The Doorbell Rang

Rating:
Summary: Very sharp....
Review: ...as the corpulent detective pits his wits against the FBI. The guy who shows up at the end and rings the doorbell may surprise you....or may not.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book, Whose Plot Is Misunderstood by Mr. Dekle
Review: Mr. Dekle, in his review of June 8, 2001, completely misunderstands the rationale behind Wolfe's method of investigation in *this* particular book. The basic plot of the book is *not* Wolfe's determination to expose the murderer -- it is to pry the FBI away from his client and to keep them from harassing her. And to earn the outlandish fee she has promised him.

In order to accomplish his goal, he determines that he must find a means of *forcing* the FBI to leave her alone. A murder case in which some local FBI agents in NYC are apparently involved then comes to Wolfe's attention. He, being a genius, decides that it will be in the best interest of his client (and himself) to determine that the FBI did *not* commit this murder. But, he also says to Archie, he is prepared to deal with the eventuality that the FBI *did* commit the murder and to turn it to his advantage. In either case, Wolfe doesn't give a fig as to who actually committed this particular murder -- he only wants to earn his fee.

Rating:
Summary: Mycroft Holmes and Sam Spade
Review: Nero Wolfe cannot be anything other than a reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes' smarter brother. Wolfe's corpulence, indolence, sagacity, and appreciation for the finer things of life can come only from the model of Mycroft Holmes.

Archie Goodwin's antecedents are a little more complex. He has the energy of Sherlock Holmes, the loyalty of Dr. Watson, and the gritty toughness of Sam Spade.

In this book they do something that was unheard of in 1965 when the book was written--they take on the FBI. Their client is being stalked by agents of the FBI, and they must stop it. Incidentally, they have to solve a murder in which the prime suspects are three FBI agents.

They solve the mystery, cage the FBI's dogs, earn their obscene fee, and nobody but the reader lives happily ever after. It is truly entertaining to read how a handful of private citizens humble the mighty, monolithic FBI.

Several incidents in the story made it appear that Wolfe and Goodwin had a cavalier attitude towards investigative ethics. In one scene Wolfe talks to Goodwin about the murder case. The two decide that it would be best to prove the FBI Agents didn't commit the murder. They then decide that's what they'll do. This is not the way to investigate a murder case. The objective of a murder investigation should never be to prove that someone did or didn't commit a murder. The objective of the investigation should be to determine who committed the murder. You might think that I'm splitting hairs, but I am not. When one sets out to prove that someone committed a murder, he can develop tunnel vision and ignore significant clues that point in other directions. Only after the murder is conclusively identified should the mission shift to proving he did it.

This was my first Nero Wolfe novel. It was good enough to warrant reading further novels.

Rating:
Summary: Looking tough at the FBI
Review: Oftentimes the Nero Wolfe books are in some never-never time. You know it's sometime after the second World War, but placing it in the fifties or sixties or seventies can be tough. Except when Stout decides to take on what later became one of his favorite subjects, the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In The Doorbell Rang, Stout gets his jabs in at the "privileged" position of the federal investigator, while raising issues many Americans had at the time about a "secret police" which reported, supposedly, only to the president. A true immigrant, Wolfe has more of a feeling for what democracy is and how precious an item it is, and works harder to defend it than the "real" Americans. As always, Stout's prose is clean and crisp, and this is the same book that you expect from him.

Rating:
Summary: Can't think of a better detective than Nero Wolfe
Review: Rex Stout came up with a winner in Nero Wolfe. Archie and Nero combine for some of the best mystery/suspense reading possible. This book involves Wolfe with the most dangerous guys possible, the FBI. How he gets himself into and out of this mess is great to read. The book is full of excellent characters and no one can write a suspense story like Rex Stout.

Rating:
Summary: Can't think of a better detective than Nero Wolfe
Review: Rex Stout came up with a winner in Nero Wolfe. Archie and Nero combine for some of the best mystery/suspense reading possible. This book involves Wolfe with the most dangerous guys possible, the FBI. How he gets himself into and out of this mess is great to read. The book is full of excellent characters and no one can write a suspense story like Rex Stout.

