Too Many Cooks

Rating:
Summary: Great Wolfe--So Why Just 4 Stars?
Review: "Too Many Cooks" is one of my favorite Nero Wolfe novels. It finds our detective away from the brownstone, being honored by a group of celebrity chefs who meet once every five years. Of course one of them gets murdered, and of course Wolfe and Archie find themselves embroiled in the case.

So far, so good. The reparteee is excellent and pointed, the red herrings are plentiful, and, for once, most key clues are available to the reader so he/she can solve the mystery. (I, of course, missed it completely. As Wolfe once said, "I'm a genius, not a god.")

So, the four-star question: Why do I give this just four? Well, the spa where Wolfe and Archie are guests is staffed largely by African Americans, and, you see, when Stout wrote the book back in 1938, certain attitudes towards African Americans prevailed among many citizens. Wolfe, of course, displays none of this, and is noble throughout, but not so for Archie. While I realize that Stout was merely commenting on societal views at the time (and not in a nice way...the racist local authorities are NOT shown in a good light), it's a bit disconcerting to hear our hero Archie Goodwin refer to the African Americans in the story as "shines" and "boys." Of course, Archie learns his lesson, which I suppose is part of the point, but still...

From a modern viewpoint, it makes it a little hard to read at times. Therefore, I award it four stars, making it clear that this is by no means the fault of the author, who shows great respect throughout. I just don't like to hear my favorite gumshoe narrator sound like such an idiot.

If you're new to Wolfe, I suggest starting with "The Doorbell Rang," or "Murder by the Book," and save this for a time when you can read Archie's indiscretions and still like him afterwards.



Rating:
Summary: One of his five best
Review: I found this immensely enjoyable. Along with BEFORE MIDNIGHT, THE SILENT SPEAKER, AND BE A VILLIAN and PLOT IT YOURSELF, I consider it one of his best. Classic Wolfe and Goodwin.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Five Best
Review: If only A&E had continued the series...

It would have been great to see them do "Fer-de-lance" and "Too Many Cooks." While resonances of this story appear in A&E's depiction of the Ten for Aristology, the idea of the Fifteen Masters convening in West Virginia to hear Wolfe's disquisition on American haute cuisine is - fantasically appealing.

The Kanawha Spa is a proxy for the Greenbrier (which is actually in Virginia, not W.Va.). It's wonderful to see how Archie has to balance nursemaiding Wolfe with hunting down the killer, and even better to read Wolfe's methodical, respectful quizzing of the kitchen staff. This is the book where a character is established who, many years later, returns as an older man with ingrained beliefs.

As wise as Wolfe's sayings can be, it's wonderful to see their influence on someone's entire character and philosophy. This is an all-time great book, and, if A&E ever comes back to their senses...

Rating:
Summary: Loads of Fun! Bon Appetite!
Review: In Rex Stout's fifth book in the series, Wolfe engages in two activites he detests: leaving the confines of his home and travel by any type of machinery (a train in this case). Wolfe and Archie travel to Kanawha Spa, West Virginia, where Wolfe has been invited to speak before a group of master chefs. Wolfe encounters more than just gourmet food when one of the chefs is murdered.

Stout really has a lot of fun with the story and characters as Wolfe's confrontational manner begins to emerge in the series. The characters are always colorful, but the supporting cast of chefs, wives, servants, and others is also enjoyable. Some of the most interesting books in the series are those in which Wolfe leaves the brownstone and is absent from his comforts: the plant rooms, his cook Fritz, his beer, his office. Still, it becomes evident early on that Wolfe is in complete control. Or is he? Find out the lengths that Wolfe will go to in the attempt to obtain the recipe for saucisse minuit.

Rating:
Summary: Loads of Fun! Bon Appetite!
Review: In Rex Stout's fifth book in the series, Wolfe engages in two activites he detests: leaving the confines of his home and travel by any type of machinery (a train in this case). Wolfe and Archie travel to Kanawha Spa, West Virginia, where Wolfe has been invited to speak before a group of master chefs. Wolfe encounters more than just gourmet food when one of the chefs is murdered.

Stout really has a lot of fun with the story and characters as Wolfe's confrontational manner begins to emerge in the series. The characters are always colorful, but the supporting cast of chefs, wives, servants, and others is also enjoyable. Some of the most interesting books in the series are those in which Wolfe leaves the brownstone and is absent from his comforts: the plant rooms, his cook Fritz, his beer, his office. Still, it becomes evident early on that Wolfe is in complete control. Or is he? Find out the lengths that Wolfe will go to in the attempt to obtain the recipe for saucisse minuit.

Rating:
Summary: Love it
Review: One of Stout's best and one of the most fun reads I have ever had. It is hilarious, full of interesting characterizations, and plotted well enough to carry it through. Great fun!

Rating:
Summary: The food books are the best!
Review: The famous detective is also a famous gourmand. Anyone familiar with the series is aware that occasionally, the reader is given recipes straight out of the kitchen of Nero Wolfe. These recipes are a pretty accurate reflection of the times in which they originated - turtle soup (on the endangered list now), Steak Delmonico, etc...

This tale takes place at a meeting of chefs and the key to the solution is being able to detect ALL the ingredients in a particular dish. This is a clever, witty and very satisfying read.

Rating:
Summary: The food books are the best!
Review: The famous detective is also a famous gourmand. Anyone familiar with the series is aware that occasionally, the reader is given recipes straight out of the kitchen of Nero Wolfe. These recipes are a pretty accurate reflection of the times in which they originated - turtle soup (on the endangered list now), Steak Delmonico, etc...

This tale takes place at a meeting of chefs and the key to the solution is being able to detect ALL the ingredients in a particular dish. This is a clever, witty and very satisfying read.

Rating:
Summary: Slapstick Wolfe
Review: This is a landmark Wolfe mystery for the true fan, but new readers may find it dated, with a thin plot. It is Stout's first real shot at playing Wolfe for laughs, and also marks Archie's emergence as a mature and witty observer- unlike the more naive Goodwin of previous books (eg The Rubber Band, The Red Box) for whom the heroine is out-of-reach. The setting is farcical but still has a nice 30s period feel.