#A Nero Wolfe Mystery

[ladyphlogiston]

I figured out how to make Nero Wolfe gifs

Hehehehehehe

[notnursenightingale]

Among the kinds of men I have a prejudice against are the ones named Eugene. There’s no use asking why, because I admit it’s a prejudice. It may be that when I was in kindergarten out in Ohio a man named Eugene stole candy from me.

“Instead of Evidence” by Rex Stout

[ladysnowangel]

Summer reading: Fer-De-Lance and The League of Frightened Men (Nero Wolfe #1-2) by Rex Stout

[wheel-of-fandoms]

Probably Murder, She Wrote? My grandma watched it when I was a kid, and I would see varying amounts of it. (She was a big mystery fan in general) If you mean read/watched a whole book/episode, on my own not because someone else was watching it and I was there... Probably when I read an Agatha Christie book in like 7th grade I think? I believe that was The Murder on the Links. Which was Hercule Poirot. I don't watch or read mysteries too often on my own, but I do enjoy them at times if they are on. Especially Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett/Granda), Hercule Poirot (ITV), and Nero Wolfe (A&E)

Time for a new poll! I'm curious to see the spread of answers on this one (and hear any other series not on the list.) Tried to go for a range of older and newer series on here, more on the older end of the spectrum, but I can't cover everything with the limited poll options here, so I hope you'll share your answers! :)

Please reblog for a larger sample size, thank you!

[mycroftholmesian]

The Golden Spiders (2000) 🕷️ 🔍

The Original TV Movie that spawned the “Nero Wolfe Mysteries” in 2001. Starring the Late Great Maury Chayin as Nero Wolfe and Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin as Rex Stout’s creations.

[scuffedgrannysblog]

Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout (The First Nero Wolfe Mystery)

If you like murder mysteries that are well-plotted, revealed by degrees and involve eccentric and lively characters, Nero Wolfe is for you!

This was my introduction to a new author and new detective, courtesy of my good friend on Vocal, John Cox, who recommended Stout’s books. He was right to as well, as I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do love a good detective murder mystery and this was particularly quirky, mainly because of the character of Nero Wolfe but also because of the narration of Archie Goodwin, who is our guide through this…

[capncarrot]

And Be a Villain

[kef-meister]

Nero Wolfe: refuses to take the case, insisting his proclivity to solving a problem of such degree chafes against wanting to avoid 'petty extranational politics' happening over "a trust fund princess, married into the aristocracy; the lifeless eyes in that image testament to the jejune British Royal Family. Phooey!" The outburst doesn't stop Archie Goodwin from getting involved: "I'd dealt with socialites before, and it's all the more helpful to this 'non-case' that these non-Americans happen to speak English." -- ultimately leading to the two revealing Pippa Middleton as having masterminded the disappearance; death and replacement, using her public relations; socialite background and 'only' being the middle child to her advantage. The 'why' is never made clear. "Turns out I was right. Her calling herself an 'amateur photographer' via social media? Heir apparent to the throne wouldn't do that - only someone bitter enough that she herself ain't." - "Ah yes, the-the insipid murmuring of mankind congregating around a reconstructed Tower of Babel honoring an imbecile. What is that nonsense again? Twitter?" "Elon's calling it X now, sir." - "Phooey!"

The Kate Middleton mysteries, as channelled by Emery Robin (from here):

[esonetwork]

'Trouble In The Brownstone' Book Review By Ron Fortier

New Post has been published on http://esonetwork.com/trouble-in-the-brownstone-book-review-by-ron-fortier/

'Trouble In The Brownstone' Book Review By Ron Fortier

TROUBLE IN THE BROWNSTONE A Nero Wolfe Mystery By Robert Goldsborough Mysterious Press 246 pgs.

Every now and then we readers discover fictional characters and become totally enamored with them. Enough so that when their creators pass on, we hope other writers will take on those heroes and continue their adventures; most of which we refer to as pastiches. (Note – a term we totally dislike.) Now, regardless of your attitude towards continuations, it is all too clear some of these characters have come to belong to the world at large. When thinking of such, Sherlock Holmes immediately takes the number one spot. Since his creator’s passing, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of his new adventures have been written. Why? Simple, because his worldwide fans demanded more.

Thus is the case with Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, the irascible characters created by the late Red Stout as his take on the Holmes/Watson duo. It was no surprise that they quickly became the darlings of mystery fans everywhere and when Stout passed away in 1975 it seemed the end for this delightful pair. Happily such was not the case when journalist/author Robert Goldsborough arrived to reopen the door to the famous Brownstone on West 35th St. and began writing new Nero Wolfe mysteries. In the past fifteen such, he’s related the first-ever meeting between Wolfe and Archie, taking us on a visit to Archie’s hometown and even had Wolfe come to Inspector Cramer’s rescue on a tricky case. It is these forays into the established character’s background that have made all of Goldsborough’s books a pure delight. Book # 16, “Trouble in the Brownstone” is no exception.

