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Nero Wolfe #13
And Be a Villain
Radio talk show host Madeline Fraser's worst nightmare comes true when one of her on-air guests collapses at the mike after drinking a glass of the sponsor's beverage.
From the Paperback edition.
From the Paperback edition.
8 pages, Audiobook
First published September 27, 1948
433 people are currently reading
1166 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 314 reviews
January 2, 2020
A man is poisoned during a live radio soft drink commercial, and Wolfe dispatches Goodwin to persuade the popular talk show host to hire Wolfe to solve this notorious crime, thus ending the bad publicity. (For once, he is eager for work: he has a large income tax bill to pay.)
This 1948 Rex Stout classic features Wolfe's first encounter with master criminal Arnold Zeck, Wolfe's Moriarty. If you have not read any of Nero Wolfe's adventures, this, followed by the other two books featuring Zeck--The Second Confession (1949), In the Best Families (1950)--is an excellent place to begin.
June 20, 2023
Of course it's a good book. It's a Rex Stout Nero Wolfe mystery. For me there was one small downside - there are so few suspects that unless Stout were to pull an Agatha Christie Miss Marple and bring in some here to for unknown information at the end, the solution is pretty easy to guess.
August 27, 2022
I have read all the Rex Stout authored Nero Wolfe books over the last 25 years, so sometimes I am re-reading but don't remember exactly how it ends. That is the case here.
Anyone reading this review knows Nero Wolfe, Archie, Fritz, Inspector Cramer and all the rest who appear in almost every book. And they are as delightful as ever. In this tale, a guest on a popular radio show (remember, this was the 1940s) is poisoned on air and Wolfe inserts himself into the case by working with the police....gasp!!! They share information, at least to a point, but Wolfe uses what he learns from Inspector Cramer for his own investigation as he suspects something that the police are not even considering.
It is a little more complicated than most of the Wolfe series since Stout's talent was the interaction among the characters and not necessarily the plot. And you might get a surprise when he reveals the villain. One of my favorites.
Anyone reading this review knows Nero Wolfe, Archie, Fritz, Inspector Cramer and all the rest who appear in almost every book. And they are as delightful as ever. In this tale, a guest on a popular radio show (remember, this was the 1940s) is poisoned on air and Wolfe inserts himself into the case by working with the police....gasp!!! They share information, at least to a point, but Wolfe uses what he learns from Inspector Cramer for his own investigation as he suspects something that the police are not even considering.
It is a little more complicated than most of the Wolfe series since Stout's talent was the interaction among the characters and not necessarily the plot. And you might get a surprise when he reveals the villain. One of my favorites.
June 11, 2016
Rex Stout did it again. This is a detective novel featuring one of the best detectives Nero Wolfe who is an arm chair detective who never leaves his home to solve a case. All of the foot work is done by his brash, wise guy side kick Archy Goodwin. I recommend all of Rex Stout's books very highly.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond
March 14, 2017
"Usually when you hire a man to do something he thinks you're the boss. When you hire Wolfe he thinks he's the boss."
I cannot remember when I first read a Nero Wolfe book. I remember browsing in a local bookstore and I would have been in high school. The bookstore is long gone and I am getting close to retirement age so it has been a few decades. Despite the passage of time I still enjoy picking up one of Rex Stout's books and being transported back. To enter Wolfe's brownstone on West 35th Street, not far from the Hudson River. To spend time with Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, his assistant and legman. Nero Wolfe is an eccentric genius who rarely leaves his residence opting instead to send Archie on errands. Wolfe's travels are limited primarily between his plant room on the third floor with the orchids, his office on the ground floor, or the dining room where he enjoys the gourmet meals prepared by his personal chef, Fritz Brenner. There are occasional visits to the kitchen where he and Fritz confer on a recipe. In And Be a Villain it is 1948 when you could get a hot dog or make a phone call for a nickel. And people listened to radio programs.
Having just completed the income taxes Archie informs Wolfe that they need money and Wolfe needs to do some work. The case Wolfe chooses to solve is a murder that took place on-air during radio talk show host Madeline Fraser's program after drinking a glass of the sponsor's beverage. He sends Archie to convince Fraser and the program sponsors to hire him to solve the case and end the bad publicity. At one point Wolfe would seemed to be inclined to let Inspector Cramer, Sergeant Purley Stebbens, and the NYC Police Department do the work with Wolfe providing some clues to point them in the right direction. But then Wolfe gets down to work. You know when you have reached this point in a Nero Wolfe story because he sits in his custom built chair and pushes his lips out and pulls them back in. He can sit like that for 12 hours without interruption ... except for meals of course. Until he has solved the case and knows the identity of the murder. The suspects are gathered together in Wolfe's office where he presents the facts and identifies the murderer. Being a genius he makes it look so obvious.
