Customer Reviews

In the Best Families

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4 star:		(2)
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It's amazing how comfortable you can become with the never-changing routine of the occupants of Nero Wolfe's brownstone. Theodore tends the orchids, Fritz cooks, Archie does the investigative legwork, and Wolfe never leaves the brownstone. Visitors come and go, and Wolfe interrogates them, manipulates them, and occasionally exposes one of them as a murderer. Wolfe's universe existed almost unchanged through seventy three stories. In one of them, however, the entire structure of Wolfe's, Theodore's, Archie's, and Fritz's world was completely destroyed. "In the Best of Families" is that story.

A homely heiress asks Wolfe to check up on her husband. Arnold Zeck warns Wolfe off the case. Wolfe refuses. His home is bombed, the heiress is killed, and Wolfe disappears without a trace. Theodore takes a job in the country, Fritz goes to work in a restaurant, and Archie opens up his own detective agency. We have some clues as to what Wolfe might be up to from comments he made in "And be a Villain" and "The Second Confession," the first two Arnold Zeck stories. This much is certain: Wolfe must utterly destroy Arnold Zeck or forever remain in hiding.

Set at the time of its writing, IN THE BEST FAMILIES is a period piece today. At the time, federal income taxes were due on March 15, so as the story opens in mid-April Wolfe isn't inclined to turn down millionaire clients on a whim, not even when Mrs. Rackham's request involves investigating her husband. She wants to know why, after gradually escalating requests for money which she'd begun to refuse, Barry Rackham is suddenly flush with cash.

That question seems resolved, if not proved, when Arnold Zeck arranges for a package of tear gas disguised as sausage to be delivered to the brownstone the day after Wolfe accepts the Rackham case. Zeck doesn't casually warn Wolfe to stay out of his operations unless there's something for Wolfe to find, and Zeck's involvement plus Barry Rackham's unaccounted-for cash suggest that Rackham is up to his neck in Zeck's criminal enterprises ("all of them illegal and some morally repulsive").

As the third, decisive clash between Wolfe and Arnold Zeck, this should be read after AND BE A VILLAIN (the Orchard case) and THE SECOND CONFESSION (in which Zeck arranged for men with machine guns to open up on the plant rooms just to make a point).

Previously, as Wolfe points out early on, he and Archie have been lucky in their encounters with Zeck. The resolution of the Orchard case didn't require probing of Zeck's operations, and the problem of THE SECOND CONFESSION actually put Zeck on their side when it turned into the investigation of the murder of a Zeck employee.

The opening superficially resembles the initial situation in THE SECOND CONFESSION, as Archie is dispatched to the Rackham estate in Westchester county for a weekend visit, although on this occasion he's using his own name and claiming to be investigating the poisoning of one of Calvin Leeds' Dobermans (Mrs Rackham's trusted cousin). It's even somewhat justifiable, since Wolfe has strong feelings about dogs.

The case takes a sharp turn, however, when Mrs Rackham and her dog are found stabbed after a late night walk (the dog having dragged himself to Leeds' place before dying). After a regrettable clash with the Westchester powers-that-be, who aren't at all happy to investigate a murder where most of the suspects are filthy rich or rising powers in New York politics, Archie returns home from a weekend in jail to find the door of the brownstone wide open and Wolfe gone, leaving only a note not to look for him.

When Wolfe said he might have to take drastic action someday to remove Zeck as a threat, it never occurred to Archie that *he* might not be involved in the investigation.

Drive in totals:
- Four dead bodies.
- Tear gas.
- Multiple Dobermans.
- Cramer taking a swing at Archie.
- Archie telling Theodore (Wolfe's orchid nurse) where to get off.
- Wolfe leaving the house on business.
- One Wolfe-pulls-out-the-stops meeting in the office.
- Arnold Zeck.
- Lily Rowan.
- Archie setting up on his own rather than continuing to draw salary (even though Marko has power of attorney and is authorized to pay it). He makes a point of attempting to earn more than his old salary. :)

Wolfe finally confronts Arnold Zeck, the supervillain who's been dogging him for several books. In addition to Archie and Wolfe taking on their nemesis, this book contains two of the most significant moments in the Corpus: the strafing of the plant rooms, and Lily Rowan's brief encounter with "Pete." Highly recommended.

I have listened to quite a few Nero Wolfe books, so I expected I knew the pattern when I put on the tape to listen to this one earlier this week. I was in for a big surprise. Not only did this book not follow the same pattern as the other books, but it actually shocked me to see that Nero Wolfe had decided to disappear and sell his Brownstone house.

