Rex Stout [1886-1975] & Nero Wolfe MiniPage at BlackHat Mystery Bookstore

         Rex Todhunter Stout was born 1 December 1886 in Noblesville, Indiana to Quaker parents. Soon afterward, the family moved to Wakarusa, Kansas, where he became known as a math prodigy. He briefly attended Kansas University before enlisting in the Navy, where he spent two years as a warrant officer aboard Theodore Roosevelt's presidential yacht. He left the Navy in 1908, travelling and working a variety of jobs until devising and implementing a school savings system which was implemented in 400 districts around the country, making him a wealthy man.
         In 1927, he retired from the financial world and left for Paris, France to pursue a writing career; he wrote & published three novels before returning to the U.S. He designed and built a house that straddled the New York / Connecticut state line (near Brewster, New York), calling it 'High Meadow'. He then began writing detective fiction; the first Nero Wolfe novel, "Fer-de-Lance", was published in 1934. In all, the Nero Wolfe tales included 33 novels and 41 novelettes.
         During World War II, he opposed Nazism as chair of the War Writer's Board, as emcee of the "Speaking of Liberty" radio program, and as member of several national committees. After the war, he fought against the use of nuclear weapons, was an active leader in the Author's Guild, and resumed writing Nero Wolfe novels.
         Rex Stout died 27 October 1975 at the age of 88, a month after publication of his 72nd Nero Wolfe mystery, "A Family Affair".

"The Red Box" [#4 = 1937]

What at first appears to be an accidental poisoning drags Wolfe & Archie away from the brownstone to New York's murderous fashion industry.
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [1/92] out of print/used

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Too Many Cooks" [#5 = 1938]

Wolfe reluctantly travels to a meeting of the world's greatest chefs at a resort in West Virginia, where murder throws him into contention with inept local cops, uncooperative witnesses, and a ruthless killer.
Bantam 8½x5½ pb [11/95] for $15.00
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [7/88] out of print/used

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Some Buried Caesar" [#6 = 1939]

A car accident strands Wolfe & Archie in the wilds north of Manhattan. When a local man is gored by a prize bull, the police conclude accident, but Wolfe is certain that the death was murder. {Includes Archie's first meeting with Lily Rowan.}
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [2/90] for $6.50
Jove mass pb [8/79] out of print/used

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Where There's A Will" [#8 = 1940]

When a millionaire dies an untimely death, his three sisters are incensed that they each receive a piece of fruit while the estate goes to a stranger. And then Wolfe discovers that the death was not an accident ...
Bantam 8x5&frac pb [3/95] for $15.00
Mystery Masters audio CD [10/2006] for $18.45

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Black Orchids" [#9 = 1942]

includes novellas 'Black Orchids': A rare black orchid draws Wolfe & Archie away from the brownstone to a garden show, where one of the exhibitors is murdered; and 'Cordially Invited To Meet Death': A woman receiving poison pen letters hires Wolfe and then dies of tetanus in his office.
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [5/92] for $6.50
Bantam pb [4/82] out of print/used

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Not Quite Dead Enough" [#10 = 1944]

includes novellas 'Not Quite Dead Enough': Archie, serving in the Army, is accused of the murder of a woman; & 'Booby Trap' :Wolfe solves the murder of an Army colonel.
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [9/92] for $6.50

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Trouble In Triplicate" [#14 = June 1949]

includes novellas 'Before I Die': A crime boss brings Wolfe a blackmail case, before dying in a hail of bullets; and 'Help Wanted, Male': Wolfe declines to help an Army officer who has received a death threat; the officer is killed and then Wolfe recieves an identical letter {the Army assigns Major Archie to help on the case}; and 'Instead of Evidence': A man hires Wolfe to avenge his murder by his partner, and then dies from an exploding cigar.
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [6/93] for $6.50
Viking hardcover [6/49] out of print/used

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Three Doors To Death" [#16 = June 1950]

includes novellas 'Man Alive': A young woman hires Wolfe because she saw her uncle alive in New York City after he committed suicide by jumping into a geyser at Yellowstone; and 'Omit Flowers': Wolfe's best friend asks for help to clear a once-great chef of an unfounded murder charge; and 'Door To Death': When his orchid-keeper takes a leave of absence, Wolfe attempts to hire a temporary replacement from a friend, and while there a nurse is found dead in the greenhouse.
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [2/95] for $6.50
Viking hardcover [6/50] out of print/used

"In The Best Families" [#17 = 1950]

A woman hires Wolfe to find out why her husband suddenly has lots of money; Archie is present at a party where the woman is murdered; and when a letter bomb arrives at the brownstone from the most dangerous man in America (Arnold Zeck}, Wolfe flees for his life.
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [1/95] for $6.50
Viking hardcover [6/50] out of print/used

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Curtains For Three" [#18 = 1950]

includes novellas 'The Gun With Wings': An opera tenor was bashed in the throat by an irate father, possibly ruining his career, and his wife plans to leave him for a music critic, so his death by gunshot could be either suicide or homicide; and 'Bullet For One': A wealthy industrial designer is shot out of his saddle while riding in Central Park; and 'Disguise For Murder': Wolfe opens his orchid rooms to a garden club; when one of the visitors tries to hire Archie and is then murdered inside the brownstone, Wolfe is furious.
Bantam 8½x5½ pb [1/95] for $15.00
Bantam mass pb [11/94] out of print/used