I cannot remember when I first read a Nero Wolfe book. I remember browsing in a local bookstore and I would have been in high school. The bookstore is long gone and I am getting close to retirement age so it has been a few decades. Despite the passage of time I still enjoy picking up one of Rex Stout's books and being transported back. To enter Wolfe's brownstone on West 35th Street, not far from the Hudson River. To spend time with Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, his assistant and legman. Nero Wolfe is an eccentric genius who rarely leaves his residence opting instead to send Archie on errands. Wolfe's travels are limited primarily between his plant room on the third floor with the orchids, his office on the ground floor, or the dining room where he enjoys the gourmet meals prepared by his personal chef, Fritz Brenner. There are occasional visits to the kitchen where he and Fritz confer on a recipe. In And Be a Villain it is 1948 when you could get a hot dog or make a phone call for a nickel. And people listened to radio programs.
Having just completed the income taxes Archie informs Wolfe that they need money and Wolfe needs to do some work. The case Wolfe chooses to solve is a murder that took place on-air during radio talk show host Madeline Fraser's program after drinking a glass of the sponsor's beverage. He sends Archie to convince Fraser and the program sponsors to hire him to solve the case and end the bad publicity. At one point Wolfe would seemed to be inclined to let Inspector Cramer, Sergeant Purley Stebbens, and the NYC Police Department do the work with Wolfe providing some clues to point them in the right direction. But then Wolfe gets down to work. You know when you have reached this point in a Nero Wolfe story because he sits in his custom built chair and pushes his lips out and pulls them back in. He can sit like that for 12 hours without interruption ... except for meals of course. Until he has solved the case and knows the identity of the murder. The suspects are gathered together in Wolfe's office where he presents the facts and identifies the murderer. Being a genius he makes it look so obvious.
April 7, 2024
4 Stars. I might have gone to five but I felt a touch of a deliberate effort to confuse the reader. It's a truly great outing for Nero Wolfe but that's a no-no to me. The other aspect in my grading was that I discerned the guilty party before the 'Big Reveal' by Wolfe at the end. Why and how were my questions. A little on the title. I thought Shakespeare might be in there. Yes, it's from 'Hamlet' and the full quote may describe one of the characters in the play, "That one may smile and smile, and be a villain [too]." Does that give some guidance to prospective readers? You'll get no more from me. Back in the late 1940s when this book is set, talk radio was live, not taped a day earlier, or even with a seven second delay. Madeline Fraser is a popular talk-show host with an audience in the millions in New York and on 200 other stations on the FBC network across the US. Everyone and his or her brother listens. She earns over a million a year! In 1947! Then one of her guests, Cyril Orchard, collapsed on air and died after taking a sip of her major sponsor's soft drink, 'Hi-Spot.' Huge consternation. Get Nero Wolfe. I highly recommend that too. (April 2024)
January 8, 2015
First, let me just say that when I was 16 and read this I never even registered that Archie Goodwin is ageist. At 29, his comments about no women over 30 being worth a look gave me a strong desire to give him a good "talking to." Anyway, on to the book. Honestly, And Be a Villian: A Nero Wolfe Novel disappointed me. I will re-read at least one more of Rex Stout's books, but I have a terrible suspicion that the Nero Wolfe series will go on the list of things that didn't hold up for me over time. Sad, really.
June 16, 2014
Never have I downgraded a book 2 stars for ONE sentence before; but:
Archie: "I am not incapable of using force on a woman, since after all men have never found anything else to use on them with any great success when it comes right down to it..." -- Really, Rex? Really?
This sentence was so offensive, that I would have downgraded any other book automatically to 1 star. It is, however, Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series and as such I can't go below a 3 as much as I am turned off by the violent misogyny. (There's something about his books that is simply addictive... maybe the brilliant dialogue, vividly constructed characters, realism of the portrayed historical era, etc).
Archie: "I am not incapable of using force on a woman, since after all men have never found anything else to use on them with any great success when it comes right down to it..." -- Really, Rex? Really?
This sentence was so offensive, that I would have downgraded any other book automatically to 1 star. It is, however, Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series and as such I can't go below a 3 as much as I am turned off by the violent misogyny. (There's something about his books that is simply addictive... maybe the brilliant dialogue, vividly constructed characters, realism of the portrayed historical era, etc).
December 8, 2023
Fun book, but oof. Come on, Rex. Even for the time some of the sexism is pretty rough.
September 3, 2018
I give this one five Nero Wolfe sized stars. I love this series and I'm savoring them as my "go to" when I need a guarantee of a book that will keep my rapt attention and bring me out loud laughs. Solid, all the way around! We also get a teaser of Zeck- Nero's nemesis! You can read Rex Stouts books in any order, but I heard that you would want to read 13-15 sequentially, for this reason.
January 6, 2022
While solving the murders in this book, Wolfe crosses paths with a master criminal, who figures in the next two books as well as this one. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.
July 5, 2020
This book was the perfect antidote to readers malaise. After finishing a Nobel Prize winner's dense (and seemingly endless) novel, I knew I needed to return to an old friend and that was a Nero Wolfe mystery.
I have probably read this book five times, but I never tire of Nero Wolfe's grumpiness, Archie's cheekiness, and Fritz's cuisine (I am now absolutely longing for corn fritters!).
