Collection
Series
Publication
Bantam (1995), Paperback, 256 pages
Description
Why did the late multimillionaire Noel Hawthorne leave his sisters, April, May, and June, a peach, a pear, and an apple? Why did he will the bulk of his considerable estate to a woman who was most definitely not his wife? Now Nero Wolfe, able, astute, and unscrupulous detective that he is, must get to the bottom of a will that's left a whirlpool of menace . . . and a legacy of murder that's about to be fulfilled. Introduction by Dean R. Koontz "It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore."--The New York Times Book Review A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America's greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained--and puzzled--millions of mystery fans around the world. Now, with his perambulatory man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth is back in the original seventy-three cases of crime and detection written by the inimitable master himself, Rex Stout.… (more)
Language
Original language
English
User reviews
LibraryThing member rosalita
The three Hawthorne sisters — April, May, and June in reverse age order — are disconcerted when their millionaire brother, Noel, dies and bequeaths to a peach, a pear, and an apple to each of them, respectively. The bulk of his estate goes not to his wife but his mistress. The sisters say they
Set in 1939, this ninth series entry has possibly the most eclectic set of guest characters ever to grace Wolfe's office. The Hawthorne sisters seem to be intended as a sort of low-key colonies version of the Mitford sisters: The oldest is married to the U.S. Secretary of State; the middle sister is a brilliant scientist and college president; and the youngest is taking the Broadway stage by storm. Toss in a widow who wears a veil after a devastating archery accident left her permanently disfigured and a next-generation young female whose own mother calls her "a professional fiend," and you've got a bunch of women custom-made for getting on Wolfe's nerves.
Adding insult to injury is the distasteful aspect of a family fight about money; Wolfe has previously proclaimed that he would never take such a case since it would inevitably become "a game of tug-of-war using a dead man's guts for a rope." But it's the Depression and those orchids won't breed themselves. Thankfully, a good juicy murder soon pops up to make the whole puzzle more palatable for our finicky friend. Wolfe's discomfort also provides leg man Archie Goodwin plenty of opportunity for quips and scoldings, handed out as needed to all and sundry, but especially the boss. I enjoy this one more now than when I first read it, as my appreciation for Stout's masterful command of dialogue and repartee has increased over the years.
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don't mind being cut out but are alarmed that sister-in-law Daisy intends to fight the will in court, thereby bringing them the short of publicity they can do without. They want Nero Wolfe to convince the mistress to give the widow half the money to prevent the lawsuit, but they soon have even bigger problems when Noel's apparently accidental death is found to be murder.Set in 1939, this ninth series entry has possibly the most eclectic set of guest characters ever to grace Wolfe's office. The Hawthorne sisters seem to be intended as a sort of low-key colonies version of the Mitford sisters: The oldest is married to the U.S. Secretary of State; the middle sister is a brilliant scientist and college president; and the youngest is taking the Broadway stage by storm. Toss in a widow who wears a veil after a devastating archery accident left her permanently disfigured and a next-generation young female whose own mother calls her "a professional fiend," and you've got a bunch of women custom-made for getting on Wolfe's nerves.
Adding insult to injury is the distasteful aspect of a family fight about money; Wolfe has previously proclaimed that he would never take such a case since it would inevitably become "a game of tug-of-war using a dead man's guts for a rope." But it's the Depression and those orchids won't breed themselves. Thankfully, a good juicy murder soon pops up to make the whole puzzle more palatable for our finicky friend. Wolfe's discomfort also provides leg man Archie Goodwin plenty of opportunity for quips and scoldings, handed out as needed to all and sundry, but especially the boss. I enjoy this one more now than when I first read it, as my appreciation for Stout's masterful command of dialogue and repartee has increased over the years.
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LibraryThing member MusicMom41
This book has to do with the Secretary of State in the U.S.—not the victim but a suspect when his brother-in-law, whose company supposedly used inside information from the Secretary has caused a scandal that will probably ruin the Secretary’s career, is murdered. It is just a coincidence that I
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read this back to back with Marsh’s Nursing Home Murder (where the Home Secretary of England is murdered) in consecutive days. I guessed the murderer about the time Nero did but the vital clue that clinched it wasn’t revealed until the Wolf’s “charade” with the suspects, although it was that vital clue that made the solution apparent to him. Maybe I have woman’s intuition—and if I’d had the magnifying glass to look at the pictures I still might not have recognized the clue so I couldn’t have convinced the police. Show Less
LibraryThing member saxhorn
A good mystery where there are many characters whose lives are entwined, many plot twists, and many false clues. I quickly grew tired of the Hawthorne women, and Archie's usual sarcasm and wit were not enough to make the story entertaining. Wolfe, however, was at his eccentric best.