Rating:
Summary: Stout at His Best
Review: Rex Stout has always been one of the best mystery writers. The Doorbell Rang is one of his best. It sprints along and gets you caught up in the story. Nero Wolfe takes a case to stop the FBI themselves from harrassing a rich woman. On the way, he encounters a murderer, lying women, lying men, and a pair of FBI agents who he uses in one of the most creative ways I have ever read.
What makes this book so great is that it's different from most Nero Wolfe books. In this one, the main case is not a murder. The enemy is a huge and powefrul organization. Throughout the book, special precautions are taken by Wolfe and Archie, his wisecracking assistant, because they both know that the FBI isn't above bugging. The way they fulfill their clients wishes is wonderful, but of course I won't tell you how they do it. And the very end made me laugh out loud in the middle of a crowded bus. Just wait for it and you'll see what I mean. Stout is also a great writer and the Doorbell Rang is full of snappy writing and Wolfe in all his eloquence. It is a great book and it is really fun to read.

Rating:
Summary: The King of Suspense strikes again
Review: Rex Stout is clearly the best writer in this genre. He manages to combine exciting and original plots with a light, entertaining and witty style of writing. How can someone not laugh about the acid sarcasm that runs between Archie and Nero? How can someone not be amused by the Wolfe's small idiosyncrasies? In The Doorbell Rang Stout is once again at his best. This time Wolfe lured by an incredibly wealthy client takes on Hoover and the FBI. This adds some not very realistic element to the story and that is why I gave this book only four stars. Besides from that excellent read, very enjoyable. Gotta love Stout!

Rating:
Summary: Classic Wolfe-ian shenanigans--Rex Stout at his very best.
Review: There are mystery books where the mystery is the thing and there are mystery books where the character(s) is/are the thing.

With Stout, the characters are the thing. One does not read Stout to immerse oneself in an intricate mystery that one tries to solve. On reads Stout because you know you are in for a treat�not only do you get the ongoing give and take with the usual suspects�Wolfe, Archie Goodwin, he of the intrepid heart and very dry wit, Fritz and Cramer, house chef and NYPD Homicide Captain, but each book also introduces an interesting and well developed cast of secondary characters as well. And, given that Wolfe is as much a psychologist in his detecting as a detective, convincing and in depth characterization is critical to the success of any given story.

It�s just after the New Year and the indolent Wolfe needs a client. A doozy shows up�a rich widow being harassed by the FBI. She offers Wolfe a $100,000 retainer to devise a means of getting them off her back. Wolfe, with no real idea how to proceed, draws down on his credit balance with a local journalist and gets the inside poop on several FBI operations in the NYC area. Wolfe focuses on a murder where three FBI men are involved. He begins investigating the crime with an eye to setting up a situation where he can use the crime as a lever against the FBI.

What makes this novel particularly interesting is the role the murder plays in the plot. Usually, the murder IS the plot. Here it is a sideshow to the main event�Nero Wolfe v. the FBI.

The manner in which Wolfe succeeds in setting up and trapping the local FBI officers is brilliant and extremely entertaining. Moreover, this book features the full blown cast of Wolfe characters, a rarity for a Wolfe novel.

Stout�s Nero Wolfe is one of the classic 20th century detective series�and this is classic Wolfe from beginning to end.

Rating:
Summary: Another great "Archie Goodwin Story"
Review: This may not be the best Wolfe story to start with, because it is one of the later and greater of Stout's novels. However, if you do read this and like it, you won't be disappointed with any others in the series.

Interestingly, Stout was 48 when his first Wolfe novel was published and he continued writing them until he was almost 90.

This book has it all, from the usual cast of characters, Wolfe and Archie in the old brownstone, Saul, Orrie, and Fred, the freelancers hired to help on the case, Inspector Cramer, and the plot features an interesting twist on Wolfe's orchid hobby...well hobby doesn't describe 10,000 orchids in his rooftop greenhouse. You know there's a lot of commerce involved in keeping that collection going, but I'd better not say anymore about that.

Wolfe is visited by a potential client with a problem that could be too hot to handle. You see, she has sent out copies of a book, "The FBI Nobody Knows" to influential people, newspaper editors, etc. Now she thinks the G-men are following her, tapping her phone and maybe worse. Most PI's wouldn't handle this case, even if the client was Cleopatra or Helen of Troy.

But, a check for $100,000 has a...powerful appeal to Wolfe(it was a lot of money in the 60's when the book was written). Has Nero Wolfe finally bitten off more than he can chew when the FBI comes calling?

Read this book. I consider it a classic, of both humor and of subtle political commentary. I give this book five of the biggest, brightest stars in the heavens.