Stout's Arnold Zeck novels are among my favorites of the many Nero Wolfe mysteries; he is akin to Sherlock Holmes' Professor Moriarti---the evil genius who challenges our hero from time to time. This short novel is the first of three in a Zeck trilogy that will be my Christmas reads.
I couldn't think of anything more perfect to give myself for Christmas than a triple dose of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.
Post Script: I just finished reading this book for the ___th time. It just never grows old. It is so rare to find a book that is both absorbing and offers "laugh out loud" moments. The repartee between Wolfe and Archie is so well-written that I find myself chuckling out loud. Rex Stout created such vibrant characters, I really admire him. Series fiction is successful based on the bonding of the reader with the principals and I am a life-long friend of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Satisfactory, indeed.
I have probably read this book five times, but I never tire of Nero Wolfe's grumpiness, Archie's cheekiness, and Fritz's cuisine (I am now absolutely longing for corn fritters!).
Stout's Arnold Zeck novels are among my favorites of the many Nero Wolfe mysteries; he is akin to Sherlock Holmes' Professor Moriarti---the evil genius who challenges our hero from time to time. This short novel is the first of three in a Zeck trilogy that will be my Christmas reads.
I couldn't think of anything more perfect to give myself for Christmas than a triple dose of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.
Post Script: I just finished reading this book for the ___th time. It just never grows old. It is so rare to find a book that is both absorbing and offers "laugh out loud" moments. The repartee between Wolfe and Archie is so well-written that I find myself chuckling out loud. Rex Stout created such vibrant characters, I really admire him. Series fiction is successful based on the bonding of the reader with the principals and I am a life-long friend of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Satisfactory, indeed.
July 14, 2018
Was recommended to me as witty, but I didn't it find it particularly so. It was my first Rex Stout and it was OK, but I don't really see what the whole underlying Nero Wolfe set-up adds to the genre.
August 14, 2019
My first Nero Wolfe mystery! Listened to the audiobook and I’m hooked. Nero Wolfe makes me laugh and cringe; Archie does too, but for very different reasons. Wonderful mystery and interesting characters!
December 16, 2022
A great mystery and a fun read and this story gives a soft introduction to Wolfe's archnemesis which is always a blast.
July 15, 2020
Como Rex Stout continua livro após livro a ser inovador com uma personagem como Nero Wolf, sedentário, não sai de casa e com horários e hábitos bem arreigados, é um mistério. Mas o que é certo é que consegue.
September 5, 2020
Ok, even fun, for the first half, then got blah — especially at the end towards the wrap up.
June 10, 2023
According to Archie Goodwin, things are looking bleak at Nero Wolfe's brownstone on West 35th Street. The taxman cometh and there's not enough in the coffers to pay him off and still be able to have gourmet meals and orchids. Unless Wolfe wants to stop reading poetry and do some work. Once Archie convinces him that matters really are as dire as stated, Wolfe decides to take advantage of the fact that Inspector Cramer and company have made little headway in the latest spectacular murder case to hit the papers.
Madeline Fraser is the host of a popular radio talk show, so publicity isn't a new thing for her. But she's not used to the kind of publicity that a murder case brings. Someone decided to polish off her latest guest--Cyril Orchard, the publisher of a weekly horse racing sheet called Track Almanac--while the show was on the air. During a break, Fraser and her guests pour and drink Starlite (Hi-Spot in the audio version), one of the sponsors of the show. On this particular occasion, Orchard's portion contains a dose of cyanide and Fraser's listeners now know what it sounds like when someone dies from poison.
Wolfe offers his services to Miss Fraser--telling her that she's going to get publicity whether she likes it or not and that she might as well have good publicity. It will look a lot better in the papers if she can say that she's willing to hire the best detective in the business to bring justice for Cyril Orchard. Fraser and her sponsors agree that would be a good idea and so Wolfe takes the case. Who wanted Orchard dead and why? How did the cyanide get in the bottle and how did they make sure he got it? And what, if anything, does Orchard's death have to do with the shooting of another publisher of political journal? Once Wolfe can answer those questions, he'll be ready to hand the murderer over to Cramer on a silver platter.
It's always a treat to visit the brownstone where all is in order--beautiful orchids in the rooms above and delicious meals simmering away in the kitchen. Archie needling Wolfe into work and Wolfe trying his best to pretend he doesn't need to. And, of course, Inspector Cramer chomping through cigars in frustration at Wolfe's antics. This was a particularly good visit because I listened to the story as read by Michael Prichard and he does such an admirable job with Archie's voice. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to most of the mystery on my road trip home to my parents' house and back. The radio program setting was good and I really had a good time listening to Archie's method for bringing Nancylee and her mother to see Nero Wolfe. Very clever, Archie. Stout had me fooled on the culprit until just before the big wrap-up scene in Wolfe's office. But I got there just in time. As Wolfe would say, "Satisfactory."
