Over My Dead Body (A Nero Wolfe Mystery)

One of the best books in the Nero Wolfe series I’ve read, to date. With a rare glimpse into Nero’s past, international shenanigans, fencing lessons, and Archie’s trademark snark, this story offers a different flavor from previous novels in the series. It’ a quick escapist read. Enjoyable and quirky.

A typical Wolfe romp. It is a bit more contrived than most but, as usual, the writing is very good and there is an amusing running gag through the entire story.

Having heard of the Nero Wolfe mysteries, I bought a collection entitled Nero Wolfe Mysteries, by Rex Stout. I was under the impression at the time that it was a complete collection, but that seems unlikely, as Amazon lists 47 books in its Nero Wolfe Series. In the meantime the book I purchased seems to have vanished from Amazon and is not listed on Goodreads. It is still there in my kindle library though. It does not have a copyright page. So although I still have it, I do not know what book I read. It includes two novels Over My Dead Body and Where There's a Will, and five collections of shorter stories Trouble in Triplicate, Curtains for Three, Three Witnesses, Three for the Chair, and And Four to Go.I read this collection ten years ago (12-Nov-2012) and remember being amused but not greatly impressed. The Nero Wolfe mysteries are not bad, but don't come close to Sherlock Holmes or Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn and Jim Chee mysteries, in my opinion. I must admit, though, that I am not really a huge fan of the classic mystery-as-intellectual-puzzle style. Agatha Christie mostly leaves me cold, and Dorothy Sayers was only slightly more interesting. I read mysteries the way I read other novels -- as stories with characters and plots. Absurdly implausible characters like Hercule Poirot and Nero Wolfe don't interest me so much.

A little wordier than later offerings, this story is the source of an A and E Nero wolfe episode. Lots of Neros background.

This was a story with a lot of irony, familial, relationships, the standard cop and detective tension, but ironic twist all throughout. Nero wolf gets assaulted several times and almost killed. Archie is the classic comedian, as always.

The earliest mysteries in the Nero Wolfe series are the best in my opinion, even though they tend to be the most politically incorrect. Women are 'baby dolls' to Archie. Inspector Cramer expostulates: "I don’t care if the background is ...Yankee or squarehead or dutch colonial, so long as it’s American. Give me an American murder with an American motive and an American weapon, and I’ll deal with it."Unfortunately for Inspector Cramer, this murder investigation involves a whole rainbow of Europeans, including two Yugoslavian women who teach fencing to rich Americans. One of them claims to be Wolfe's adopted daughter.My favorite character is the fashion designer, Madame Zorka, who manages to outwit both Nero and Archie.This 7th mystery in the series is filled with scenes of sly humor: Archie falling off a fence in search of his "wife's cat;" Wolfe manfully turning down a ten grand bribe, even though it's giving him heartburn; Archie stumbling into a suspect's love nest in search of the elusive Madame Zorka; or Wolfe retreating into the safety of the kitchen when confronted by an irate Balkan babe.

. . . A real treat for fans of Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Wolfe’s ‘ long-lost” daughter appears on his doorstep requesting help. Wolfe is both skeptical and aggravated ; for those readers who want total immersion on Wolfe’s world, this is a must-read because it enlightens us about his youth.

In this book Wolfe stays true to his reputation and doesn't leave home to solve the crimes. He is confronted by his adopted daughter who is first charged with a theft then with a murder, and of course, there is ultimately another murder. There are foreign concerns regarding rights to forests in another country. Wolfe disclosed that he spent time in Montenegro and Austria as a young man, and political issues existing before WWII are part of the intrigue. Wolfe is able to sort through all of the people and circumstances to solve the murders. Rex Stout is one of my favorite authors, and I highly recommend any of the Nero Wolfe series.

A memorable character from Too Many Cooks reappears, cashing in on a moral debt Wolfe incurred in the earlier book. The minor problem he wants help with rapidly turns into a deadly disaster which draws Wolfe into the landscape of racial tension and politics that played a part in 'Cooks.'Rex Stout writes beautifully and it's always a pleasure to see Wolfe's 'family' and to wander in the curiously pastoral world of the murders he inevitably untangles.

Wolfe's enigmatic past visits him in New York - or does it. Whichever it is, it results in whoever it is being the spark for all the usual stuff from all the usual characters, and it's all as good as ever.

Excellent

always a good light read

Another great mystery, loved the tv dramatization of this book and was just as satisfied with the written words. Fantastic.