Character descriptionActor.

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Character descriptionFrench Emperor.

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Character descriptionMember of the social register.

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Character descriptionMaster chef in Wolfe's kitchen, has a small apartment in the basement. (In "Fer-De-Lance," his apartment is across from the plant room, not in the basement.) Swiss; native French speaker, served in WWI. Uninterested in murder, except whether a client is in the offing; gets anxious about household finance when Wolfe isn't working. Doesn't like to talk while cooking. Changes to his old slippers at 9 pm because of "things left on his feet by the war to remember it by". Implied he was a member of the Swiss Alpine Patrol during WWI.

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Character descriptionInspector with NYPD, Homicide. Has tolerate / hate relationship with Wolfe. He respects Wolfe, but is greatly irritated by his eccentricities. Habitually chews (but rarely lights) cigars. Notably, Cramer lights a cigar in Wolfe's office during "Instead of Evidence" in which the murder weapon is an exploding cigar! First name is given as Fergus one time, but generally accepted as Lionel. Had a son in the Army Air Corps during WWII. Archie has called Mrs. Cramer on the phone more than once to reach the Inspector at home. Archie's favorite alias for him is "the man about the chair" or "any name with a double "d", e.g., Mr. Judd". At no time is Inspector Cramer ever referred to in the books as "Lionel T." Cramer; his first name is given as "Fergus" in "Where There's a Will." There is a lone later reference to him as L.T.C. (The Silent Speaker), but never Lionel. Stout's biographer, John McAleer, asked Stout to explain the "Fergus"/"L.T.C" discrepancy; Stout replied: "No significance. Laziness. I didn't bother to check on whether he already had a first name. Of course, all discrepancies in the Nero Wolfe stories are Archie Goodwin's fault." (from "Royal Decree; Conversations with Rex Stout) He is featured in a book by Stout called Red Threads, first published 1939, tracking down a killer with a young fashion designer. There is no reference to Nero Wolfe.

Reserved notes for this caseAsks Wolfe for his opinion concerning the death of Bess Huddleston. Storms into the brownstone and demands the presence of Daniel Huddleston and Archie downtown after the two are known to have left the Huddleston estate with evidence. Wolfe is infuriated. Cramer is outdone when Wolfe hands over a signed confession from Janet Nichols for the murder of Bess Huddleston.

Character descriptionBorn Long Island, 1953. Parents killed in car crash in 1956; sent to Tenterden, England to be brought up by aunt and her entomologist husband.

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Character descriptionNews broadcaster, WPIT. Wolfe thinks little of his professional abilities.

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Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.

Reserved notes for this caseArchie dates Janet Nichols in an attempt to get info concerning the identity of the sender of the anonymous letters and the death of Bess Huddleston. Archie is curious about why Wolfe sent such an extravagent bouquet (8 black orchids) to the funeral of Bess Huddleston. Archie is too late to keep Janet from scratching Larry Huddleston after Wolfe exposeses her as the murderer.

Character descriptionWolfe procrastionation.

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Character descriptionFriend of Maryella Timms.

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Character descriptionMother of Helen Horrocks.

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Character descriptionOlder man. Wolfe's orchid nurse. Lives in small cubbyhole on the roof with the plants. First mentioned in ch. 3 of "Fer-de-lance" - Archie sometimes hears him shouting at Wolfe in the mornings.

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Character descriptionHuddleston butler.

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Character descriptionCaters parties for the social elite.

Reserved notes for this caseKilled -- Wolfe sends eight precious black orchids to her funeral.

Character descriptionBrother of Bess Huddleston. Chemist.

Reserved notes for this caseSuspects that his sister Bess has been murdered, but is not believed by the police. Takes the grass soaked with the bogus iodine to Wolfe for analysis to prove foul play.

Character descriptionNephew to Bess Huddleston.

Reserved notes for this caseAbandons affair with Janet Nichols due to pressure from aunt Bess. Picture of Janet Nichols formerly kept in his watch gives Wolfe clue to their previous relationship.

Character descriptionHuddleston stable man.

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Character descriptionBoxer

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Character descriptionHarvard professor.

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Character descriptionAssistant to Bess Huddleston. Very good at her job.

Reserved notes for this caseIn love with Larry Huddleston. Revealed as the murderer by Wolfe. Nichols' attempt to divert suspicion from herself by cutting herself with a piece of glass and administering bogus iodine causes Wolfe to suspect her.

Character descriptionAttractive blonde. Daughter of millionaire sewer man James Rowan, owns the Bar JR ranch in Montana.

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Character descriptionLieutenant in NYPD. Has antagonistic relationship with Archie and Wolfe.

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Character descriptionInitially an employee in N.Y. D.A.'s office. Later Cramer's man. Detective (sergeant). Unfriendly.

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Character descriptionSouthern belle. Secretary to Bess Huddleston.

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Character descriptionM.D. Wolfe's consultant where a physician is needed. Wolfe likes him. Always accepts a beer when he calls in the evenings. He leaves abruptly after business is finished. His house and office is one minute (60 yards)from the brownstone. His brownstone still has a vestibule (Mr Wolfe removed his years ago to make the front hallway bigger). Once signed a medical certificate that Mr Wolfe was batty. Once took 22 stitches in Archie's side when a character "went wide enough but not deep enough". Short. Spectacled.

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Character descriptionFisher Laboratories.

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Character descriptionMaster detective. Genius. Estimated weight: 1/7 ton. Carries a large platinum watch in his vest pocket. Sends a check every month to his mother in Budapest ("Fer-de-lance, ch. 13)..

Reserved notes for this caseSends eight black orchids to be placed on the casket of Bess Huddleston. Archie suspects Wolfe does so to ease his guilt due to his inaction before her murder. Solves the murder mystery to spite Cramer's aggressive actions.