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
Madeline Fraser is the host of a popular radio talk show, so publicity isn't a new thing for her. But she's not used to the kind of publicity that a murder case brings. Someone decided to polish off her latest guest--Cyril Orchard, the publisher of a weekly horse racing sheet called Track Almanac--while the show was on the air. During a break, Fraser and her guests pour and drink Starlite (Hi-Spot in the audio version), one of the sponsors of the show. On this particular occasion, Orchard's portion contains a dose of cyanide and Fraser's listeners now know what it sounds like when someone dies from poison.
Wolfe offers his services to Miss Fraser--telling her that she's going to get publicity whether she likes it or not and that she might as well have good publicity. It will look a lot better in the papers if she can say that she's willing to hire the best detective in the business to bring justice for Cyril Orchard. Fraser and her sponsors agree that would be a good idea and so Wolfe takes the case. Who wanted Orchard dead and why? How did the cyanide get in the bottle and how did they make sure he got it? And what, if anything, does Orchard's death have to do with the shooting of another publisher of political journal? Once Wolfe can answer those questions, he'll be ready to hand the murderer over to Cramer on a silver platter.
It's always a treat to visit the brownstone where all is in order--beautiful orchids in the rooms above and delicious meals simmering away in the kitchen. Archie needling Wolfe into work and Wolfe trying his best to pretend he doesn't need to. And, of course, Inspector Cramer chomping through cigars in frustration at Wolfe's antics. This was a particularly good visit because I listened to the story as read by Michael Prichard and he does such an admirable job with Archie's voice. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to most of the mystery on my road trip home to my parents' house and back. The radio program setting was good and I really had a good time listening to Archie's method for bringing Nancylee and her mother to see Nero Wolfe. Very clever, Archie. Stout had me fooled on the culprit until just before the big wrap-up scene in Wolfe's office. But I got there just in time. As Wolfe would say, "Satisfactory."
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
October 14, 2019
If you are paying attention to the context and clues you can figure out who the villain is pretty early in the book. But even if you do figure out the central mystery you won't find the book disappointing. The biggest item of interest in this book is the introduction of a new character, Nero's arch enemy.
Until I amassed a collection of these books I didn't even know Nero had an arch enemy. His name is mentioned only once and Archie is ordered by Nero to forget the name and never approach or investigate the man. Like Archie I'll call him Mr. Z. It turns out that Nero and Archie have mildly inconvenienced Mr. Z before and he has called Nero and asked him to lay off certain investigations. The murders in this book are connected to another one of Mr. Z's schemes and he calls again, this time with Archie overhearing leading to the order to forget the man.
Archie, of course, does not forget the man and during the course of the investigation discovers a little bit more about the mysterious man. As this story ends they receive yet another call congratulating them that in solving the mystery they managed to not expose, in any actionable way, the blackmail scheme Mr. Z was running. This bothers both Archie and Nero.
So it's obvious that the most interesting part of this book is something that barely touches on the story and is all set up for something in the future. Nero at one point states that if he ever has to go up against Mr Z he will leave the house, hole up somewhere, barely eat and sleep until one or the other of them is dealt with.
The actual mystery is good but like I said before solvable. All in all an enjoyable little book but without the beginning of the meta story about Nero's arch enemy it would blend into the bulk of the Nero stories without standing out in any other way.
Until I amassed a collection of these books I didn't even know Nero had an arch enemy. His name is mentioned only once and Archie is ordered by Nero to forget the name and never approach or investigate the man. Like Archie I'll call him Mr. Z. It turns out that Nero and Archie have mildly inconvenienced Mr. Z before and he has called Nero and asked him to lay off certain investigations. The murders in this book are connected to another one of Mr. Z's schemes and he calls again, this time with Archie overhearing leading to the order to forget the man.
Archie, of course, does not forget the man and during the course of the investigation discovers a little bit more about the mysterious man. As this story ends they receive yet another call congratulating them that in solving the mystery they managed to not expose, in any actionable way, the blackmail scheme Mr. Z was running. This bothers both Archie and Nero.
So it's obvious that the most interesting part of this book is something that barely touches on the story and is all set up for something in the future. Nero at one point states that if he ever has to go up against Mr Z he will leave the house, hole up somewhere, barely eat and sleep until one or the other of them is dealt with.
The actual mystery is good but like I said before solvable. All in all an enjoyable little book but without the beginning of the meta story about Nero's arch enemy it would blend into the bulk of the Nero stories without standing out in any other way.
April 8, 2022
In the previous book in this series, Rex Stout hit the bottom of his barrel. In this novel, he’s back at the top of his game, pulling me into the story immediately and never relinquishing his hold on my interest. It’s time to pay the IRS and Nero Wolfe needs cash to foot the bill. So he goes looking for work, focusing on a popular radio program in which a guest died from poison on the air. Right from the initial bargaining over whether or not it was in the show’s interest to pay him to find the killer, through many exciting twists and turns, Stout provides a nailbiter. Who murdered the guest? Why did they do so? And how is that connected to the other people dying around the show. The solution surprised me, but it made total sense and frankly my suspect list should have included the murderer.
