The mother hunt: A Nero Wolfe novel [Paperback]

Rex Stout (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1964

The Mother Hunt is the 18th novel by the Grandmaster of Mystery to be reissued in the Rex Stout Library. It's a matter of maternity that brings Lucy Valdon to the brownstone on West 35th, after a baby is left on her doorstep.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

Someone drops off an infant on the doorstep of a wealthy and attractive widow. She hires Nero Wolfe, the famed P.I., to ferret out the baby's mother. A couple of murders result from the investigation, placing the onus on Wolfe and his street-smart legman, Archie Goodwin, to nab the killer. When reading this and other Wolfe whodunits, one gets the distinct impression that Archie, for all his complaining, not only loves working for the obese orchid-growing P.I., but gets a huge charge from writing about their cases. One gets none of that from listening to Michael Prichard's oral renderings of Stout's oeuvre for Audio Editions. He is as flat as a pancake, not even bothering to look up the pronunciation of some of Wolfe's less familiar expressions. To borrow one of Wolfe's MORE familiar terms--Pfui! Y.R. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 138 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Books (1964)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553201158
• ISBN-13: 978-0553201154
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,348,882 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of Stout's best, June 10, 2001

By 

Michele Johnson "[e-mail]" (Lookout Mountain, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mother Hunt (Audio Cassette)

"The Mother Hunt" by Rex Stout really shines with Stout's wiry humor and classic reparte of Archie and Wolfe. A baby is left on a widow's doorstep with the note "a boy should live in his father's house". Wolfe and Archie tackle one of the most difficult and complex cases of their careers - finding a father needle in a haystack. Everytime they come close to an answer - another person falls victim to a still unknown killer. With time running out, Wolfe cooks up one of his most ingenious charades - all without the benefit of his beloved Brownstone. A great read - this one you will want on your bookshelves.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfactory, Archie., May 14, 2006

By 

Alan Gratz "Author" (Western North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mother Hunt (Mass Market Paperback)

I love Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novels. I've read more than a dozen of them now, and I relish the interplay between eccentric detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin. The Mother Hunt was no exception. While this one was a little thin on plot - Nero and Archie are "blocked" for most of the book and make no headway on the mystery until the last quarter of the novel - it has great characterization in spades. Perhaps my favorite part: more insight into the enigma that is Saul Panzer, the ace operative Nero Wolfe calls first when they need an extra pair of eyes and legs. Saul's great; he could easily be Nero's right hand man, if only he weren't so much like him!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best of the mystery writers, March 2, 2007

By 

rich1896 (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mother Hunt (Mass Market Paperback)

Rex Stout is the best of the old school of mystery writers, and his Nero Wolfe stories are priceless. The story lines are good, characterizations are wonderful, and the banter between Wolfe and his assistant and narrator are greatly entertaining. I have read, and re-read, all of the Nero Wolfe mysteries, and is these qualities that keep me coming back.

If you want darkness and violence, then these aren't for you, but the story lines are good, characters are likeable, and the wit in his writing, and the banter between Wolfe and Archie Goodwin (his assistant and story narrator) make the stories a pleasure to read.

This is one of my favorites, along with Prisoner's Base, The Father Hunt, Too Many Women, The Golden Spiders, and The Rubber Band. Some are dated now, but that can be part of the charm. And all are clever and multifaceted, but it is the characters that make these stories great.