"Triple Jeopardy" [#20 = 1952]

includes novellas 'Home To Roost': A couple hire Wolfe to find out whether their nephew was murdered because he was a Communist or an undercover F.B.I. agent; and 'The Cop Killer': An immigrant couple working for Archie's barber panic when a policeman starts asking questions; they flee and then ask Wolfe for help; and 'The Squirt & The Monkey': Someone steals the pistol owned by the creator of a comic strip, he hires Wolfe & Archie, and then someone commits murder in his home and leaves the gun inside a monkey's cage.
Bantam 8½x5½ pb [1/95] for $15.00
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [3/93] out of print/used

"Three Men Out" [#23 = 1954]
includes 'Invitation To Murder', 'The Zero Clue', 'This Won't Kill You'

"Three Witnesses" [#26 = 1956]
includes 'The Next Witness', 'When A Man Murders', 'Die Like A Dog'

"Three For The Chair" [#29 = 1957]
includes 'A Window For Death', 'Immune To Murder', 'Too Many Detectives'

"And Four To Go" [#31 = 1958]
includes 'Christmas Party', 'Easter Parade', 'Fourth of July Picnic', 'Murder Is No Joke'

"Three At Wolfe's Door" [#34 = June 1960]

includes novellas 'Poison a la Carte': A gourmand society invites Wolfe's chef Fritz to provide a dinner; one of the guests dies of arsenic poisoning; and 'Method Three For Murder': A female cab driver arrives on Wolfe's doorstep with a dead woman in the back seat;; and 'The Rodeo Murder': Lily Rowan hosts a party at her penthouse apartment during a rodeo at Madison Square Garden; someone steals a cowboy's rope and strangles the rodeo manager.
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [8/95] for $6.50
Viking hardcover [6/60] out of print/used

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Too Many Clients" [#35 = 1960]

A businessman hires Wolfe and then is murdered at a construction site; Archie locates the man's apartment, a love nest visited by a string of beautiful women with door keys ...
Bantam Crimeline mass pb [4/94] out of print/used

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Homicide Trinity" [#37 = 1962]
includes 'Eeny Meeny Murder Mo', 'Death of A Demon', 'Counterfeit For Murder'

"Trio For Blunt Instruments" [#40 = 1964]
includes 'Kill Now-Pay Later', 'Murder Is Corny', 'Blood Will Tell'

"Death Times Three" [#48 = 1985]
includes 'Bitter End', 'Frame-Up for Murder', 'Assault On A Brownstone'

"All Aces" [#2 = 1958]
includes novels 'Some Buried Caesar' & 'Too Many Women',
novelettes 'Before I Die', 'Help Wanted, Male', & 'Instead of Evidence'

"Five of A Kind" [#3 = 1961]
includes novels 'The Rubber Band' & 'In The Best Families',
novelettes 'Man Alive', 'Omit Flowers', & 'Door to Death'

"Royal Flush: A Nero Wolfe Omnibus" [#4 = 1965]
includes novels 'Fer-De-Lance' & 'Murder By the Book',
novelettes 'Die Like a Dog', 'The Next Witness' & 'When a Man Murders'
Viking hardcover [7/65] out of print/used

"Kings Full of Aces: A Nero Wolfe Omnibus" [#5 = 1969]
includes novels 'Many Cooks' & 'Plot It Yourself',
novelettes 'Home to Roost', 'The Cop-Killer' & 'The Squirt and the Monkey'
Viking hardcover [6/69] out of print/used

"Three Aces: A Nero Wolfe Omnibus" [#6 = 1971]
includes novels 'Might as Well Be Dead', 'Too Many Clients' & 'The Final Deduction'
Viking hardcover [5/71] out of print/used

mis-named "The First Rex Stout Omnibus" [Penguin 1975]
includes novels 'The Doorbell Rang', 'The Second Confession' & 'More Deaths Than One'

The Nero Wolfe Primer [Mystery Guild 'Lost Classics' 2002?]
includes novels 'And Be A Villain' & 'Champagne for One',
and novelettes 'Black Orchids' & 'Cordially Invited to Meet Death'

"The Nero Wolfe Handbook" [rev 2000] by Rev. Frederick G. Gotwald
"Nero Wolfe Commentaries" by Rev. Frederick G. Gotwald
(These are privately published and might be available at The Bookshop in Chapel Hill, NC

"Murder In E Minor" [1986]
"Death On Deadline" [1987]
"Blooded Ivy" [1988]
"The Last Coincidence" [1989]
"Fade To Black" [1990]
"Silver Spire" [1992]: Fred Durkin arrested for murder
"The Missing Chapter"

"The Illustrious Dunderheads" [Knopf 1942]
an anthology of stories edited by Rex Stout
not found on Amazon or B&N/rare

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"The President Vanishes" with protagonist Chick Moffat [1943]
�The President Vanishes� feature film [Paramount 1943] Directed by Wm. Wellman

	"Stout Fellow: A Guide Through Nero Wolfe's World" [2003] by O. E. McBride iUniverse 9¼x6¼ pb [5/2003] for $19.95 iUniverse 9½x6¼ hardcover [5/2003] for $29.95
	"The Nero Wolfe Cook Book" [1973] by Rex Stout & the Editors of Viking Press Cumberland House 9x7 pb [10/96] for $16.95 Amereon 9x5¾ hardcover [6/87] out of print/used Penguin pb [3/81] out of print/many used Viking hardcover [8/73] out of print/used

	"The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery" [A&E airdate March 2000] Directed by Bill Duke; script by Paul Monash A&E color VHS [5/2000] for $19.95 full credits from IMDb
	"The Doorbell Rang: A Nero Wolfe Mystery" [A&E 2001] A&E color VHS [8/2001] for $19.95 listed at IMDb only as part of the series first year

BlackHat Mystery BookstoreRex Stout& Nero Wolfe

BlackHat Mystery Bookstore
Rex Stout
& Nero Wolfe