The only thing I didn’t like about this novel was the inclusion of master criminal, Zeck. I am not found of Zeck, and therefore was unhappy that he played a small but important role in the case. It didn’t really hurt the book, but since I don’t like the character it added a slight negative taste for me.
On the positive side, this is Wolfe at his best, manipulating the police into working for him and acting on sheer bravado to bring a killer to justice even though he can’t find any evidence to prove his case.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
The only thing I didn’t like about this novel was the inclusion of master criminal, Zeck. I am not found of Zeck, and therefore was unhappy that he played a small but important role in the case. It didn’t really hurt the book, but since I don’t like the character it added a slight negative taste for me.
On the positive side, this is Wolfe at his best, manipulating the police into working for him and acting on sheer bravado to bring a killer to justice even though he can’t find any evidence to prove his case.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
April 22, 2025
Another fun read from Rex Stout. It's not much of a mystery, but that's not really why one reads a Nero Wolfe book, is it? The cameo by Arnold Zeck was interesting. I've heard he appears in other books as a kind of nemesis for Wolfe.
July 4, 2019
Radio talk show host Madeline Fraser's worst nightmare comes true when one of her on-air guests collapses at the mike after drinking a glass of the sponsor's beverage.
Review,
Dear readers,
I reviewed at least one of the books from this series at DA before and as I am sure I mentioned I am a big fan of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. I don't reread these books too often, but since I first read these books in Russian over two decades ago, I can safely say that I reread them all at least once, maybe twice. I try to make sure I forgot the reveal of the mystery, but honestly just for Archie's dry humor and his interactions with Wolfe, I am okay even if I do remember who the villain was at times.
When I started reading "A Be a Villain" I absolutely didn't remember who did the deed though and I realized something which would probably be obvious to many of the fans of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. For some reason I had this notion in my head that it is easy to guess the villain in these mysteries. While I think it holds for his shorts and novellas, more or less because of less page space to develop the plot, I am not sure why I was thinking that about his long stories ( novels). For me it was not easy to guess at all.
I love that blurb is so short, because honestly the tiniest detail which seemingly just describes set up could become a spoiler, so what we have was quite enough I thought. I will just add that in this book Wolf ( with some nudging from Archie as it happens from times to times) takes the case ( actually convinces the potential clients to hire him) because income tax season is coming up and his bank account may not be as full as he would have liked .
The investigation of one case morphs into investigation of another seemingly completely unrelated murder and then the plot changes again and connects the two, I thought it was awesome and Archie's observations about Wolfe's work habits were as always hilarious and spot on.
"I arranged myself at my desk with my notebook, a plate of sandwiches to match Bill’s, a pitcher of milk and a glass. Wolfe had only beer. He never eats between dinner and breakfast. If he did he never would be able to say he is no fatter than he was five years ago, which isn’t true anyhow. In a way it’s a pleasure to watch Wolfe doing a complete overhaul on a man, or a woman either, and in another way it’s enough to make you grit your teeth.
When you know exactly what he’s after and he’s sneaking up on it without the slightest sound to alarm the victim, it’s a joy to be there. But when he’s after nothing in particular, or if he is you don’t know what, and he pokes in this hole a while and then tries another one, and then goes back to the first one, and as far as you can see is getting absolutely nowhere, and the hours go by, and your sandwiches and milk are all gone long ago, sooner or later the time comes when you don’t even bother to get a hand in front of your yawns, let alone swallow them."
Here is another questioning of the witness:
"“I believe you.” Wolfe’s voice sharpened a little, though perhaps only to my experienced ear. “That’s right, isn’t it, first four bottles and then three?” “Yes, that’s right.” “Making a total of seven?” “Oh, you can add!” Nancylee exclaimed delightedly. She raised her right hand with four fingers extended, then her left hand with three, and looked back from one to the other. “Correct. Seven!” “Seven,” Wolfe agreed. “I can add, and you can, but Miss Vance and Mr. Meadows can’t.
I understand that only four bottles are required for the program, but that they like to have extra ones in the refrigerator to provide for possible contingencies. But Miss Vance and Mr. Meadows say that the total is eight bottles. You say seven. Miss Vance says that they are taken from the cabinet to the refrigerator in two lots, four and four. You say four and three.” Wolfe leaned forward. “Miss Shepherd.” His voice cut. “You will explain to me immediately, and satisfactorily, why they say eight and you say seven. Why?” She didn’t look delighted at all. She said nothing. “Why?” It was the crack of a whip."
And as always I loved the descriptions of the food that was being cooked by Fritz. Yum.
Grade: B+
Review,
Dear readers,
I reviewed at least one of the books from this series at DA before and as I am sure I mentioned I am a big fan of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. I don't reread these books too often, but since I first read these books in Russian over two decades ago, I can safely say that I reread them all at least once, maybe twice. I try to make sure I forgot the reveal of the mystery, but honestly just for Archie's dry humor and his interactions with Wolfe, I am okay even if I do remember who the villain was at times.
