The Rubber Band (Nero Wolfe Mysteries) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Rubber Band by Rex Stout is a complete and unabridged mystery starring Nero Wolfe and his faithful sidekick, Archie Goodwin. Wolfe, who died in 1975 at age 89, wrote stories that hold up remarkably well. In this, which involves the American West and the British nobility, we have Wolfe's tongue-in-cheek exercise program developed to comply with his physician's edict that he must lose weight: dart throwing. Michael Prichard, who has pretty much become the voice of Archie Goodwin, reads. Recently, he was named by Smart Money magazine as one of audio's "Top 10 Golden Voices." -- The Arizona Daily Star

"It is always a treat to [hear] a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore." -- The New York Times Book Review

"Nero Wolfe, the fat detective of Rex Stout's novels, towers over his rivals...he is an exceptional character creation." -- The New Yorker

"Rex Stout...raised detective fiction to the level of art. He gave us genius of at least two kinds, and a strong realist voice that was shot through with hope." -- Walter Mosley --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Description

In all his years of detecting, the unflappable Nero Wolfe has never encountered an investigation as damnably messy as this one. For what began as a clean case of larceny quickly sank into a quagmire of blackmail and broken promises, international scandal and cold-blooded murder.

Now Wolfe and his assistant, Archie Goodwin must bridge eras and oceans to find the link between a Wild West lynching and a respected British peer. Only then can they save Wolfe's beautiful young client -- and a hotly disputed stake of a cool million dollars. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553763091
• ISBN-13: 978-0553763096
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #466,966 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No. 2, December 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rubber Band (Hardcover)

An early Wolfe, very strong plot and fun read. If not quite up to the next 10 or so efforts it is smoother than Fer-de-Lance and Stout begins to humanize Wolfe's character. I think Inspector Cramer makes his first appearance,too.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nero Wolfe is always a good read, September 9, 2004

By	darci lane (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews

This is one of his first. I've read them all, several times each. Even tho this is not his best, Rex Stout still writes far better than most writers today. His books are very funny and the plots entertaining. Closest I've come to finding his successor is Deadly Diamonds, by Pamela Troutman.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Take the Pledge of the Rubber Band, October 7, 2004

By	John P Bernat (Kingsport, TN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Rubber Coleman got his nickname by always seeming to bounce back after being knocked down in a fight. [Why did this remind me of Bill Clinton??]

Rex Stout bounced back from The League of Frightened Gentlemen with this one - the first of a few of his which jumped off Manhattan Island and recounted a tall tale of the old West. The League scared some of his early readers, I think: it was too ethereal and high-concept.

The Rubber Band shoots from the hip, by sharp contrast. Since Rex had traveled the whole United States by this time, and had spent considerable time in the West, his background should at least lend credence to the accuracy of this story.

However, like some of the reviews below assert, its actual credibility is really thin. I won't say more, since the book is enjoyable despite its flaws, but don't expect Fer de Lance, and...

...you won't be disappointed.