It begins with Wolfe’s orchid expert Theodore Horstmann being savagely beaten weeks after having left his rooftop apartment for new digs. Left in a coma from which he may never recover, Wolfe and Archie devote themselves to finding the perpetrators and bringing them to justice. This leads to McCready’s an Irish bar near the docks of the Hudson River. Archie soon learns the bar is frequented by foreign seamen most of whom reside at a five-story hotel across the street from the pub. Set in the months after the end of World War Two, Goldsborough’s plot centers around the plight of thousands of Displaced Refugees desperately hoping to immigrate to America. Thus the opportunity arose for unscrupulous opportunists in providing smuggling avenues for those people with the money to pay. How this connects with Horstmann’s fate is part of the complicated knot the rotund sleuth must unravel if the villains are to be exposed.

“Trouble in the Brownstone” is, as in its previous entries, a terrific Nero Wolfe story and as always, is a genuine homage to Mr. Stout. Here’s hoping Goldsborough has lots more stories coming our way. We eagerly await each and every one of them

[proverbiumseniorum]

"What good is a chain with a bad link?"---Nero Wolfe, fictional detective (Rex Stout, American mystery writer, 1886-1975)

[folkdances]

hello everyone! it's been long enough that we can do round two of good videos from me to you, where i list good youtube videos i've watched recently ^_^ there's essays and music and funnies and more beisdes, and the blue ones are ones i especially enjoyed. feel free to drop any recs in my comments and i hope you find something fun!

how feminism turns into fasc*sm

This Broadcast Gave Viewers Clinical PTSD

Our Houses of Lies

that time To Catch A Predator kinda killed a guy.

What is FASCISM?

The Myth of the Great Male Genius Needs to Die.

How to Perform an Exorcism

2021 '시카고' 프레스콜 We Both Reached For the Gun 민경아 최재림

Birds Do Not Sing in Caves

RASPUTIN: The Devil in the Palace

LOLITA: The Worst Masterpiece

Why Lolita is Impossible to Adapt into Film

Cycles of Violence in Sharp Objects

Frankenstein's Lobotomized Mistress: Dissecting the Poor Things Discourse

Why American Psycho is More Relevant Than Ever (And Why Women Love It)

The Mysterious Death No One Can Solve

A Deep Dive into the Horror-filled Production of The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Scandalous Films of Pre-Code Hollywood

What Happened at Roopkund Lake?

"The Most Mysterious Finds Science Cant Explain"

Unmasking a Killer Serial Arsonist

The Hike That Killed Five Schoolboys

YouTube’s Oldest Horrors

The Story of Seahenge

The Island of WITCHES

The Unending Violence of Vincent van Gogh

Was Merlin a Real Person?

The Philosophy of Robin Hood

bumpin that

Song of Storms on an old-ass organ.

James Baldwin — I'm writing for people, baby (Meeting the man)

Rebuilt Antler Flute

There Are Mountains in the Clouds

phil ochs - the highwayman

EDGAR ALLAN POE: The Most Mysterious Death

Is the Myth of the Genius Director finally dying?

Why Are AI Generated Videos So Terrifying?

Shira Utagai - so faint reflection of you

It really is that damn phone

crime & punishment (animation)

What is Gothic? The Historical and Philosophical Origins of Goth and Gothic Horror

GUESS | animation meme

Going Out of Bounds in Google Street View

phoenix's OBJECTION but gently... (ft. edgeworth's "*hoho*")

Thelonious Monk - Live In Paris 1967

Great, now none of us can watch TV

GENGHIS KHAN: The Peasant Who Conquered the World

Cannibalism & Witchcraft: The True Story of "Hansel and Gretel"

Nero: The Monster of Rome

Sweet Sue - Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra - 1928 

Wikipedia's King who Doesn't Exist

Advice for time traveling to medieval Europe (+ qna)

MACHIAVELLI: Be the Wolf Among Sheep

The Search For D. B. Cooper

[imjustheretoseetheprivateblogs]

reblog to solve a mystery

[thequeenofbats]

So many people are doing such a great job of introducing Dead Boy Detectives to new audiences, so it's time to make my small contribution as well.

Fans of my oldest love, Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin novels, may I present to you my newest love?

In Wolfe and Edwin, you have:

The Brains

escaped the worst place imaginable on foot, with nothing but cussed determination and skill

reads everything

cantankerous as all get-out

fussy

downplays emotions

will only attempt physical violence when partner is threatened

believes partner to be The Charming One and himself to be Difficult With People 

That Vocabulary Though

believes police are useless for the kind of cases they solve

seems misogynist until you realize he just thinks everyone is an idiot

inductive reasoning via small observed details

While in Archie and Charles, you have:

The Brawn

will lighten the mood even if it kills everyone in this room goddamn it

acts easygoing 99% of the time

watch out for that last 1% though

actually smarter than he thinks he is

is not quite as charming as his partner believes, but still not too shabby

will wait patiently for his partner's Big Brain to solve everything, and just kinda pokes around in the meantime

knows when his partner needs his unconditional support

also knows when his partner needs a metaphorical kick in the ass

generous to a fault

willing to take cases that won't pay because they're morally right

deductive reasoning from broad knowledge of people

So please, if you enjoy this dynamic between characters as they solve strange mysteries, give this show a watch.

