Rating: 
Summary: One good. One not quite so good.
Review: The second story is the better of the two. The culprit's method is clever and plausible, and the clues are subtle but fair. The first story, "Black Orchids," is downright clumsy. I doubt the murderer's trap would work and I'm certain it would not have gone unnoticed at the time, as it does in the story. This is one of Stout's many stories that do not qualify as "fair play" (John Dickson Carr would not have approved). But even a poor Nero Wolfe story is entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Tale
Review: THis combines all the eccentricities and quirky habits and mannerisms of the famous detective. Readers are already familiar with his obsession with orchids. Now we have a whole case revolving around them which makes for a good intro. Despite the age of the reissue, the dialogue is wonderfully fresh and the whole work has an air of film noire. As usual, the problem is solved through an intellectual contest. A good read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Tale
Review: THis combines all the eccentricities and quirky habits and mannerisms of the famous detective. Readers are already familiar with his obsession with orchids. Now we have a whole case revolving around them which makes for a good intro. Despite the age of the reissue, the dialogue is wonderfully fresh and the whole work has an air of film noire. As usual, the problem is solved through an intellectual contest. A good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Wolfe Shocker
Review: Wolfe had a terrible war. Between the excellence of Some Buried Caesar and The Silent Speaker, Stout wrote by far his four worst Wolfes- Over My Dead Body, Not Quite Dead Enough, Where There's a Will...and Black Orchids. I don't know what went wrong, he may have had other things on his mind. Don't bother with this one unless you're a serious addict.
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