I first read a Nero Wolfe mystery when I was about 13 or 14, right at the height of my interest in classic detective fiction. Probably, because I normally stuck to British detectives, I picked up a Wolfe because my grandfather liked them and had a small boxed set of paperbacks on his shelf. He didn't keep many books in his house, so I can only guess that they were a gift - and/or he simply liked them a lot. Coming back to Rex Stout's famous sedentary sleuth a decade and a half later, I think there's a pretty good case to be made for the latter possibility. The joy of a Nero Wolfe mystery isn't actually the mystery; it's all in the interactions between Wolfe, the educated, upper-class armchair warrior, and his "extension," the hardboiled, ready-for-action Archie Goodwin. It doesn't take more than a few chapters to realize that the identity of a murderer, the location of a weapon or the revelation of an important clue is an entirely secondary concern to what Archie and Wolfe will have for lunch, how Wolfe will convey emotion through the slightest of physical movements, and crucially, the manner in which Archie chooses to colorfully phrase it. Knowing my granddad, I'm sure he found these books really, really funny, and extremely entertaining. I do, too.

In the last few years, Bantam has released five "2-in-1" trade paperbacks of selections from Stout's seventy-odd Wolfe novels and novella anthologies; going by the change in fonts and page numbers, these appear to be a cost-cutting method to rid them of unwanted stock. By luck more than design, it seems, the first of these "2-in-1"s collects the first two Nero Wolfe novels, Fer-de-Lance (1934) and The League of Frightened Men (1935).

Something told me I had read both of these books before, and I wasn't wrong; I've never had a memory for mystery solutions, though, so aside from a few familiar details they were essentially new to me all over again. I also had a small recollection that Frightened Men was the better of the two, and once more, that proved to be the case. Fer-de-Lance is, frankly, an absolutely typical murder mystery, without a whole lot of special interest; it's even got an almost arbitrary title, justified by a single comment from Archie toward the end of the book. Mostly, it's a good example of world-building, because even without making this "the first Nero Wolfe story" in narrative terms, Stout puts all of his energy behind his construction of Wolfe and Archie's existence: how they act, what they say, Wolfe's schedule, Archie's habits, the roles of regulars like Fred Durkin, Fritz Brenner and Saul Panzer, and (of course) many, many mealtimes. To become invested in Fer-de-Lance is to become invested in the reality of the brownstone on West 35th Street. As a "pilot," then, it works quite well, but it's not a particularly exceptional debut from the mystery standpoint, and Wolfe's dispensation of justice at the conclusion is even a little bit bizarre in its callousness.

The League of Frightened Men ups Stout's game considerably because it not only provides Wolfe with an excellent puzzle to solve, it gives him a great antagonist from the outset. This isn't a "whodunnit" but a "howdunnit," and perhaps more importantly, how are Wolfe and Archie going to stop him? The entire scenario allows Stout a great deal of opportunity for excellent character work on both sides of the equation, and I wouldn't be too surprised if he had a film adaptation in mind. Like the preceding novel, the technical aspect of the solution is a bit anticlimactic; this time, though, there is a marvelous verbal showdown between Wolfe and the focus of the book, Paul Chapin, that pretty much makes it worth the price of admission.

It's likely that these are neither the best Nero Wolfe novels nor the ones hardened enthusiasts would recommend to newcomers. I've read other reviews that suggest they are both "a little bit patchy" or that Stout is still "working out the kinks." Even without the experience of more than six or eight books in the series under my belt, I can see the validity of the criticism. That said, they are still great fun, highly flavorful, and at around 300 pages each, remarkably quick and addictive reads. Perfect reading for a rainy afternoon. ( )

Fer de lance : More like 3 1/2 stars. My first foray into the Nero Wolfe universe. It is definitely of its time (1930s), in the manner of hard boiled noir detective novels. Wolfe is not a likeable character and I don't think he is meant to be. There are the usual and by now clichés of the genre. They were not clichés back then that's what the reader has to keep in mind. I liked Archie's competence, impetuousness, how he respects but is also annoyed by his employer. Archie and Wolfe are not exactly friends but are not totally only employer-employe.

For a first, it was enjoyable and I will definitely continue the journey. The plot was fun with quite a few red herrings, a twist of the accidental kind and a resolution that couldn't have been anything else. ( )

The first Nero Wolfe mystery, this throws us in the deep end with Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin an already established duo. Wolfe is an eccentric shut-in who never leaves his large house (with a floor devoted to growing orchids), and who jumps to spectacular conclusions that are always right. Archie holds his own against this monumental detective as narrator and the active half of the pair, doing the actual leg work, but being more than just a gopher for Wolfe.

It was quite fun, and I'll certainly be continuing to read about the further adventures of Wolfe and Archie (helps that I bought it as an omnibus* with the second book :).

* Is it an "omnibus" if it's only two of 30-something books in a series? can't think of a better word, though. ( )

In this reprint, the first two Nero Wolfe novels are published together and this edition is a great beginning for a new reader of Nero Wolfe. Archie Goodwin's voice is clear and pulls the reader in and the introductions written by well known authors provide great information and context for these books. One of the real pleasures of the Nero Wolfe stories is that a new reader can plunge in at any point and they'll be rewarded with charming works. One warning is that the Wolfe books are of their time and Stout's language choices can be painful and surprising depending on the work. For these reprints the introductions are helpful in terms of pointing out the era Stout reflects. ( )