I’ve been watching The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt recently. So far the resident husband and I have only made it through two episodes, but I was pleased as punch when I learned that the plot twist in storyline #2 hinged on a Baby-Sitter’s Club novel. Specifically Babysitter’s Club Mystery No. 12: Dawn and the Surfer Ghost. Peter Lerangis, was this one of yours? Here’s a breakdown of the book’s plot with a healthy dose of snark, in case you’re interested.
- And now a subject that is near and dear to my heart: funny writers. Author Cheryl Blackford wrote a very good blog post on a comedic line-up of authors recently presented at The Tucson Festival of Books. Mac Barnett, Adam Rex, Jory John, Obert Skye, and Drew Daywalt were all there. A good crew, no? One small problem – we may be entering a new era where all-white male panels cannot exist without being called into question. Indeed, I remember years ago when I attended an ALA Conference and went to see a “funny authors” panel. As I recall, I was quite pleased to see the inclusion of Lisa Yee. Here, Tucson didn’t quite get the memo. The fault lies with the organizers and Cheryl has some incisive things to say about what message the attendees were getting.
- Speaking of Adam Rex, he’s got this little old major feature film in theaters right now (Home). Meanwhile in California, the Gallery Nucleus is doing an exhibition of Rex’s work. Running from March 28th to April 19th, the art will be from the books The True Meaning of Smekday and Chu’s Day. Get it while it’s hot!
- Boy, Brain Pickings just knows its stuff. There are plenty of aggregator sites out there that regurgitate the same old children’s stuff over and over again. Brain Pickings actually writes their pieces and puts some thought into what they do. Case in point, a recent piece on the best children’s books on death, grief, and mourning. The choices are unusual, recent, and interesting.
Chomping at the bit to read the latest Lockwood & Company book by Jonathan Stroud? It’s a mediocre salve but you may as well enjoy his homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Mind you, I was an Hercule Poirot fan born and bred growing up, but I acknowledge that that Doyle has his place. And don’t tell Stroud, but his books are FAR closer to the Nero Wolfe stories in terms of tone anyway.
Over at The Battle of the Books the fighting rages on. We’ve lost so many good soldiers in this fight. If you read only one decision, however, read Nathan Hale’s. Future judges would do well to emulate his style. Indeed, is there any other way to do it?
You may be one of the three individuals in the continental U.S. who has not seen Travis Jonker’s blog post on The Art of the Picture Book Barcode. If you’re only just learning about it now, boy are you in for a treat.
“Really? Rosé?”
That one took some thought.
And now, the last and greatest flashdrive you will ever own:
Could just be a librarian thing, but I think I’m right in saying it reeks of greatness. Many thanks to Stephanie Whelan for the link.
Where There's A Will. Rex Stout. (Nero Wolfe #8) 1940. Bantam. 258 pages. [Source: Bought]
I always begin Nero Wolfe mysteries wanting to love them. I do love, love, love Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe. And I have certainly loved plenty of them in the past. Some more than others, of course. But at the very least, the mysteries generally serve as entertainment or distraction. Where There's A Will is not one of my favorites.
Wolfe and Goodwin are in need of clients, wealthy clients preferably. That isn't exactly unexpected. They almost always are in need of clients according to Goodwin. The book opens with the two meeting a family--dysfunctional family, don't you know?! This high-status family is in mourning. Three sisters (and their lawyers) come to Wolfe upset about their brother's will. Each had been under the assumption that they'd be left a million dollars each. They'd been left nothing, or almost nothing. They were disappointed, perhaps a bit ashamed at how angry they were. But the very fact that their brother's mistress received so very, very much is infuriating. Especially since he was married. The widow is outraged. Will Nero Wolfe go about trying to persuade this mistress woman to share the inheritance? Before that case gets a proper chance to be taken up, there comes a great shock. The brother's death was no accident. Someone murdered him. Now someone else in the family comes to Wolfe and begs him to take the case and solve the murder.
Can Wolfe solve the murder? Will Goodwin reach the same conclusion as Wolfe--in the same amount of time?
© 2014 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
In the Best Families. (Nero Wolfe). Rex Stout. 1950. 272 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
Wow! What a book, what a mystery! I absolutely loved, loved, loved Second Confession, but, I think I loved this one just as much. Three Nero Wolfe mysteries are closely linked together: And Be A Villain, Second Confession, and In the Best Families. Second Confession and In the Best Families especially fit together well. They introduce a character, Nero Wolfe likes to call "X" because he doesn't want to casually drop this bad guy's real name too often. X made threats in And Be A Villain and Second Confession, and in Second Confession X knew just how to make Nero suffer: by destroying his orchids. But nothing compares to the danger in In The Best Families.
It starts with a client, of course, all of his mysteries start with a client! Mrs. Rackham wants her husband investigated. She doesn't want to expose him, she's not out to publish any wrong-doings, she just wants to know herself what her husband has been up to. He used to ask her for money, now, he has his own resources, and she's doubtful that he's coming by them through honest hard work. They arrange for Archie Goodwin to come to her estate disguised as himself, he'll be "investigating" the poisoning of her cousin's dog. He'll be asking questions, lots of questions. Some are naturally suspicious. Who is paying for this investigation? The poor cousin (Leeds) or Mrs. Rackham herself? Since the dog survived and ultimately no harm was done, and since this all happened over a month ago, why pay Nero Wolfe prices for the answers?!