LibraryThing member hailelib
It's summer in the city (not long before WWII comes to the US) and Wolfe's business is in a bit of a slump. So when three sisters bring him a case concerning their brother's rather odd will Archie persuades Wolfe to consider taking it on. Then comes the news that the brother was in fact murdered
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and Wolfe finds that he will have to solve that as well. One of the rare books where Nero Wolfe actually leaves his home in order to investigate. I enjoyed this mystery and would recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member phillipfrey
Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe detective books are always satisfying, especially because of Nero Wolfe's right-hand sleuth Archie Goodwin. Archie's take on individuals, as well as on society, are insightful, and at times humorous. Archie does the legwork while Nero Wolfe runs the cases mostly from the
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library of his home. This makes Nero Wolfe a masterful puppeteer. Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe books are always a pleasure to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheBentley
No Nero Wolfe novel has ever changed anyone's life, but they're always great fun. This one seemed a little longer and more intricate than most--in part because Wolfe actually *gasp* leaves the office. It's hard to say for sure because my copy is part of a kindle compilation that includes several
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Nero Wolfe novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
Wolfe is hired to look int the case of a will in which a wealthy man left his three famous sisters an apple, a peach, and a pear, while leaving 7 ,million to a woman named Naomi Kearn and half a million to his wife, whom he horribly disfigured in an archery accident..His sisters originally hire
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Wolfe to persuade Kearn to give up much of her ;legacy in order to forestall the injured wife from contesting the will, but then Naomi Kearn is murdered, so Wolfe's inquiry naturally expands. Not my favorite due to the wife's hideous injury Show Less
LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
Nero Wolfe takes on a type of case he normally wouldn't. A family matter about a will leaving the family fortune to a woman who wasn't his wife. Noel Hawthorne, multi-millionaire, has left his sister April, May and June, a peach, a pear and an apple. To his wife and a few others, some smaller
This high profile, conservative family want Wolfe's help in keeping any sort of scandal being attached to the family and to find out who killed Noel and why the will was written in favour of this other woman. The sisters fear that their brother's widow, Daisy, will cause a scene and embarrass the family.
The characters are varied, the strangest being the widow. She constantly wears a veil due to an accident that has scarred her face. She has also turned against the Hawthorne family since learning of the terms of the will.
Wolfe takes on the case due to the low balance in his bank account. It takes money to support his life style and his orchids. With little to no knocks on the door asking for help, this was as good as it was.
This tale has Wolfe leaving his home and taking up space in the house where the murder occurred - something Wolfe NEVER does! It is the only way he is able to access the suspects and get the information he needs. When another murder happens, Wolfe quickly makes a beeline to his home. Needless to say, when Inspector Cramer comes knocking with a warrant for Wolfe's arrest Wolfe has already solved the mystery.
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bequests. The lady who gets the bulk is no relation. Why?This high profile, conservative family want Wolfe's help in keeping any sort of scandal being attached to the family and to find out who killed Noel and why the will was written in favour of this other woman. The sisters fear that their brother's widow, Daisy, will cause a scene and embarrass the family.
The characters are varied, the strangest being the widow. She constantly wears a veil due to an accident that has scarred her face. She has also turned against the Hawthorne family since learning of the terms of the will.
Wolfe takes on the case due to the low balance in his bank account. It takes money to support his life style and his orchids. With little to no knocks on the door asking for help, this was as good as it was.
This tale has Wolfe leaving his home and taking up space in the house where the murder occurred - something Wolfe NEVER does! It is the only way he is able to access the suspects and get the information he needs. When another murder happens, Wolfe quickly makes a beeline to his home. Needless to say, when Inspector Cramer comes knocking with a warrant for Wolfe's arrest Wolfe has already solved the mystery.
