Character descriptionProwl car cop

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Character descriptionLive-in

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Character descriptionPotential client.

Reserved notes for this caseAfter Archie left in a huff, Wolfe called Anderson and agreed to see him.

Character descriptionWidow, chasing Waldo Kearns. Friend of Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Irving.

Reserved notes for this casePhoebe once slandered Judy, who retaliated by beating her up.

Character descriptionCab driver (she bought the vehicle and license with a legacy for fun; formerly a model). Unconventional, quick-tempered, prone to physically lash out while quarreling.

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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.

Reserved notes for this caseArchie can do without pork stewed in beer, and both Wolfe and Fritz know it, so it's a contributing factor.

Character descriptionReporter at the Gazette. Dark skin, dark brown eyes. Neat little face, slick black hair. Neatest (card) shuffler Archie knows.

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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 caseSince Archie is more or less serious about quitting, and he and Wolfe don't play their fire-vs-quit games in front of company, Cramer figures it's a new ploy.

Character descriptionLawyer

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Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.

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Character descriptionAmerican writer.

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Character descriptionFashion model, separated from her husband Waldo Kearns.

Reserved notes for this caseGot a Reno divorce after Phoebe's death.

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 descriptionBroker

Reserved notes for this caseMira called him to tell him she was driving the cab on the night of the murder.

Character descriptionWife of Gilbert Irving.

Reserved notes for this caseShe murdered Phoebe to frame Mira because her husband, Gilbert, was in love with Mira. She overheard Mira telling Gilbert that she would be driving the cab with her husband, Waldo Kearns, that night and she arranged for Phoebe to distract Waldo from the house and to surprise Mira with their presence-when they got into the cab, Mrs. Irving stabbed Phoebe and then followed Mira to Wolfe's house and then called the police.

Character descriptionArtist - paints pictures but doesn't sell any. Estranged husband of Mira Holt.

Reserved notes for this caseAgreed to a Reno divorce after Phoebe's death.

Character descriptionWolfe's lawyer -- the only lawyer Wolfe ever sent orchids to. A bachelor who plays bridge on winter Sundays. (Appears as "Henry" Parker in The Squirt & the Monkey and The Golden Spiders.)

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Character descriptionArtist

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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 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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