Last Coincidence [Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Robert Goldsborough (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of that fat genius, Nero Wolfe, and his indomitable sidekick, Archie Goodwin, will be gratified by this stylish revival. The mystery begins with a plea for help from Archie's longtime pal, Lilly Rowan. Noreen James, Lilly's niece, has been attacked by a vicious roisterer named Sparky Linville. But before Archie can intervene, Sparky is murdered, and Noreen's brother Michael confesses to the deed. The cops think this closes the case. Noreen isn't satisfied, however, and she hires Wolfe to clear her brother. This mostly credible renaissance has a few glitches, notably those having to do with Goldsborough's attempts to bring the 35th Street duo into the 1980s. It's jarring to find Archie updating the orchid germination records on a PC instead of the old Remington. It would have been better to stick to period, as Ed McBain has done with his ageless 87th Precinct cops. Still, this rates a Wolfean "satisfactory,"--meaning, a job very well done.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audio (November 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553451820
• ISBN-13: 978-0553451825
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,304,550 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice surprise for Nero Wolfe fans!, February 4, 2006

By 

April A. Zalat (Seattle, WA - USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Coincidence (Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe) (Mass Market Paperback)

Having read all of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe books - many, many times over, I felt tempted to try a Robert Goldsborough Nero Wolfe mystery. I've never been happy with new authors who've tried to continue writing in the vein of the original author because of losing the original characters' personalities and realism, different writing and plot styles. This was not the case here! What a pleasant surprise! Goldsborough has obviously read Stout's Wolfe books and did a lot of research. He maintained Archie's and Nero Wolfe's personalities and styles of speech, as well as those of Lily Rowan, Fritz, Cramer, Stebbins, etc. Well-thought-out plot, and quite a tricky one. Probably the most difficult to deal with of all of Wolfe's clients. By the time I finished the book, I was more aware of the story and my favorite characters than the identity of the author. True, there can never be another Rex Stout, and there are naturally some very nebulous differences, but not enough to be bothersome or detract from the story. I look forward to the new source of Nero Wolfe reads from Goldborough - hats off to him! If you're a dyed-in-wool Wolfe fan, I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average, March 17, 2001

By 

D. Craven (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Last Coincidence (Audio Cassette)

An average mystery featuring a beloved character (and Nero Wolfe as well). Certainly, on its own, this book would not stand the test of time, but as part of the overall series it is fine. It falls in the bottom third of the canon... but it is certainly much better than no book and better than the average mystery.. even if not up to the standards of Rex Stout.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Least Coincidence, October 5, 2000

By 

J. Carroll "Jack" (Island Heights,NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Coincidence (Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe) (Hardcover)

A playboy is murdered after committing a heinous act. If an innocent man hadn't confessed there would be no reason to solve the case. This is the most flawed of the Goldsborough Wolfe series I have read. Archie approaches a situation with no real plan and becomes a temporary red herring. Along with murder, which is the usual fare in these mysteries, another crime which sets the chain of events in motion seems out of place in a Wolfe mystery. Finally there is a murderer whose motive better fits a cop show on television. This book just does not match up well to the Nero Wolfe legacy and it really stands out as something that only gets published because Nero Wolfe is on the cover.