Character descriptionOriginal name Bootsy; named Nero by Archie to annoy Wolfe; christened Jet by Wolfe.

Reserved notes for this caseThe dog (who belonged to the victim) is crucial to the solution of the crime. He followed Archie because, through a complicated set of circumstances that points to the killer, Archie unknowingly had his owner's raincoat.

Character descriptionNight club performer living on the third floor at 29 Arbor Street.

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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 descriptionArtist living on the fourth floor, 29 Arbor Street.

Reserved notes for this caseThe woman on the couch was Margaret Ryan aka Jewel Jones, Richard Meegan's wife.

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.

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Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.

Reserved notes for this caseThe coat ends up belonging to the murder, who himself took it by mistake.

Character descriptionWorked in a night club and was friendly with the tenants of 29 Arbor Street.

Reserved notes for this caseReally Margaret Ryan. She was married to Richard Meegan and when she left him, she moved to New York and changed her name to Jewel Jones. She had an affair with the murder victem Phil Kampf and posed for the painting, "Three Young Mares at Pasture," for artist, Ross Chaffee.

Character descriptionOwner of dog, Bootsie.

Reserved notes for this caseTaunted Richard Meegan about Kampf's affair with Meegan's wife. Came back later to return Meegan's rain coat and said sarcastically that he would give Meegan back his rain coat in exchange for Meegan's wife. Meegan killed him.

Character descriptionCame to Wolfe to have him tap a phone. Wolfe refused.

Reserved notes for this caseHe murdered Phillip Kampf because he realized that Kampf had been having an affair with his wife, Jewel Jones, and Kampf made a sarcastic remark that he would give Meegan back his raincoat if Kampf could have Meegan's wife.

Character descriptionJanitor living in the basement at 29 Arbor Street

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Character descriptionMarried to Richard Meegan, left him after seven months.

Reserved notes for this caseWhen she left Richard Meegan in Pittsburg, she changed her name to Jewel Jones and moved to New York. She posed for the painting, "Three Young Mares at Rest," for Ross Chaffee.

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

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Character descriptionLawyer living on the first floor at 29 Arbor Street.

Reserved notes for this caseArranged to meet Jewel Jones to tell her about Phil Kampf's murder.

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)..

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