- Case
- The Zero Clue
- Year Published
- 1954
- Case Introduction
- Latter half of 1953. Probability wizard Leo Heller wanted a partnership with genius detective Nero Wolfe. Wolfe thinks Heller is a charlatan and Wolfe is more interested in chasing thrips off his orchids. When Heller is found murdered some cryptic notes in his office point to N.W and Archie.
- Notes
- Resolution
-
A dying clue in the Ellery Queen tradition - the clue was actually the number of victims killed at a hospital, 302 (the eraser represented a zero). Heller was indicating in a roundabout way that his killer was the person responsible.
Characters in the case:
Executive Editor of Mode magazine. Leo Heller client.
Character descriptionLeo Heller client.
Reserved notes for this case
Fritz prepared Il Pesto during this case.
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.
Reserved notes for this case
Broadway smoothie - 3rd grade. Wanted formula for picking winning horses - particularly a horse named 'Zero'.
Character descriptionLeo Heller client.
Reserved notes for this case
mentioned
Character descriptionSecond in line behind Saul Panzer when Nero and Archie need extra manpower.
Reserved notes for this case
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 case
Diemaker and inventor. Leo Heller client. Invented X-ray alternative.
Character descriptionLeo Heller client.
Reserved notes for this case
Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.
Reserved notes for this case
Interested on Jack Ennis's X-ray alternative.
Character descriptionOf Montrose Hospital.
Reserved notes for this case
Office on fifth floor of building on East 37th Street.
Character descriptionProbability wizard.
Reserved notes for this case
Wolfe had his book 'Mathmatics For The Millions'.
Character descriptionAuthor.
Reserved notes for this case
Doorman at Leo Heller's building. He wanted Wolfe's autograph.
Character descriptionDoorman.
Reserved notes for this case
Leo Heller potential client. Worked at Montrose Hospital.
Character descriptionRegistered Nurse.
Reserved notes for this case
Homicide cop on post at Leo Heller's office when Henrietta Tillotson tried to bribe him to let her look at Heller's files.
Character descriptionCop
Reserved notes for this case
John R. Winslow's uncle - deceased. Left John six cents in his will.
Character descriptionUncle to John R. Winslow.
Reserved notes for this case
Confirmed pencils location for Wolfe and Cramer while Archie listened in on telephone over by the big globe.
Character descriptionCop
Reserved notes for this case
Assisted Inspector Cramer questioning Leo Heller's clients.
Character descriptionLieutenant in NYPD. Has antagonistic relationship with Archie and Wolfe.
Reserved notes for this case
Character descriptionInitially an employee in N.Y. D.A.'s office. Later Cramer's man.
Detective (sergeant). Unfriendly.
Reserved notes for this case
Overfed matron. Tried to bribe cop Timothy Murphy.
Character descriptionLeo Heller client.
Reserved notes for this case
Wanted formula for rich aunts longevity.
Character descriptionLeo Heller client.
Reserved notes for this case
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 case
Meals in the case:
(no meals are currently in the NWD for this story)
Orchids in the case:
(no orchids are currently in the NWD for this story)
Quotations in the case:
(no quotations are currently in the NWD for this story)