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Rating: 
Summary: Omnibus edition of 5 unrelated cases
Review: This omnibus edition of THE RUBBER BAND, IN THE BEST OF FAMILIES, and THREE DOORS TO DEATH is titled FIVE OF A KIND because THREE DOORS TO DEATH is itself a collection of 3 short stories: "Man Alive" (1947), "Omit Flowers" (1948), and "Door to Death" (1949).
The selection of titles is an odd assortment. For more detailed discussion of the individual works herein, see reviews of the 3 separate books; no changes were made to include them here. They have few points in common, not even being 3 back-to-back books in publication order. While they're no worse here than taken separately, this omnibus edition provides no added value.
THE RUBBER BAND (1936) was the third Wolfe book. "The rubber band" was a group of wild youngsters 50 years prior to the opening of the story, back in Silver City, when they saved a young English expatriate from hanging. He promised them a percentage of his family fortune whenever he came into it. Now some of the survivors - including grown children - of the band have tracked down George Rowley: the Marquis of Clivers, on a diplomatic mission to the U.S. But they don't have the document proving the debt, and one of the surviving old men who know Clivers by sight is soon gunned down in the street. In common with other early Wolfe stories, THE RUBBER BAND is much livelier than some later Wolfe stories, although Wolfe himself doesn't stir out of the house for this case. There *is* a loose connection with playing cards, however: the dart game Wolfe has taken up for "exercise" recently involves trying to hit poker hands rather than bull's-eyes.
IN THE BEST OF FAMILIES (1950) was the 17th Wolfe book, and the third and final confrontation with Wolfe's nemesis, Arnold Zeck. The story would more logically be grouped with the other two Zeck stories, and in fact, this was done years after the publication of FIVE OF A KIND with the omnibus TRIPLE ZECK. IN THE BEST OF FAMILIES is noteworthy because Wolfe fled the brownstone as a matter of survival, cutting off communication even with Archie to take his own mysterious course of action in a final showdown with Zeck. Marko Vukcic, Wolfe's best friend, is the only person in Wolfe's confidence - a sore point with Archie. While Wolfe acted mainly for personal reasons in the case, he did earn a fee.
THREE DOORS TO DEATH was the 16th Wolfe book, immediately preceding IN THE BEST OF FAMILIES, but the 3 stories within it don't fit so neatly into that time slot. Two of the three cases are unusual in that Wolfe acted for personal reasons rather than for a fee.
"Man Alive" (1947) predates AND BE A VILLAIN, the first Zeck story. Cynthia Nieder, Wolfe's young client, is a model whose ambition is to apply her creative talent as a fashion designer to her half of Daumery & Nieder, which she inherited upon her uncle's spectacular suicide (he jumped naked into a geyser). The other partner, Daumery, has also recently died, in a more prosaic boating accident. Her question, however, isn't *how* either of them died, but *whether* her uncle died - she believes she saw him attend one of the firm's shows recently.
"Omit Flowers" is a case taken on as a favor to Marko; his former mentor has been accused of murder. (Marko doesn't respect him professionally anymore, however; Pompa now works for a fast-food chain.)
"Door to Death" bears no relation to "A Window for Death" from THREE FOR THE CHAIR. Wolfe's personal motive in this case is to defend Andy Krasicki, a first-class orchid man, and that purely because Wolfe needs a stand-in for Theodore, who's away indefinitely for a family emergency. Andy's fiancee was found dead among the orchids after a fumigation, and *nobody* could accidentally have overlooked the DOOR TO DEATH notices posted.
Rating:
Summary: Omnibus edition of 5 unrelated cases
Review: This omnibus edition of _The Rubber Band_, _In the Best of Families_, and _Three Doors to Death_ is titled _Five of a Kind_ because _Three Doors to Death_ is itself a collection of 3 short stories: "Man Alive" (1947), "Omit Flowers" (1948), and "Door to Death" (1949).The selection of titles is an odd assortment. For more detailed discussion of the individual works herein, see reviews of the 3 separate books; no changes were made to include them here. They have few points in common, not even being 3 back-to-back books in publication order. While they're no worse here than taken separately, this omnibus edition provides no added value. _The Rubber Band_ (1936) was the third Wolfe book. "The rubber band" was a group of wild youngsters 50 years prior to the opening of the story, back in Silver City, when they saved a young English expatriate from hanging. He promised them a percentage of his family fortune whenever he came into it. Now some of the survivors - including grown children - of the band have tracked down George Rowley: the Marquis of Clivers, on a diplomatic mission to the U.S. But they don't have the document proving the debt, and one of the surviving old men who know Clivers by sight is soon gunned down in the street. In common with other early Wolfe stories, _The Rubber Band_ is much livelier than some later Wolfe stories, although Wolfe himself doesn't stir out of the house for this case. There *is* a loose connection with playing cards, however: the dart game Wolfe has taken up for "exercise" recently involves trying to hit poker hands rather than bull's-eyes. _In the Best of Families_ (1950) was the 17th Wolfe book, and the third and final confrontation with Wolfe's nemesis, Arnold Zeck. The story would more logically be grouped with the other two Zeck stories, and in fact, this was done years after the publication of _Five of a Kind_ with the omnibus _Triple Zeck_. _In the Best Families_ is noteworthy because Wolfe fled the brownstone as a matter of survival, cutting off communication even with Archie to take his own mysterious course of action in a final showdown with Zeck. Marko Vukcic, Wolfe's best friend, is the only person in Wolfe's confidence - a sore point with Archie. While Wolfe acted mainly for personal reasons in the case, he did earn a fee. _Three Doors to Death_ was the 16th Wolfe book, immediately preceding _In the Best Families_, but the 3 stories within it don't fit so neatly into that time slot. Two of the three cases are unusual in that Wolfe acted for personal reasons rather than for a fee. "Man Alive" (1947) predates _And Be a Villain_, the first Zeck story. Cynthia Nieder, Wolfe's young client, is a model whose ambition is to apply her creative talent as a fashion designer to her half of Daumery & Nieder, which she inherited upon her uncle's spectacular suicide (he jumped naked into a geyser). The other partner, Daumery, has also recently died, in a more prosaic boating accident. Her question, however, isn't *how* either of them died, but *whether* her uncle died - she believes she saw him attend one of the firm's shows recently. "Omit Flowers" is a case taken on as a favor to Marko; his former mentor has been accused of murder. (Marko doesn't respect him professionally anymore, however; Pompa now works for a fast-food chain.) "Door to Death" bears no relation to "A Window for Death" from _Three for the Chair_. Wolfe's personal motive in this case is to defend Andy Krasicki, a first-class orchid man, and that purely because Wolfe needs a stand-in for Theodore, who's away indefinitely for a family emergency. Andy's fiancee was found dead among the orchids after a fumigation, and *nobody* could accidentally have overlooked the DOOR TO DEATH notices posted.
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