With the fourth, and final, Chip Harrison novel, The Topless Tulip Caper (1975) Lawrence Block pulls off a very entertaining Nero Wolfe pastiche. Chip Harrison makes a very satisfactory Archie Goodwin and Block provides a satisfactory Nero Wolfe in Leo Haig.In an interview with Ethan Iverson on Do the Math, Block explains:"The first two [Chip Harrison books], of course, are sort of young man coming of age novels, and the only way they could be a series was if he changed somewhat, because you couldn’t have the same person coming of age forever. So, I put him to work for a Nero Wolfe wannabe and that was fun. But again, it was essentially a one trick pony, and two books and a couple of short stories was plenty."David Vineyard, in "Fifty Funny Felonies + Fifty More" on Mystery*File says, The Topless Tulip Caper "is also cheerfully dirty minded without a smirk or a snicker -- a rarity in any American fiction."Set for the most part in a strip club called the Treasure Chest, one would think that that would be sex appeal enough for any reader but as Block writes in his memoir, Afterthoughts:"Joe Elder, whom I'd known back in the Scott Meredith days, was Chip's editor. At some point after he'd agreed to publish Make Out With Murder, I went in to meet Joe, who hadn't know who was lurking behind Chip Harrison's name."He agreed that a fourth book would work out all right, and I went home to write it. I'd already made Haig an avid aquarist, with tropical fish serving him as orchids served Nero Wolfe. And, happily enough, I knew something about tropical fish."When I delivered the book, Joe had a complaint I'd rarely heard in many years in the world of paperback fiction.""There's not enough sex," he said."In response, I went through the book page by page until I could find a place where I could wedge in a sex scene. And Chip, after recounting it in some detail, apologizes for it as having not much to do with the book; he explains that his editor, Joe Elder, insisted he augment the book's sexual content. So, although the incident really did take place, Chip thinks it's gratuitous, and rather hopes Mr. Elder will change his mind and take it out again."Four daggers out of four.
Part Nero Wolfe (sidekick is Archie) and part Sherlock Holmes (sidekick Dr. Watson) this is a series with Leo Haig as the 'at home' detective and Chip Harrison as his sidekick, his own Archie, his own Dr. Watson. I think Lawrence Block is playing with us, his readers. It's said Enjoy the ride...the journey is as important as the destination. Well, this journey was more fun than the destination. The ending was ok, fine but I surely enjoyed the journey better. Block once again shows his unending talent to create a story with a nod to already established great duos. Light-hearted and fun loving sidekick Chip Harrison makes this ride a light and laughable one. Leo Haig, who raises tropical fish, (Wolfe grew orchids) sends Chip to do his bidding to solve the unsolvable. And Chip writes about the solved mysteries with published novels but his publisher says "your books have to have more sex to sell." Chip obliges in the sex department with gusto at every opportunity which arises; sometimes more gusto than others and he uses these opportunities which sometimes fall in his lap...in his books. I want to read (or listen to) the first in the series. This one was just short (five and a half hours) so I grabbed it.
What do You think about The Topless Tulip Caper (1998)?
It pains me a little to give a Lawrence Block anything less than a top rating because I've always loved his books so much. This one, though, while enjoyable, just didn't catch me as much as some others. I like the characters of Chip Harrison and his boss, but I suppose I unavoidably compare them to Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe (which of course I'm supposed to do) and they just don't quite make it. Still, the writing is good, the plot interesting, and I'd read more about these characters. I listened to it all in one day while I cleaned the house, and it definitely worked for that! Just didn't love it.
—Sherry Ramsey
Block successfully retains the tongue-in-cheek, wise-cracking tone of the original Chip Harrison adventure (NO SCORE) while also inserting a credible, inventive whodunnit mystery. The Leo Haig character is a Nero Wolfe pastiche, a device cheerfully highlighted by the fact that Leo constantly compares himself to Wolfe. Since this book was originally published under the pseudonym Chip Harrison, Block also includes a several self-referential jokes, such as Chip's editor encouraging him to insert gratuitous sex scenes into the story to help boost sales. (Chip the narrator cheerfully obliges). It's a fast, funny book that doesn't take itself too seriously.
—Craig Childs
#4 is the final entry in the 1970s Chip Harrison series. This private eye series is a sendup of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series. Dated, but a quick, fun read.Chip Harrison series - When a stripper is murdered onstage, Chip Harrison must put his sexual frustration aside to seek out the killer One hundred and twenty-three murders gets Chip Harrison’s attention—that and the girl who reports them: a statuesque stripper and amateur ichthyologist who wants help catching the killer of her 123 rare fish. The 124th victim—this time a human—draws Chip and his mentor, Leo Haig, into a world of dressing rooms and easy death, where the poison kills quickly and the best clues are found between the sheets.
—Ed
