The Rubber Band/The Red Box 2-in-1 (Nero Wolfe)

In my opinion these are not as good as the first two books Rex Stout wrote, especially The Red Box. It seems like Stout was still trying to establish characteristics for the main characters. There are several points that I'm glad he dropped or changed.The Rubber Band is about a woman who tries to collect on a forty year old obligation. A murder occurs involving one of the people from the original group to whom the debt is owed. The biggest problem is locating the man who incurred the debt all those years ago. Another murder is committed so the number of people who can potentially recognize someone from forty years ago is greatly reduced. It takes clever detective ability on Wolfe's part to figure out who the murderer is and the circumstances surrounding the original aspect of the case.The Red Box begins with a model dying after eating a poisoned chocolate. The question is whether she was the intended victim. There is shuffling around with first one person being Wolfe's client then another. It seemed to me there were areas of repetitions and unclear action. Two more people die. I read most of the stories in the Wolfe saga before this one so I'm not sure how I would have felt if I had read this book in the order it was written. There were inconsistencies in character that detracted from the story for me. There was an unexpected twist with a surprise at the end. The mystery of the story made this a good book.I have decided to read all the stories in the order they were written. I am an ardent Rex Stout fan and can enjoy these books all over again. I highly recommend all of Rex Stout's books, especially the Nero Wolfe series.

Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe's books are a great way to get lost in a world of detective fiction. To someone who loves the adventures of Nero Wolf and Archie Goodwin they find a world of fiction full of delightful characters who often are more fun to read about then the mystery itself. Many years ago I first tried to read a Wolfe book and did not care for the way Wolfe spoke to Archie and put down the book without finishing it. Years later I tried another novel and was hooked. These are stories that I read over and over, just to read about old friends again in stories that hold up well today, long after they were first written. There are many books and stories with these two very different detectives, so if you like Nero and Archie you can meet their friends, enemies and others for years to come.

Since this is two full novels in one package it's difficult to give it a single rating. They are both different but both have pluses and minuses and they both have a very satisfying ending. At least part of the mysteries seemed solvable, part of it seemed a bit obscure and unknowable until the very end. Both have multiple clients including one good looking female client for Archie to think about dating.The Rubber Band was one of the best Nero Wolfe stories I have read. I really enjoyed it once it got going, though it takes a while to get set up. Maybe I liked it because I was able to solve it. The story gives more insight into Archie's past and to Wolfe's mentality, especially with the way he finally deals with the villain. It's a bit of a slow setup, especially the part about the actual Rubber Band of criminals.The Red Box is ... well, the resolution is worthwhile but the characters are very annoying. The first client and his family are almost enough to want to quit reading. They're that unbearable. Once things get going, people start dying, and Wolfe gets second client things calm down and become mostly reasonable. This story again reveals more about Wolfe's mentality and the somewhat fragile nature of his psyche when it comes to food.

He was a great author p to make nero wolfe. I have to say I love the books and the shows. I will always love Nero Wolfe , Archie Goodwin, you name them they are awesome.

If I met a man who could talk like Nero Wolfe, I would propose marriage. His use of the English language is sublime. Both stories were a joy. I sit ina coffee shop drinking my joe and am in literary heaven. Rex Stout has been long gone and I miss him!!!

Great writer. What a lot of back story in the book. Build up was perfect. And the ending was a complete surprise. I had figured that the villain was one of two characters. I was wrong.Really enjoyed reading it on my Kindle. Love the research that Mr Stout did for his books.

Book arrived as advertised. I'll order from them again.

I (again) purchased this (dual) book as a gift - this time for Christmas. I own both mystery novels in another format. As I have reread them both a few times with pleasure I thought they would be appropriate as a present for a relative that is just discovering the qualities and involvement in the best of the genre.Both of these stories are from the early works of Stout, and one notices that both are indicative of a maturing writer. I have always found Stout's early Nero Wolfe books rather difficult to warm up to, but these two show a much more skillful and smoother style, and a much better and more compact plot development. The main characters (Wolfe & Archie) are also more finely drawn, and their depictions are more realistic. I would venture to say that both are worthy precursors to Stouts golden era that began just after WW II.Since mysteries are written to be puzzles I will not touch on the specific plots here. However, the stories are completely diverse from one another, and one of the two reflects I believe something in the past that the author probably had known about from his own life in the western USA.Recommended

I started reading Nero Wolfe about 50 years ago, and had bought a few from second hand bookshops. I now find that all the missing ones are on kindle, so bought 5. Although this is a well written detective story (I haven't read one yet that wasn't) it's the interplay between Wolfe and Archie that makes these stand above the run of the mill detective stories. Brilliant.Jonathan Peat

The third and fourth novels about Nero Wolfe - the detective who never leaves home... well hardly ever - he leaves all the footwork to his more than able assistant Archie. Archie, who is as bright as a button, an admirer of women and a match for Nero Wolfe. I don't think I will ever pick up a Nero Wolfe book and be disappointed; but they do have a certain style. Not dated, but of a time which is not now. They are wonderful to read, not too much hard work, and Nero always gets to the end and solves the crime - usually from his office armchair.

Of the many Rex Stout featuring Nero Wolfe that I have read over the years, this is the first time that I have solved the crime early in the story. That did nothing to spoil my enjoyment however. Everything that I have come to love about these wonderful and entertaining books still remains.I especially love the face to face confrontations between Wolfe and Inspector Cramer. They never cease to make me smile.I cannot read these books now without picturing the cast of the wonderful Canadian TV series starring Tim Hutton as Archie and Maury Chaykin as Wolfe.Because they were written over such a long time span, I would look to see when the book was published in order to understand what was going on in the world at that time. If you've never read one of these great stories, I urge you to give one a try and this book is as good as any as a starting point.

Brilliant thrillers and to be able to buy two novels within the one book was fabulous especially at such a great price. Thank you for delivering so quickly too, I am really pleased with this book.

I am, and have been for many years, A Nero Wolfe . I am never disappointed in the ouvre. Both books and DVD set are excellent.