is an open and shut case, you can count of Wolfe and Archie to actually have the final say before this story ends.

[Alonzo Church · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nero and Archie have spent the last couple of years in increasingly restless retirement. So when a client who was related to one of Nero’s comrades in Montenegro shows up with a case, Archie nearly whoops with joy, and Fritz puts a little extra something in his cooking, to get Nero back to work. In no time, there’s a murder, and the master is back in the game…

Well, the fictional master. Robert Goldsborough does a good enough job with continuing the series. I got hungry at least twice (always the measure of a good Nero Wolfe). He is not Rex Stout and that meant some things rang false. (Archie would not have forced a Billy Beer on Wolfe, and Nero would not have consented to drink it). If you are looking for a light mystery with great detectives, and you don’t mind slightly second best, this will work.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nero Wolfe is back on the case after a two-year hiatus. He'd be willing to turn away a young woman in distress, but Archie Goodwin is more sympathetic. And when Wolfe learns that the woman is the niece of an old friend of his from his days as a freedom fighter in Montenegro, Wolfe agrees to take the case.

The niece is concerned about some recent threatening letters that her uncle has received. Her uncle is the musical director of the New York Philharmonic. And when her uncle is found stabbed to death in his apartment, Wolfe is on the case. There are numerous suspects from rivals in the New York Philharmonic to old enemies.

I enjoyed this return to the world of Nero Wolfe. The fantastic meals, the orchids, and Wolfe's quirks were all present. This story is narrated by Archie who knows his boss and is close behind on the solution to the mystery. I enjoyed the NYC setting too.

[John Wirenius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when it first came out, and it is quite good. Goldsborough’s first Wolfe mystery is outstanding—the best pastiche of Stout that has ever been published. It picks up cleanly from the end of “A Family Affair” and captures Wolfe and Archie quite well. I think my favorite aspect of the book is the somber beginning, in which Wolfe has retired, and the pall that hangs over him and (to a lesser extent) Archie in the wake of Orrin Cather’s death. The core mystery itself is solid, but Goldsborough cleverly finds a personal obligation, a debt of honor between Wolfe and the victim, to draw Wolfe’s out of his longest relapse ever.

A genuinely good read, that holds up all these years later.

[Diane Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge (pardon the pun) fan of Nero Wolfe, both the books and the series. I have three separate collections of paperbacks, one just for rereading, the others just for the matching covers. I love these books. I only just found out about Robert Thorogood or I would have read these a long time ago. So much fun to be back in the brownstone, but it just doesn’t have that zing that is Archie Goodwin. It’s good but it’s written carefully. I miss the sarcasm, the wit, the snarky interaction between Wolfe and Archie. It put me off that they are in a modern timeline. I love the 40s feel of the original series. Nothing interesting to me about the 70s. But I will read them all and enjoy the heck out of them, I’m sure.

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuation of the Nero Wolfe series which I checked out totally by accident having never read any Nero Wolfe books previously. Found it quite entertaining and now think I need to read at least some of the original series by Rex Stout before continuing with the follow-up series in which Nero comes out of retirement.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought he did a pretty good job continuing on with the Rex Stout series. Nero Wolfe was one of the first mystery series I ever read. It still makes me think of my dad (who introduced the series to me). In this one, Wolfe comes out of retirement to solve the murder of a conductor.

[Ken Mattes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in Robert Goldsborough continuation of the Rex Stout / Nero Wolfe mystery series.
I listened to the audiobook version and I need to adjust to the new narrator Mr Krantz.
Written is the style and genre of the original series.
Should be enjoyable listening to these new stories.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing to particularly endear one to the cast of characters, and the mystery itself lacked sufficient intrigue to entice.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated, but "Satisfactory"

[Quentin Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. Recommend.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook