::READERS REVIEWS::

Thotoughly enjoyable. - Unobtrusive but strong narration. One of the best Nero Wolfe stories - strong on character and plot.

One of the best Nero Wolfe stories - this is a must have for anyone who is a fan of the nero wolfe stories. it give a look at nero's past before he became a detective. it also places archie in unfamiliar situation of being dependent on nero for information--archie doesn't speak the language, so nero has to translate! it is a fun look at the relationship between the two.

Best for those who have already read many of the other Nero Wolfe novels - While I greatly enjoyed reading the Black Mountain, it was, in part, the fact that it was so different from the other novels that I found it fascinating. Throughout the series there are somewhat vague references to Wolfe's life before coming to the U.S. This novel fills in much of that back-story, and gives the avid fan a better idea of what makes Wolfe tick. However, I would have to agree with reviewers who don't recommend this book to someone new to the series. It is not consistent with the rest of the novels in the series in setting or tone, and is best enjoyed by those who appreciate the difference, as well as the additional insights into Wolfes character and background.

For True Nero Fans, Only - If you're new to Rex Stout and Nero Wolfe, you couldn't pick a worse place to start. However, if you already have an appreciation for the Nero/Archie banter and the nuances of the relationships with the minor characters, then you'll enjoy seeing them painted on a very different canvas, as far from the brownstone as they ever got.

This book is neither as bad as the 1- and 2-star reviews suggest, nor as good as the 5-star reviews (including that of the audiobook's narrator, oddly) claim. I enjoyed it, but only because I've made my way through 80% of Stout's Nero Wolfe novels and novellas. As others have noted, Mr. Pritchard's voice and flat accent doesn't match up to those in the late, lamented A&E series.

The man who never leaves his house on business......... - ....sure broke the rule this time. We all know about Nero Wolfe...eccentric, overweight, beer drinking, orchid growing, house-bound genius....he hires others to get his data, then figures it all out from the comfort of his custom made chair. Rex Stout based his "American Sherlock" on Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's older, more brilliant, brother who only appears in two of the stories...[and, actually, Wolfe left the house a number of times over his 40 year career].

It may be silly to avoid giving away the plot here; anyone reading this probably has the story memorized, and is just looking for a replacement copy. But, I can say that this is the most "personal" of the Nero Wolfe books; Wolfe had few friends...when the oldest, and closest, is killed, there is no limit to what Wolfe will do to assure proper justice under law. In many ways, it is the most complicated of the stories, but a grand master like Rex Stout had no problems keeping everything clear....

One regret...when staying over in Rome, Wolfe is asked to meet with the ambassador; after commenting that the ambassador is "a woman", he declines. She isn't named, but Clare Boothe Luce was quite famous when this was written...Stout probably had valid reasons for not using Mrs. Luce as a "fictional character"; I think it would have done Wolfe a lot of good, and provided us some fun, for him to meet a woman who was more than a match for his intellect...just a thought.