[hoboblaidd]

you taught me how to protect myself. // from asharen, you know? rift magic and all, she wouldn't have found this field of magic that she adores without solas

It had not been without its difficulties, building anew his network of agents and informants. When last Solas had done this, he had known the territory of the war intimately. He had been born of its earth, walked nearly every corner of the Empire, and knew the disparate dialects of its people. 

Now, he was at a disadvantage. He did not know this world with the surety of the last, but he was learning. Prideful he may be, but he was not so arrogant as to think he could learn its pathways on his own. 

Solas had agents now across Thedas. They were not as numerous as during his rebellion, but their experience was varied and specialized. He had agents within the Dalish sect that called itself ‘Veil Jumpers’, who espoused somewhat more enlightened views on Elvhenan than their brethren in the south. He had spies among the Mortalitasi, friendly spirits who reported on the activities of the death mages. He had even made inroads with the Shadow Dragons of Minrathous, though more by virtue of his habit of freeing slaves he encountered than any coordinated effort of infiltration on his part.

And he had an agent in the Crows.

Chiara, a young elf who had been 'saved' from the streets of Antiva City by a 'recruiter' from House Nero. She had a gentle heart ill-suited for assassination, and recruiting her to his cause had been easier than it should. She yearned for freedom, and the oppressed elves of the north were starting to see it in the Dread Wolf's banner.

Now, however, she shuffled her feet nervously in the dimly lit office that floated above this impossible hideout in the Fade. She was no mage, and stepping into the Crossroads was as foreign to her as other mortals. The Lighthouse now was more mystery than beacon of hope. But it was not the Fade which caused her wringing hands as she gave her report. It was the unyielding stare of the man she reported to.

Solas sat deathly still at his desk, and uttered no word as she continued. The only indication of any emotion was his tightening grip on his pen. He did not speak for a long moment after she had finished and began stealing glances at the door.

“The Crows executed a contract on the Inquisitor,” Solas summarized. It was not a question, and an utterly unnecessary restatement, but he said it nonetheless. Better to try and work through it then blast the roof off of his office, as he very much wished to.

“They tried to,” said Chiara, “but they failed.” She made only the briefest eye contact before looking once again at the floor. "She used powerful magic and then she disappeared, they think."

The pen snapped in his hand. He should be better at controlling his emotions.

“Crows do not abandon contracts, correct?”

“That’s - right."

“And if the contract is rescinded?”

“If the client withdraws it, then it doesn't really count as an abandonment by the Crows.”

“And should the client die before the contract is fulfilled?”

“It…would depend on whether they had paid in full.”

“I see,” he said around gritted teeth. “Thank you,” he added. “It was good of you to bring this to my attention. The Inquisition, and the Inquisitor, are not our enemies. They may be opposed to our cause, but they are only doing what they believe to be right. They are worthy of our protection, where we may give it."

"Of course," she said. He sat again in silence, and Chiara took the opportunity to make for the door.

"Chiara," Solas called, and she paused at the door. "Get me the name of the client, please.” He would handle them personally. If they still lived, it would not be for long.

[thejollywriter]

Watson's Not Easy

When writing "genius," characters, like a brilliant detective capable of solving a crime from the most minute deductions, there's a couple of approaches. First person, where you see the detective's active thoughts.

Third person, either with an omniscient narrator, or from a witness's perspective. The witness is a common perspective, it's one of the most iconic in fact.

The "Witness's" perspective is Watson's. He sees Holmes do his Sherlockian thing, and is impressed and amazed by it. But he's also a man of action. He jumps in to support and cover Holmes when our boy gets in too deep.

In other stories, like the Nero Wolfe mysteries, our witness is the first-person perspective of Archie Goodwin watching Nero Wolfe solve the cases because of Archie's skills in gathering data.

But all of this comes to the point of: it's mcfucking HARD to write Watson's perspective. He's involved, but he's not the driving force of solving the case. He's capable of asking questions and putting thoughts together, but he's not The Detective who's going to break the whole case open.

His is a perspective in moderation. He's smart, but he's not the cleverest, he's intelligent, but he's not brilliant.

I dunno, just now that I'm writing a story that focuses on the Watson and not the Holmes, i never quite realized how HARD it is to write the supporting POV. I could write about him, i could write the POV from the perspective of the detective, but yeah.

Shit be hard. Time to grow as a writer.