The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout

The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout

I recently reread this Nero Wolfe mystery and enjoyed it much more than I did the first time. I didn’t remember any of the details of the plot except that Wolfe was asked to do the impossible (again), only this time it really does appear to be impossible. The FBI is harassing a millionaire for distributing a book that is highly critical of the FBI. She wants Wolfe to make them stop and he wants the ridiculously high fee she is willing to pay to make that happen.

 

So how do you get the FBI to back off? Some people might think you turn to your lawyers or, seeing as how rich the woman is, to her senators and congressmen. Wolfe decides to try and blackmail them by finding a case they have bungled very badly and publicizing it, or better yet, one in which they have done something criminal themselves. Helping Wolfe very slightly is Inspector Cramer, who, like many local cops, doesn’t like the FBI. He also thinks that three of their agents murdered a citizen of NYC.

 

So, Wolfe is attempting to get some serious dirt on the FBI which he hopes to use to convince them to back off of his client and the effort pushes Wolfe’s peculiar sense of honor to its limits. This really is a very enjoyable case.