In the early 2000s there was a show on A&E called A Nero Wolfe Mystery (or sometimes just, Nero Wolfe) starring Maury Chaykin and Timothy Hutton. I was a loyal watcher of the show, not only for the acting and writing, but also because of the general look of the show. The costumes and sets were amazing. The show also had an usual set up in that while the main characters and the actors playing them stayed the same from week to week, the rest of the cast played a different character each week depending on the particular story. Although I was born long after the days when there was no tv and everyone listened to the radio, but watching the show often made me imagine what it would have been like to sit around the living room listening to a radio play. Somehow the show seemed nostalgic and old-fashioned (in a good way) but sleek and modern at the same time. In any case, it was through the tv show that I was introduced to Rex Stout, who wrote something like thirty-three novels and numerous short stories and novellas starring his famous private detectives, Nero Wolfe (played by Chaykin in the series) and Archie Goodwin (played by Hutton). Admittedly, the books in the series vary in quality. The real attraction of the series are the characters. The two main characters are in some ways a study of opposites. There’s the cerebral, eccentric, Sherlock Holmes-like Nero Wolfe who is remembered as much for his intellect as his rotund size, the four hours a day he spends tending to his orchids (from 9 to 11 am and again from 4 to 6 pm), his gourmet appetites, his general preference not to be around women, and his even greater preference not to have to leave the confines of his home to the extent possible. Playing opposite Wolfe is his assistant, Archie Goodwin, the younger, fitter, street smart detective who does most of the legwork (since Wolfe rarely leaves the house) and who in is his free time often find himself in the company of one young woman or another. He is the narrator in the Wolfe stories but make no mistake, Goodwin is no Watson. He is a man of action, with a near perfect memory, and a sixth-sense about people. Together and operating out of their (or really Wolfe’s) New York brownstone on West 35th Street, they solve mysteries of all sorts. Rounding out the cast of characters are Fritz, the live-in Swiss born chef who prepares Wolfe and Goodwin’s gourmet meals; Theodore Horstmann, Wolfe’s orchid expert; and Saul Panzer, Fred Durkin and Orrie Cather, three detectives ready to assist when called upon. There’s also Inspector Cramer who has a fondness for chewing the ends of cigars but rarely smokes them, and his assistant, Sergeant Purley Stebbins.I often pick up one of Rex Stout’s mysteries when I need something quick, light and entertaining. This time I chose Gambit. The novel takes its title from a chess move in which a player sacrifices a pawn or other chess piece in hopes of gaining an advantage. Here, the victim is murdered while playing chess. There is a bet that he can win while playing multiple games against multiple opponents without even seeing the chessboards. He is kept in one room and his opponents in another, while messengers travel between rooms telling the soon-to-be-victim what moves his opponents have made and awaiting instructions as to how to respond. Before he is able to prove his supposed chess superiority, the chess player is poisoned. Thus, the mystery begins with Wolfe and Goodwin on the case.I can’t say Gambit was my favorite entry in the Nero Wolfe series, but I did enjoy it. Much of the time the detectives find themselves with a theory that proves to be half-right, no evidence, and few leads to get them going. Around the last thirty pages or so there’s a big hint as to the identity of the murder and then everything gets wrapped up pretty quickly. There was a lot of Goodwin and Wolfe, but not much of the other regular cast of characters which made the story a little less exciting. But then again, I wanted something quick and light and this served that purpose and I would still recommend giving Stout’s Nero Wolfe series a try, and would also recommend the excellent A&E television series.
Listening, perhaps even more than reading Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe books, can be a lesson in vocabulary. It happens that the intro of this story involves Wolfe actually burning a dictionary that offended displeased him - Archie comments that Wolfe knew he was going to burn it, since he didn't buy the leather-bound edition. But as I listen, I am struck by the precision of some of Rex Stout's word choices, ones I expect involved a lot of strike-outs similar to mine in this paragraph, which was done by me, in part, for effect.It is satisfying (a Wolfe-favorite word) to be able to hear these books read by Michael Pritchard; it would be better if there was a way to eliminate the hiss from the old cassette tapes. But better hiss than nothing. Wolfe's client is a 20-something woman who doesn't trust her father's representation in a murder charge to his good friend, the lawyer, who she suspects of having designs on her very-attractive mother; so she has sold her jewelry to hire Wolfe. The way in which her mother and the several men in her family circle talk to her is sadly probably typical of the era in which the book is set and was written; but it is highly irritating, since the patronizing tones are several magnitudes more condescending than 'don't worry your pretty head'.
What do You think about Gambit (2004)?
Nero Wolfe, “the grand master of detection” will always solve the unsolvable. But before he does his loyal legman – Archie Goodwin – will do all the hard work and take all the chances. He also must convince Mr. Wolfe to take the case and convince all the suspects that they have to go to Mr. Wolfe’s townhouse for questions from the great detective. In-between expect to find out about Mr. Wolfe’s Manhattan townhouse complete with five star cook, Gardenias that Mr. Wolfe is obsessed with and the best cup of coffee in town. I must confess I am a little envious of Mr. Wolfe’s lifestyle and do enjoy reading about the great detective living the good life. I like my books to have a little more edge, but if you want to read a classic detective novel then any Nero Wolfe novel is worth reading.
—Richard Hemingway
Review updated on 4/13/2015.The book is not about this Gambit: It is about this type of gambit: Just for fun do an image search for the term and see which one would come up first (hint: the X-Men character).A murder happened right in the plain view of a lot of people: a chess master is killed in the middle of his simultaneous play with twelve members of an exclusive club. A man is arrested, he is the only person who was able to commit the crime - it was physically impossible for everybody else. Everything is against him, but his daughter is convinced in her father's innocence and she hires the only person who might be able to help him: Nero Wolfe (and Archie Goodwin, obviously).Usually a typical Nero Wolfe novel (or a short story) is not so much about the mystery, but much more about character interactions and Archie Goodwin's witticism, and this is what makes the series really shine. This book is all that, but it also happen to be a good mystery novel which will puzzle you as much as it did Nero Wolfe and his nemesis and friend Inspector Cramer and which is worthy the best of the undisputed Queen of Mystery Agatha Christie. When the identity of the villain is finally revealed, it turns out there is no proof of the murderer's guilt which leads to highly unconventional tactics from the great detective and his sidekick/bodyguard/secretary.As usual expect to be entertained and a lot of chuckles while reading the book. One more item of note this is probably the first time Archie Goodwin solved the mystery before his genius boss. To be fair, he obtained one vital piece of info which Wolfe did not possess until the latter made his report.
—Evgeny
Rex Stout did not write classic, Ellery Queen-type "whodunits" - his mystery plotting was often pedestrian. We visit West Thirty-fifth Street not for intricate plotting, but to visit a wonderful mise en scene for homicides to be resolved (a place up there with the Quai des Orfevres of Simenon's Maigret).I could say something that would be a spoiler - but I won't.Just trust me, the atmosphere of Nero Wolfe's brownstone, the chivalrous conduct of sharp-witted man-of-action Archie Goodwin, the infuriating misogyny melded with the keen intellect of Nero Wolfe, get melded with one of Stout's best-plotted mysteries, with a twist that Dick Wolf, the creator of Law and Order, would prostrate himself before.Here's a hint - Archie solves the case before Wolfe - and I don't mean to either infer or imply that Wolfe was not at his best in Gambit ;)Like all Nero Wolfe's, very rereadble - and I don't remember when I read it the first time. If I had a gold leaf bookmark, it would be used in the pages of Gambit.
—Tedde Bear