When I started reading "A Be a Villain" I absolutely didn't remember who did the deed though and I realized something which would probably be obvious to many of the fans of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. For some reason I had this notion in my head that it is easy to guess the villain in these mysteries. While I think it holds for his shorts and novellas, more or less because of less page space to develop the plot, I am not sure why I was thinking that about his long stories ( novels). For me it was not easy to guess at all.
I love that blurb is so short, because honestly the tiniest detail which seemingly just describes set up could become a spoiler, so what we have was quite enough I thought. I will just add that in this book Wolf ( with some nudging from Archie as it happens from times to times) takes the case ( actually convinces the potential clients to hire him) because income tax season is coming up and his bank account may not be as full as he would have liked .
The investigation of one case morphs into investigation of another seemingly completely unrelated murder and then the plot changes again and connects the two, I thought it was awesome and Archie's observations about Wolfe's work habits were as always hilarious and spot on.
"I arranged myself at my desk with my notebook, a plate of sandwiches to match Bill’s, a pitcher of milk and a glass. Wolfe had only beer. He never eats between dinner and breakfast. If he did he never would be able to say he is no fatter than he was five years ago, which isn’t true anyhow. In a way it’s a pleasure to watch Wolfe doing a complete overhaul on a man, or a woman either, and in another way it’s enough to make you grit your teeth.
When you know exactly what he’s after and he’s sneaking up on it without the slightest sound to alarm the victim, it’s a joy to be there. But when he’s after nothing in particular, or if he is you don’t know what, and he pokes in this hole a while and then tries another one, and then goes back to the first one, and as far as you can see is getting absolutely nowhere, and the hours go by, and your sandwiches and milk are all gone long ago, sooner or later the time comes when you don’t even bother to get a hand in front of your yawns, let alone swallow them."
Here is another questioning of the witness:
"“I believe you.” Wolfe’s voice sharpened a little, though perhaps only to my experienced ear. “That’s right, isn’t it, first four bottles and then three?” “Yes, that’s right.” “Making a total of seven?” “Oh, you can add!” Nancylee exclaimed delightedly. She raised her right hand with four fingers extended, then her left hand with three, and looked back from one to the other. “Correct. Seven!” “Seven,” Wolfe agreed. “I can add, and you can, but Miss Vance and Mr. Meadows can’t.
I understand that only four bottles are required for the program, but that they like to have extra ones in the refrigerator to provide for possible contingencies. But Miss Vance and Mr. Meadows say that the total is eight bottles. You say seven. Miss Vance says that they are taken from the cabinet to the refrigerator in two lots, four and four. You say four and three.” Wolfe leaned forward. “Miss Shepherd.” His voice cut. “You will explain to me immediately, and satisfactorily, why they say eight and you say seven. Why?” She didn’t look delighted at all. She said nothing. “Why?” It was the crack of a whip."
And as always I loved the descriptions of the food that was being cooked by Fritz. Yum.
Grade: B+
July 28, 2018
A radio show guest is murdered live on the air, poisoned after drinking some of the sponsor's beverage. Was the guest the intended victim or did the bottle end up in the wrong person's hand? What was the motive? While there were a few places the plot bogged down, it rarely did so while Nero Wolfe was in the detecting mode. We listened to this on audiobook downloaded from Overdrive and were amused every time it told us to change the cassette or to flip the cassette or hit reverse. Could these directions not be edited out? Still, it provided a laugh every thirty minutes or so, and the rating is unaffected by this oddity.
May 29, 2011
I am in the process of rereading (listening to the perfectly matched Michael Pritchard) many of the Rex Stout Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin mysteries. They hold up very well; in fact, as each novel takes place contemporaneous to its writing, many could be considered period pieces. And be a Villain takes place in 1948 so there are no cell phones, everything is typed, etc. Commercials were done live on the radio, and that features prominently in the mystery as one of the murders is committed on-the-air during a live broadcast, the featured product being spiked with cyanide.
The usual marvelous characters are in place: Inspector Cramer, Fritz (the incomparable cook,) Sgt. Stebbins, and delightfully the Asst. police commissioner O’Hara who, because the case is high-profile insist on horning in. (“Wolfe said to tell you. you’re a nincompoop but I’m too polite to mention it.”) For those not familiar with the series, Nero Wolfe (pay absolutely no attention to the execrable TV series with Timothy Hutton and Maury Chaykin - they make me gag) is an enormously fat and brilliant detective who never leaves his house (well, almost never) and his wise-cracking side-kick, Archie who follows Wolfe’s directions and reports conversations verbatim.
The language is precise and clever replete with comments such as “Someday, sir, you’ll get on the wrong train by trying to board yours before it arrives,” and “there was no finger pointed without wavering,” and finding a solution by “tramping down the improbabilities.”
One could argue that the books are formulaic and I suppose they are, but when you have such a perfect combination, what’s not to enjoy?
