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Rex Stout
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Fer-De-Lance: A Nero Wolfe Mystery (Mystery Masters) Audio CD – CD, April 18, 2004

by Rex Stout (Author), Michael Prichard (Narrator)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,984 ratings
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A case of multiple murder sends super sleuth Nero Wolfe and his
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 47
    Nero Wolfe Mysteries
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    AudioGO
  4. Publication date
    April 18, 2004
  5. Dimensions
    4.75 x 1 x 5.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1572703881
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1572703889
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ AudioGO; Unabridged edition (April 18, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1572703881
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1572703889
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.75 x 1 x 5.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,984 ratings

About the author

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Rex Stout

Rex Stout

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Rex Todhunter Stout (/staʊt/; December 1, 1886 - October 27, 1975) was an American writer noted for his detective fiction, particularly the 33 novels and about 40 novellas that featured the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin between 1934 and 1975.

In 1959, Stout received the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award. The Nero Wolfe corpus was nominated Best Mystery Series of the Century at Bouchercon XXXI, the world's largest mystery convention, and Rex Stout was nominated Best Mystery Writer of the Century.

In addition to writing fiction, Stout was a prominent public intellectual for decades. Stout was active in the early years of the American Civil Liberties Union and a founder of the Vanguard Press. He served as head of the Writers' War Board during World War II, became a radio celebrity through his numerous broadcasts, and was later active in promoting world federalism. He was the long-time president of the Authors Guild, during which he sought to benefit authors by lobbying for reform of the domestic and international copyright laws,[specify] and served a term as president of the Mystery Writers of America.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by CBS Radio and photographer uncredited [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
2,984 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Big Game James
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent mystery, and a timeless story with real-to-life characters
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2019
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Fer-de-Lance is the first book I've read by Rex Stout and my introduction to Nero Wolfe. And I can say without hesitation this is definitely a superbly written book. Everything about it is top-notch; the characters, the story, the situations, and the flow. Even though I've been reading mysteries and detective fiction since the 1970s, and had heard of the author, I never had any desire to read any of the Nero Wolfe novels. Man, was I missing out!

Although the story is excellent from beginning to end, what really makes this book come alive are the characters. All very believable, real to life characters who behave like real humans. Characters like Archie Goodwin, Nero's do everything, right-hand man, and narrator of the story. Fritz Brenner, the chef, and of course, the seriously obese, but extremely intelligent, Nero Wolfe. And the fact that this book was written in the 1930s doesn't in any way hinder the story. After all, human nature really doesn't change.

As for Nero Wolfe, I was prepared not to like him, since he just sits around the house while his crew--mainly Archie--does all the leg work. But Archie is no pushover. He even lets Nero have it now and then. For example, after returning to HQ from a long and hectic day in the field, Archie finds Nero sitting around twiddling his thumbs, and tells him, "Do you think all it takes to catch a murderer is to sit in your damn office and let your genius work? That may be most of it, but it also takes a pair of eyes and a pair of legs and sometimes a gun or two."

Then there's the story itself. It starts with a missing person. Then a murder. Then innocent people do some really dumb things which muddy up the clues. There's a lot of twists and turns, a slew of potential suspects, a good bit of drama and even a little humor. Add it all up and you get one fantastic book. If for some reason you haven't read Fer-de-Lance yet, don't wait any longer. Just read it! You'll be glad you did.
9 people found this helpful
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David Durica
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to Read
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
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This mystery, originally written in 1936 was a very easy read. The text was just the proper size and the printing was excellent.
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Idolater
5.0 out of 5 stars Good fast read—unusual characters and plot
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024
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This is a well written mystery with excellent characterizations. It reads as a period piece set in the mid-1930s. I enjoyed the sense that the main characters had a long-standing history. The author does a very good job placing you in the storyline from the beginning of the novel. highly recommended!
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Clay Garner
5.0 out of 5 stars Confident, opinionated, erudite, analytical, even philosophical. Wolfe or Stout?
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2023
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“I’ve sometimes wondered how many people there were in New York from whom Nero Wolfe could have borrowed money. I suppose more than a thousand.’’

This paragraph illustrates why I have returned to Wolfe and Archie after five decades. I first read these stories as a teenager. Enjoyed Wolfe enough to (over period of years) to finish them all. I remember learning Rex Stout died. Well . . . no more Archie and Wolfe.

Now, almost seventy, I find . . . youthful memories surfacing (unbidden). What caught my interest then? Why is so much of current writing so . . . so . . . dull . . . so . . . distasteful?

This is Wolfe’s and Archie’s first story. However, Stout presents it as an ongoing enterprise. It doesn’t sound new. Probably sounds as a mature work since Stout was in his forties. Already successful. Not insecure or tentative. Confident, opinionated, erudite, analytical, even philosophical. Sound like anyone?

For example this psychological analysis of human characteristics . . .

“I made it a severe test to narrow it down. Of course there were more than that who felt grateful to him, and as many more who had reason to hate him, but there’s a special kind of attitude a man has to have toward you before you can bump him for a loan and get something more substantial than a frown and a stammer for your trouble; a mixture of trust and goodwill, and gratitude without any feeling of obligation to make it unpleasant. At least a thousand. Not that Wolfe ever took advantage of it. I remember a couple of years ago we were really hard up for cash for a while, and I made a suggestion regarding a multimillionaire who didn’t owe Wolfe much more than his life. Wolfe wouldn’t consider it.’’

What reason Wolfe offer?