This book was perhaps the best Nero Wolfe book I have listened to yet, as it kept me guessing and eagerly listening to learn what would happen yet. The irony, of course, is that once again, the solution to the mystery lay right in front of us, so obvious, yet I never once considered it. It takes excellent writing skills to make this happen!

It's quite hard to write convincingly about a genius. Rex Stout did it better than anyone, including Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle. The Sherlock Holmes tales too often rely on microscopic examinations or encyclopedic knowledge rather than interesting logical deductions. Poirot and Marple appear too seldom in their books, and their analyses are frustratingly delayed until the very end. Nero Wolfe's genius is on display throughout his stories, and this book is no exception.

Just compare the similar Sherlock Holmes story, "The Final Problem", where Holmes destroys Moriarty's criminal enterprise. No details are given - just vague quips: "I have woven my net round him", "at last he made a trip", and "if a detailed account of that silent contest could be written it would take its place as the most brilliant bit of thrust-and-parry work in the history of detection". Yes, too bad Conan Doyle never actually wrote such an account! The reason is simple: It was beyond him.

Rex Stout was up to the challenge. This novel, with the main part of the story consisting of Wolfe's defeat of Arnold Zeck, describes the affair in detail. The final confrontation is both masterful and believable.

The action elements of this novel may disturb those used to the standard formula, but it's a welcome break, and a treat to read.

Rex Stout is among the very top mystery writers of the 20th century, a lofty group that contains Christie, Rinehart, Doyle, Vance, Marsh, Gardner, Block, etc. The Nero Wolfe series are just about as good as the genre gets, pure detective fiction without the pandering sex interludes, with the unnecessary violence at a minimum. The corpulent Wolfe uses what Poirot called "the gray cells," scarcely having to leave his fine Manhattan lair with its orchids in the greenhouse upstairs, its supply of fine things to eat. And beer. Wolfe liked beer.

But this book is a bit different. Just when a reader thinks he knows what to expect from Wolfe, Rex Stout pulls a switch. In this book, Nero Wolfe actually leaves home, goes on a diet, and...but read it for yourself. The plot is a good one, and I won't spoil it. They always are in a Rex Stout book. The characters, the dialogue, the atmosphere--all first rate.

Reading a Nero Wolfe book is a palate cleaning experience after some of the loathesome books today that are passed off as "mysteries." We are fortunate that there are so many Rex Stout novels out there.

Once again Wolfe crosses the path of master criminal Arnold Zeck. Knowing that the investigation of the murder of his client will lead to a final confrontation with Zeck, Wolfe goes underground. Forsaking all the comforts of home for...no, I'm not telling. This mystery has Archie showing how successful he would be as a solo operator and Wolfe pulling off one of his most outrageous gambits, leading to a final showdown that stunned me the first time I read it because of its distance from the regular "Wolfe's office wrap up." The original murder investigation itself rewards the reader; the mystery is solvable by a reader who carefully examines the facts; it's always fun when the writer plays fairly, something Stout didn't often do. IN THE BEST OF FAMILIES is not a typical Wolfe tale, but it is an excellent departure from the norm.

Nero Wolfe is hired by a rich socialite to investigate where her husband is getting his extra cash, and then his long time nemesis, Zeck, threatens him if he continues the case. Wolfe responds by going into hiding and letting wisecracking Archie Goodwin do his dirty work. There are some good surprises in this well written mystery. Wolfe shows up when you least expect him, and plans some interesting ways of disposing of his problem. And Wolfe's unveiling of the murderer at the end was stunning. I had to go back and re-read the clues I missed that led to his revelation.

Bravo again Mr Stout!

In McBride's summary of the whole of Nero Wolfe's career, there is a listing of murder victims by method of killing. In this novel, one of the murder victims is a dog.

I guess McBride debated on whether to list an animal killing along with human victims. Once you read this wonderful book, though, you'll understand, and probably agree with McBride's assessment.

Since the plot is described elsewhere I won't rehash it. However, if you are an animal lover, this, among all of Stout's work, will be your book for sure...your desire for justice will put you right alongside a man describe as a bloodhound.

That description was applied by a woman intending to insult him, but Wolfe took it as a complement. And one well deserved, I must add.

Satisfactory.

This is one of my favorite Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin mysteries. My only comment is to read Fer-de-Lance, The Silent Speaker and some other Nero Wolfe mysteries before delving into this novel. You will enjoy it more!