Rating: 
Summary: Wolfe Earns His Fees
Review: A small boy comes to Wolfe with a problem, then dies violently. Wolfe has a few dollars given him by the boy. He determines to spend the money, but no more, seeking the boy's slayer. His efforts bring him another person in need, who gives Wolfe a check for $10,000.00 to help her in a certain matter. She refuses to elucidate exactly what she wants, but says she will explain after making a few inquiries on her own. She also dies violently.Wolfe doesn't really know what the woman wanted him to do to earn his money, but he decides that she would not be displeased if he used it to solve her murder. He is immediately beset by lawyers seeking the return of the money to the woman's estate. Wolfe fends off the lawyers and Inspector Cramer as he tries to solve the murders with almost nothing to go on. He does have a similarly executed third murder to consider, a pair of golden spider earrings, and a half-dozen or so unlovely suspects. He makes an assumption, acts on it, "stirs things up" a little, almost gets his confidential assistant Archie Goodwin arrested, gets his ace operative Saul Panzer blackmailed, and gets his operative Fred Durkin tortured. Wolfe's brain can concoct the most Byzantine situations, but Archie's brawn must oftentimes carry them through to fruition. As Fred undergoes torture, Archie steps in and saves the day by delivering a performance worthy of Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry." With Archie's help, Wolfe uncovers a scandal, hands a gang of thugs over to Inspector Cramer, and earns his fee by not only solving the woman's murder but also clearing up the matter she wanted him to handle in the first place. All good fun, and one of the more action-oriented of the Nero Wolfe stories.
Rating:
Summary: Wolfe Earns His Fees
Review: A small boy comes to Wolfe with a problem, then dies violently. Wolfe has a few dollars given him by the boy. He determines to spend the money, but no more, seeking the boy's slayer. His efforts bring him another person in need, who gives Wolfe a check for $10,000.00 to help her in a certain matter. She refuses to elucidate exactly what she wants, but says she will explain after making a few inquiries on her own. She also dies violently. Wolfe doesn't really know what the woman wanted him to do to earn his money, but he decides that she would not be displeased if he used it to solve her murder. He is immediately beset by lawyers seeking the return of the money to the woman's estate. Wolfe fends off the lawyers and Inspector Cramer as he tries to solve the murders with almost nothing to go on. He does have a similarly executed third murder to consider, a pair of golden spider earrings, and a half-dozen or so unlovely suspects. He makes an assumption, acts on it, "stirs things up" a little, almost gets his confidential assistant Archie Goodwin arrested, gets his ace operative Saul Panzer blackmailed, and gets his operative Fred Durkin tortured. Wolfe's brain can concoct the most Byzantine situations, but Archie's brawn must oftentimes carry them through to fruition. As Fred undergoes torture, Archie steps in and saves the day by delivering a performance worthy of Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry." With Archie's help, Wolfe uncovers a scandal, hands a gang of thugs over to Inspector Cramer, and earns his fee by not only solving the woman's murder but also clearing up the matter she wanted him to handle in the first place. All good fun, and one of the more action-oriented of the Nero Wolfe stories.
Rating: 
Summary: Not my cup of hemlock.
Review: Although Wolfe is an interesting character, I found the mystery itself confusing and, in the end, uninteresting. However, I have never been a fan of hard boiled mysteries myself. If you are, you may enjoy it a lot more than I did.
Rating: 
Summary: confusing
Review: And not very compelling either. I found this to be a sub-par entry in the Wolfe series. One of the most interesting parts of the investigation (Archie trying to give away $5000 and watching for reactions) didn't seem to go anywhere. I just didn't find this a very good book.
Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: Not as brilliant and fast paced as the very best of the Wolfe's, but once it gets rolling there's plenty to enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Nero Wolfe is Always Good Mind-Candy
Review: One of the most enjoyable and relaxing events in life is to take a break from everything and fall into a Nero Wolfe mystery (only Agatha Christie beats it for sheer pleasure). They are not overly complicated as to be challenging with just enough twists and turns as to be diverting and no more. The humour is always a delight without overwhelming the slender plot. Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin are delightful creations and their relationship is both quite odd and yet quite enjoyable in its uniqueness. The Golden Spiders is, perhaps, not the best Nero Wolfe mystery but this very quick and easy read will do the job. A little bubble bath for the mind.
Rating:
Summary: Nero Wolfe is Always Good Mind-Candy
Review: One of the most enjoyable and relaxing events in life is to take a break from everything and fall into a Nero Wolfe mystery (only Agatha Christie beats it for sheer pleasure). They are not overly complicated as to be challenging with just enough twists and turns as to be diverting and no more. The humour is always a delight without overwhelming the slender plot. Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin are delightful creations and their relationship is both quite odd and yet quite enjoyable in its uniqueness. The Golden Spiders is, perhaps, not the best Nero Wolfe mystery but this very quick and easy read will do the job. A little bubble bath for the mind.
Rating:
Summary: Another great time with old friends
Review: The action begins in the brownstone, (where else?) Nero has just thrown a tantrum over his meal and Archie has decided to teach him yet another lesson. We are treated to Nero coping with both a child and a grieving mother as he solves the case. All the familiar characters come out to play: Fritz and Theodore; Cramer and Stebbins; Saul, Orrie and Fred. Is this great literature to ponder? - absolutely not! This is strictly for fun, yet another entry in a long running series. A perfect way to spend an lazy afternoon escaping to New York of the 1950's, getting a few peeks into life at the brownstone and enjoying the on going battles between Nero and the world.
Rating:
Summary: Another great time with old friends
Review: The action begins in the brownstone, (where else?) Nero has just thrown a tantrum over his meal and Archie has decided to teach him yet another lesson. We are treated to Nero coping with both a child and a grieving mother as he solves the case. All the familiar characters come out to play: Fritz and Theodore; Cramer and Stebbins; Saul, Orrie and Fred. Is this great literature to ponder? - absolutely not! This is strictly for fun, yet another entry in a long running series. A perfect way to spend an lazy afternoon escaping to New York of the 1950's, getting a few peeks into life at the brownstone and enjoying the on going battles between Nero and the world.
Rating:
Summary: Best of the Nero Wolfe series
Review: The complex plot, the funny dialogs, and the interesting characters make this book, in my opinion, the best of the Nero Wolfe Series.
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