“No, Archie, nature has arranged that when you overcome a given inertia the resulting momentum is proportionate. If I were to begin borrowing money I would end by devising means of persuading the Secretary of the Treasury to lend me the gold reserve.”

As youth — I ignored, skipped this stuff (I thought). On the-other-hand, seems that some (little) stuck.

Integrity, courage . . .

“Wolfe told me once, not as if it mattered much, that he really had no cowardice in him, he only had an intense distaste for being touched by anyone or for being compelled without warning to make any quick movements; and when I considered the quantity he had to move I was willing to believe him. For some reason questions like that of cowardice have never interested me as regards Wolfe, though ordinarily if I have cause to suspect that a man is yellow as far as I’m concerned he can eat at another table.’’

Well . . . Stout (born 1883) Quaker family, father a school teacher. Rex had read the entire Bible twice before he was four. State spelling champion. No wonder these stories recall a different era . . .

So different . . .

“Faultless sequitur,” Wolfe murmured.
“That, I think, will be all, the lesson is complete. You know, Mr. Townsend, it is our good fortune that the exigencies of birth and training furnish all of us with opportunities for snobbery. My ignorance of this special nomenclature provided yours; your innocence of the elementary mental processes provides mine.’’

Yep, a different world for sure.

Another feature (kindle editions) is the introduction by various authors. I enjoy their insights. This one, first Wolfe novel, also includes Stouts projection of Wolfe and Archie to his publisher. And description of furniture and pictures along with a drawing of the brownstone.

Neat.
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Top reviews from other countries

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htyler
5.0 out of 5 stars Stout’s best novel
Reviewed in Canada on May 26, 2023
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Nero Wolfe is the best sleuth
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Ananth
3.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
Reviewed in India on August 25, 2023
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Difficult to rate a book written in older times. But the essence of a mystery novel i.e. suspense and investigation are well developed.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Re reading the series still enjoying
Reviewed in Australia on November 2, 2016
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Beginning of a long series like most series the standard fell off later in the series but the world had changed too
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Il debutto di Nero Wolfe
Reviewed in Italy on June 6, 2016
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Ho letto Fer-de-lance, pubblicato nel 1934, dopo aver letto The doorbell rang, del 1965, e A family affair, del 1975, anno della morte di Stout. Ho perciò seguito a ritroso il percorso letterario di Nero Wolfe e dei suoi fedelissimi collaboratori, senza peraltro accorgermene se non per pochi dettagli secondari. Alle prese con un omicidio di un modesto operaio italiano, Wolfe intuisce un collegamento con la morte improvvisa del noto presidente di una prestigiosa università, attribuita ad infarto miocardico. Con l'assistenza di Goodwin, induce il procuratore distrettuale a far riesumare il corpo per eseguire l' autopsia ed escludere la morte per cause naturali. Il genio e la eccentrica regolarità di Wolfe, la rapidità di azione di Goodwin, la casa di arenaria nella 35ma Strada, il sopraffino cuoco svizzero Fritz Brenner, il burbero giardiniere Theodore Horstmann e le diecimila orchidee nella serra sono già perfettamente miscelati in questo primo libro come lo saranno nell' ultimo. È identico il ritmo dell' indagine, scandito da precisi orari ai quali la stessa casa, le stesse mura sembrano adeguarsi. Per questo motivo è difficile cogliere la direzione in cui scorre il tempo, se non per qualche dettaglio: mancano personaggi poi molto presenti come l' ispettore Cramer, Lon Cohen o Lily Rowan; la "roadster" invece della "sedan". Ma anche con questi dettagli è ugualmente difficile distinguere lo scorrere del tempo. C'è tra le pieghe della narrativa un indizio temporale che permette di collocare gli eventi del libro in una data precisa, ma a parte questo dettaglio non si ha l' impressione di leggere il primo racconto con Wolfe protagonista. Tra affittacamere di Little Italy e sontuose residenze nella contea di Westchester, campi da golf e aeroclub, Wolfe ricostruisce i due omicidi e consegna il colpevole alla polizia.
Il racconto appassiona e invita alla rilettura per ricontrollare i momenti bei quali affiorano gli indizi che permettono di fare luce sul caso.
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Bizgen
5.0 out of 5 stars Entry to the world of a legend
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2011
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For those of us in the huge band of followers of Nero Wolfe, this book is essential reading.

It is a somewhat dated only because it is written in such beautiful English and every part of the plot is immaculately explained. And of course, there is no overt violence, except to a reptile.

The reason it is essential reading is because it was published in 1934 and is the first of the 47 volumes concerning Rex Stout (if we consider the volumes of short stories as well).

Fer de Lance sets the scene for Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, the genius detective and his smart sidekick; in the Kindle edition there is even a map of the office (not quite as I imagined it, and full and fascinating notes on the characters, which were never intended for publication, but have been eagerly enjoyed by his huge following.

Because he cleverly referred to previous cases, I did not realise that this was the first in series. One has to read every word to understand the full and quite complicated plot. It is a relatively long novel, if one compares it to some that follow. All the better for that. But it was satisfying and interesting explore the machinations of the devious killer as he is outwitted at every turn by our brilliant master investigator.

We are given the first delicious intimations of books to come, the interest in gourmet cooking for the gourmand that is Wolfe. His orchid sideline is introduced. Maybe some of the books that follow are a little slicker, a little more amusing. Rex Stout was part of his characters by then. But you have to read this book to get the most out of the rest. I loved it and couldn't put it down, the last third I was stuck at the breakfast table in my dressing gown until I finished it at noon. Unheard of, for me!
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