The usual marvelous characters are in place: Inspector Cramer, Fritz (the incomparable cook,) Sgt. Stebbins, and delightfully the Asst. police commissioner O’Hara who, because the case is high-profile insist on horning in. (“Wolfe said to tell you. you’re a nincompoop but I’m too polite to mention it.”) For those not familiar with the series, Nero Wolfe (pay absolutely no attention to the execrable TV series with Timothy Hutton and Maury Chaykin - they make me gag) is an enormously fat and brilliant detective who never leaves his house (well, almost never) and his wise-cracking side-kick, Archie who follows Wolfe’s directions and reports conversations verbatim.
The language is precise and clever replete with comments such as “Someday, sir, you’ll get on the wrong train by trying to board yours before it arrives,” and “there was no finger pointed without wavering,” and finding a solution by “tramping down the improbabilities.”
One could argue that the books are formulaic and I suppose they are, but when you have such a perfect combination, what’s not to enjoy?
December 28, 2023
This is one of the earliest Wolfe books that truly feels like a Wolfe book, and that definitely factors in to my rating. Honestly, this isn't a perfect book. Like most of the early corpus, the sexism pretty much shrieks off the page here, and neither Archie nor Wolfe comes out looking like an untarnished hero (but then, that is not the point of either character, and especially not of Wolfe).
But. But. There's some solid Wolfe-Archie interplay, Cramer plays a fairly substantial role, and we get to see Saul Panzer actually failing at something, which is a once in a blue moon experience. This also has one of my favorite female characters in the series: Nancylee Shepherd, the ultimate teenaged fangirl. She's smart, almost smart enough to defeat Wolfe, and she's fun, fierce, and loyal as hell. I love her, and every time I finish this book I spend some time wondering who she grew up to be. (I do hate that Wolfe pries a secret out of her by threatening to tell her father.)
Overall, a good read and a solid entry in the series.
(Ebook note: my copy wasn't, apparently, actually edited, because half the mentions of a character named Tully call him Hilly instead, which I enjoyed. It was like a glance into a sex-inverted Wolfe universe. But, uh, buy this ebook with caution if you care about spelling errors.)
But. But. There's some solid Wolfe-Archie interplay, Cramer plays a fairly substantial role, and we get to see Saul Panzer actually failing at something, which is a once in a blue moon experience. This also has one of my favorite female characters in the series: Nancylee Shepherd, the ultimate teenaged fangirl. She's smart, almost smart enough to defeat Wolfe, and she's fun, fierce, and loyal as hell. I love her, and every time I finish this book I spend some time wondering who she grew up to be. (I do hate that Wolfe pries a secret out of her by threatening to tell her father.)
Overall, a good read and a solid entry in the series.
(Ebook note: my copy wasn't, apparently, actually edited, because half the mentions of a character named Tully call him Hilly instead, which I enjoyed. It was like a glance into a sex-inverted Wolfe universe. But, uh, buy this ebook with caution if you care about spelling errors.)
August 23, 2016
I've been going through the Nero Wolfe series in chronological order, and while all of them have their charms, Stout certain has his lesser novels. And And Be a Villain struck me as a markedly listless outing for the author's famous plus-size detective. That said, the subject matter is somewhat inspired, and serves as a nice little time capsule: A murder occurs in radioland, causing Archie and Wolfe to enter this uncharted territory for the sake of paying their bills. Stout's examination of this medium is hilariously cynical, and has a lot of fun digging into the power of advertising and how popular media has always had a lowest-common-denominator approach.
Even with this inspired backdrop, And Be a Villain is another of those Wolfe novels where the two protagonists spend almost the entirety stumped, reluctant, and bickering with each other. That's a natural feature of almost any Wolfe story, but I prefer a more graceful unraveling of a mystery, rather than Wolfe procrastinating because Stout can't think of a good solution, either. Probably the least rewarding book I've read in the series to date, but with 40 books to speak of, there's bound to be a few weak ones out there.
Even with this inspired backdrop, And Be a Villain is another of those Wolfe novels where the two protagonists spend almost the entirety stumped, reluctant, and bickering with each other. That's a natural feature of almost any Wolfe story, but I prefer a more graceful unraveling of a mystery, rather than Wolfe procrastinating because Stout can't think of a good solution, either. Probably the least rewarding book I've read in the series to date, but with 40 books to speak of, there's bound to be a few weak ones out there.
July 29, 2019
The title of this one is quite apt; the full quote is:
The book involves show business, or at least an important media of entertainment in the first half of the 20th century - radio. Margaret Fraser is a radio personality/actress, and during a live promo of a soft drink, the product of one of her show’s sponsors, a guest died, on air, of cyanide poisoning.
If the reader is paying close attention, one may get a clue as to the identity of the villain very early in the novel. However, I didn’t make the connection until later.
Regardless, it’s an entertaining novel, and truthfully, I’m here mainly for Archie Goodwin. Sadly, I’m past my sell-by date, in his opinion, since he is only interested in women younger than 40. 😂
O most pernicious woman!
O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain!
My tables—meet it is I set it down
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain—
At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark.