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LibraryThing member mmyoung
Rex Stout - 08 - Where There's a Will
Copyright 1940 -- Published 1941
Except for a few passing lines about statesmen it is difficult when one reads this book to discover any clues that it was written in the run up to the Second World War and published after the entry of a number of countries into
As for the book itself -- it feels contrived and outside reality. The murder's motivations for the actions that led up to the first murder and his subsequent behaviours seem arbitrary rather than arising from a well crafted characterization. At least one of the characters seems only to exist for the purposes of being a red herring and the person who Wolfe needs to needle enough to break the case. One of Wolfe’s least convincing “brilliant pieces of detection” -- indeed one wonders, given the fact that in the end everything rests on “he said/he said” and “clue” that could easily be explained away by any adequate council one wonders if an indictment, let alone a conviction, would have ensued in the real world.
If one reads the series in order one notices by this point that Wolfe’s infamous refusal to leave his home is honoured more in the breach than in the observance. For example in this book Wolfe leaves his home on the frailest of pretests.
Copyright 1940 -- Published 1941
Except for a few passing lines about statesmen it is difficult when one reads this book to discover any clues that it was written in the run up to the Second World War and published after the entry of a number of countries into
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that war. Canada is mentioned in passing as the place where Goodwin had encountered black flies on his vacation. Canada was at that point already in the war. One wonders if the outline for this book had been drafted before war started breaking out or if Stout was trying to stockpile book publication against the almost inevitable outbreak of hostilities or at least diminished access to much of the English speaking publishing world. As for the book itself -- it feels contrived and outside reality. The murder's motivations for the actions that led up to the first murder and his subsequent behaviours seem arbitrary rather than arising from a well crafted characterization. At least one of the characters seems only to exist for the purposes of being a red herring and the person who Wolfe needs to needle enough to break the case. One of Wolfe’s least convincing “brilliant pieces of detection” -- indeed one wonders, given the fact that in the end everything rests on “he said/he said” and “clue” that could easily be explained away by any adequate council one wonders if an indictment, let alone a conviction, would have ensued in the real world.
If one reads the series in order one notices by this point that Wolfe’s infamous refusal to leave his home is honoured more in the breach than in the observance. For example in this book Wolfe leaves his home on the frailest of pretests.
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
After learning the unusual terms of their late brother’s will, the notable Hawthorne sisters, June, May, and April, turn to Nero Wolfe to help them contest the will. Although Wolfe doesn’t usually get involved in matters of this sort, money is tight and his expenses are mounting, so he’s
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inclined to accept the case. When it becomes a question of murder, Wolfe is on the spot to prevent Inspector Cramer and the police from a miscarriage of justice by identifying the real killer. While the eccentric characters and the witty dialogue kept me turning the pages, they overshadowed the mystery plot to the point that it was hard to follow Wolfe’s reasoning to its logical conclusion. Show Less
LibraryThing member leslie.98
3.5*
This 8th book in the Nero Wolfe series was pretty typical. Although I hadn't read this one before, Wolfe and Archie behaved in the manner that I associate with them in my memory, though there was a little less talk about their meals than usual. Wolfe does briefly leave his brownstone to visit
This 8th book in the Nero Wolfe series was pretty typical. Although I hadn't read this one before, Wolfe and Archie behaved in the manner that I associate with them in my memory, though there was a little less talk about their meals than usual. Wolfe does briefly leave his brownstone to visit
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the client's home (a fact which surprised me no less than it did Archie & Fred!). A quick and enjoyable read. Show Less
LibraryThing member tuckerresearch
I was introduced to Nero Wolfe through the amazing Nero Wolfe A&E series, so I see Maury Chaykin as Nero Wolfe and Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin, et al. So, after a hiatus of several years, I got a hold of And Be a Villain and liked it, so I decided to get them all so I could read them in order
This one is number 8, from 1940, Where There's a Will. The looming mentions of "the war in Europe" pervade this story, and one character is connected to Germany, and you are supposed to think he's sinister. In this one, Wolfe once again breaks the supposedly cardinal rule that he never leaves the brownstone. It's another rich family with rich connections and rich problems. Here a will, a mistress, an actress, a country estate, some butlers, etc. A decent entry in the series and a decent mystery story. Not the best of the ones I've read, but not the worst.
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(from 1934 to 1975).This one is number 8, from 1940, Where There's a Will. The looming mentions of "the war in Europe" pervade this story, and one character is connected to Germany, and you are supposed to think he's sinister. In this one, Wolfe once again breaks the supposedly cardinal rule that he never leaves the brownstone. It's another rich family with rich connections and rich problems. Here a will, a mistress, an actress, a country estate, some butlers, etc. A decent entry in the series and a decent mystery story. Not the best of the ones I've read, but not the worst.
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