Goodwin was to spend the night at the cousin's small home (he's just a "quick" walk away from Mrs. Rackham's quite-large estate). But does Archie get a good night's sleep?! NO!!! When Archie calls Nero Wolfe with the details--Mrs. Rackham is dead--something unexpected happens. After much aggravation with the local police, still without any sleep, Archie returns home and discovers something shocking: NERO WOLFE IS GONE! Arrangements have been made for his orchids, for his cook, Fritz, and for Archie himself.
Archie all on his own?! Archie solving his own cases? Yes this book is quite unique!!!
I would love to tell more, because it's lovely through and through, but I won't. This book has so many great, great scenes!!!
© 2014 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The Doorbell Rang. Rex Stout. 1965. 207 pages.
Since it was the deciding factor, I might as well begin by describing it. As much as I love reading mysteries, I don't particularly like reviewing them. I don't really like knowing anything about a mystery before I pick it up myself. With one or two exceptions, for example, who is the author, who is the detective, and where is it set? In the case of The Doorbell Ring, this is what you should know: It stars Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe. Those two would make almost any book worth reading. I love them both so much. Of course, if you've never read one of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries, you don't know what you're missing. And if you have, well, then you probably won't need me to persuade you to pick this one up. I love the banter between these two in all the mysteries--though some books are better than others.
In The Doorbell Rang, Wolfe and Goodwin are hired by a woman who is tired of the FBI following her. She read an unflattering (to them) book exposing the FBI and was rich enough to send hundreds (at least) of copies out to men of status or influence. She wants her life back, but can Wolfe really get the FBI to leave her alone? Why are they bothering her in the first place? What started this whole mess in the first place? It turns out there was a murder...very indirectly related it turns out...but solving it may be the key to it all.
This one has been adapted, and it was lovely!Read The Doorbell Rang- If you love Rex Stout, Nero Wolfe, and Archie Goodwin
- If you love vintage mysteries
- If you love mystery series with strong narration
© 2012 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Champagne for One. Rex Stout. 1958/1995. Random House. 224 pages.
If it hadn't been raining and blowing that raw Tuesday morning in March I would have been out, walking to the bank to deposit a couple of checks, when Austin Byne phoned me, and he might have tried somebody else. But more likely not. He would probably have rung again later, so I can't blame all this on the weather. As it was, I was there in the office, oiling the typewriter and the two Marley .38's for which we had permits, from the same can of oil, when the phone rang and I lifted it and spoke. Last year I discovered mysteries, and I also discovered that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. While I haven't spent as much time in the mystery genre this year as I did last year, I do plan on reading some this year. I have got plenty of Rex Stout mysteries that I just can't wait to read!!!
Reading Champagne for One was an interesting experience for me since I had already seen the adaptation of it. (I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Nero Wolfe series--that show ended much too soon!!!) To read a mystery when you have a vague remembering of the details--the clues--is a different type of experience. Not a bad one necessarily. Just different.
In Champagne for One, Archie Goodwin attends a party in the home of one of Wolfe's former clients, Mrs. Robilotti. The dinner party is to "benefit" four single unwed mothers that had (in the past year) been helped by the charity (Grantham House) started by the woman's first husband, Mr. Grantham. Four gentlemen are invited to entertain the four young "unfortunate" women. Archie Goodwin was substituting at the last minute. Dinner and dancing. That's what is supposed to happen. Unfortunately, this year it is dinner, dancing, and murder. Of course, Archie Goodwin is the only one that KNOWS it was murder and not suicide. Why? Well. He was warned by one of the ladies that Faith Usher had a bottle of cyanide in her purse, so he keeps his eyes on that purse throughout the evening. Faith never goes near it. Yet, she still ends up dead--poisoned.
Who is the murderer? Can Goodwin and Wolfe outwit the murderer?
I loved this one. I think this is a GREAT Nero Wolfe mystery. It would be a great choice if you're new to the series. (The series can be read in any order, for the most part, I've been told there is a trilogy that go together, but the rest do stand alone.)
Read Champagne for One
- If you're a mystery fan
- If you're looking for mysteries set in the U.S. (as opposed to all the BRILLIANT British mysteries written by Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers)
- If you're a fan of Rex Stout, Nero Wolfe, and Archie Goodwin
- If you're a fan of books set in the 1950s
- If you like some comedy (banter) in your mysteries
© 2012 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
I love the Nero Wolfe connection with Lockwood & Co. so true and I love the Nero Wolfe books (actually prefer them to Poirot)
The buzz about BSC references in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt mayyyyy have played a role in my recent decision to join Netflix. I mean, Tina Fey was involved too. But BSC references!
Me too, though I enjoy both for different reasons.
Oh that wasn’t my review style–I was reviewing in the old Iron Chef judge style, breaking the books down to separate battles. Glad you liked it! My poor winning book is already dead.
But, Nathan, maybe it will come back from the dead — find out tomorrow! (Love knowing you were using Iron Chef methods for your decision.) (Monica, one third of the BOB Battle Commander.)
BSC on UKS? Whaat? I will have to be the last person I know to start watching this. And so should that Mystery ghost, I suspect. Paging Ellen Miles!
Seriously?! Someone didn’t tell you before me? Heck, if I’d been the showrunner I would have called you in your very home. Now wondering about Ellen. You’d better break the news to her gently, Peter.