The book involves show business, or at least an important media of entertainment in the first half of the 20th century - radio. Margaret Fraser is a radio personality/actress, and during a live promo of a soft drink, the product of one of her show’s sponsors, a guest died, on air, of cyanide poisoning.
If the reader is paying close attention, one may get a clue as to the identity of the villain very early in the novel. However, I didn’t make the connection until later.
Regardless, it’s an entertaining novel, and truthfully, I’m here mainly for Archie Goodwin. Sadly, I’m past my sell-by date, in his opinion, since he is only interested in women younger than 40. 😂
July 3, 2017
One of the finest Nero Wolfe cases, considered as a mystery. The motive and method for murder are very believable, and yet the distractions grow out of that motive and method so naturally it couldn't have been any other way. Archie performs splendidly in his sphere, Wolfe in his, as they always do. Also, the only arch-criminal in the canon is introduced in this book. Not one to miss if you like reading Archie-Wolfe stories.
June 30, 2015
Great story!
August 9, 2022
This 1948 novel has a couple interesting aspects from a historical perspective – its commentary about 1) confiscatory tax rates and 2) the phoniness of the newly ascendant broadcast media (at that time, radio more than television).
The story opens as Archie is finishing Wolfe’s tax returns. There is more than a chapter of bitter complaint about how nearly all the money they earn goes to taxes (the top Federal rate is 91%, plus payroll and state/local taxes). There are some remarks about how widespread chiseling and tax evasion has become, and how the tax rate creates inappropriate incentives to frivolously spend money on anything that can be deducted or expensed, since the government will otherwise get nearly all of it. Wolfe is reluctantly forced to inject himself into this case in order to pay his tax bill. One can easily imagine Rex Stout thinking the same thing as he is forced to write another novel to pay the taxes on the royalties from previous ones.
The murder victims and suspects are all connected with a fictional talk radio program that is popular enough to have nationwide fan clubs. All of them lie ceaselessly to Wolfe, the police, and their audience, much like their progeny in the mainstream media today. Lying had apparently become as automatic as breathing to the media by 1948. Of course, it had been widespread since at least 1932, when Walter Duranty and The New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for a brazen pack of lies about Stalin. The novel’s title is a quote from Hamlet, “one may smile and smile and be a villain” and a pointed reference to the deep-rooted duplicity of the media.
Wolfe has to solve the murders despite the blizzard of lies and a complete lack of tangible incriminating evidence. Of course, he does. Unfortunately, he does not act as judge, jury and executioner, as he did in two recent novels. It would have been a treat to have Wolfe dispatch some media critters to a hasty and well-deserved death.
I have been reading the Nero Wolfe mysteries in order and I think it is worth noting at this point that the 1990s Bantam reissues of the Nero Wolfe mysteries are first rate. Each reissued book has a new introduction by a well-known author and an afterword holding relevant material from the Stout Estate. They add considerable interest and I am going to strongly prefer the Bantam reissues to other editions going forward. In this case, the appendix contains the publisher’s lawyer’s notes as he reviews the proofs, trying to identify and edit anything that is likely to get them sued by the media.
The story opens as Archie is finishing Wolfe’s tax returns. There is more than a chapter of bitter complaint about how nearly all the money they earn goes to taxes (the top Federal rate is 91%, plus payroll and state/local taxes). There are some remarks about how widespread chiseling and tax evasion has become, and how the tax rate creates inappropriate incentives to frivolously spend money on anything that can be deducted or expensed, since the government will otherwise get nearly all of it. Wolfe is reluctantly forced to inject himself into this case in order to pay his tax bill. One can easily imagine Rex Stout thinking the same thing as he is forced to write another novel to pay the taxes on the royalties from previous ones.
The murder victims and suspects are all connected with a fictional talk radio program that is popular enough to have nationwide fan clubs. All of them lie ceaselessly to Wolfe, the police, and their audience, much like their progeny in the mainstream media today. Lying had apparently become as automatic as breathing to the media by 1948. Of course, it had been widespread since at least 1932, when Walter Duranty and The New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for a brazen pack of lies about Stalin. The novel’s title is a quote from Hamlet, “one may smile and smile and be a villain” and a pointed reference to the deep-rooted duplicity of the media.
Wolfe has to solve the murders despite the blizzard of lies and a complete lack of tangible incriminating evidence. Of course, he does. Unfortunately, he does not act as judge, jury and executioner, as he did in two recent novels. It would have been a treat to have Wolfe dispatch some media critters to a hasty and well-deserved death.
I have been reading the Nero Wolfe mysteries in order and I think it is worth noting at this point that the 1990s Bantam reissues of the Nero Wolfe mysteries are first rate. Each reissued book has a new introduction by a well-known author and an afterword holding relevant material from the Stout Estate. They add considerable interest and I am going to strongly prefer the Bantam reissues to other editions going forward. In this case, the appendix contains the publisher’s lawyer’s notes as he reviews the proofs, trying to identify and edit anything that is likely to get them sued by the media.
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