Where There's a Will
I believe Where There's a Will is by far the worst Nero Wolfe novel out of the 33 written by Rex Stout. I found it excruciatingly boring and tedious – lacking any moment of wit or surprise. And I'm not alone among Nero Wolfe fans in this assessment! However, there are some Nero Wolfe fans, such as Ms_S_Snape, who think that even Where There's a Will is brilliant...
I was unable to select a single memorable quotation from this book. So, here's a chance for the fans of this particular Wolfe yarn to put up quotations from that story in order to persuade the rest of us of its qualities...
--Faterson 10:10, 15 February 2007 (CET)
- Update: Goodwingrad has just posted 17 quotations from Where There's a Will. Many thanks for that
All I can say for now is that I'm still not convinced. However, I'm keeping an open mind and when I re-read Where There's a Will, it's possible I might find the novel delightful. (I'm planning to start re-reading the entire Nero Wolfe corpus soon, for the first time in chronological order of all 74 Wolfe stories collected in 47 volumes, which is supposed to bring additional delight to Wolfe aficionados.)
- --Faterson 19:35, 12 June 2007 (CEST)
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Review by Brian K. Mitchell/Skinner
Where there's a will, you'll need it to get through this crashing bore.
Review by Goodwingrad
[Also posted in the discussion forum, where you may choose to reply to the review. Or, you can reply to it directly on this webpage, by submitting your own review of this book!]
Here is a review on the book that less...worthy (hehe!).... Nero Wolfe fans will snub most definitly. However, I shall persist! I think it is non-spoiler, but everyone has their idea of what spoils a book or not. I have no idea who will read this, but if you are someone, believe me. This book rocks!
Noel Hawthorne, part of the very famous (or infamous in this case) family in America, scandalously leaves his dear sisters, April, May, and June a peach, a pear, and an apple with his mistress running off with a great bulk of his estate. Perfectly satisfied with their inherited fruit, the Hawthorne girls beseech the gourmandizing detective to settle the problem of the other woman. Usually reluctant to accept such a case, the bank balance puts things into a new perspective, and Wolfe accepts. What follows next is inevitably murder with greed and lust eating at the roots.
And the crazy antics of the Hawthorne family deems worthy of a serious pain in the neck.
It is no surprise that I eagerly devoured this book (twice!) because of Rex Stout's usual wit and dexterity! Who could ever tire of Wolfe and Archie’s dynamic clash of characters that has grown to be a comfort and friendship between both involved? It is the reason we continue to be charmed by every page of suspense and mystery. In this particular story we enjoy Archie’s antsy and restless nature as he grows frustrated with his employer’s eccentricities and slothfulness, despite the impending doom of the bank balance. It’s possible that normal people aren’t supposed to know what geniuses are up to, but it is inevitable that hilarity will ensue as the two detectives strive to unravel the mystery. There are funny quirks around every corner of this plot, the Hawthorne family proving to be more eccentric than our favorite rhinoceros. However, no murderer is cleverer than Nero Wolfe, and with a stroke of observant genius, Wolfe will triumph once again, and collect a fee to Archie’s relief. Of course no Nero Wolfe story is complete without the arrival of their favorite cop, Mr. Cramer, and every fan will delight in the usual banter that erupts at the result.
Like every Nero Wolfe mystery, the plot is paced wonderfully by our favorite, and most irresistible, narrator. This time the plot proves to be exceptionally exciting with a veil faced widow, botany, a professional fiend, and lawyers mixed appropriately with greed, revenge, forgery, and lust!
Any Wolfe fan better go out and get this because you will not be disappointed!
