Character descriptionDazy Perrit's bodyguard. Has an 'embalmed face'.

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Character descriptionPoliceman

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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 caseWolfe and Archie both figure that Cramer thinks they'll be killed, and he's too religious to think anything's appropriate but the last rites.

Character descriptionGangster

Reserved notes for this caseEnemy of Thumbs Meeker. Shot Morton Schane but, although Schane did die in the incident, it was not Fabian's bullet killed him.

Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.

Reserved notes for this caseTitle quote is from Archie, who's actually scared by this case. He's glad that before he dies, he's seen some of the things that happen as it unfolds.

Character descriptionPolice commissioner. Unfriendly.

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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.

Reserved notes for this caseArchie warns him that the lady in question is crying in the potting room, and recommends that he find chores elsewhere for awhile.

Character descriptionGangster

Reserved notes for this caseMet with gangster Fabian in Wolfe's office. Shot Dazy Perrit's murderer, Schane.

Character descriptionaka Violet Perrit and Sally Smith.

Reserved notes for this caseIn cahoots with Morton Schane. Gunned down in the street while being escorted home by Archie Goodwin.

Character descriptionDaughter to Dazy Perrit, student at Columbia.

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Character descriptionTop hired hand Nero and Archie look to for manpower. Hosts regular Thursday night poker game at eight pm at his apartment in Brooklyn. Rust-colored hair, 5'7, 145 lbs, big nose and flat ears. In the "Rubber Band" (ch. 6) Archie tells us that Panzer has a photographic memory when it comes to faces.

Reserved notes for this caseArchie notes Saul's change of attitude from the congenial conversationalist he had been at lunch: he never takes his eyes from Morton Schane once they enter the office. Wolfe claimed Saul was tailing Schane, but Archie thinks that was fabricated to touch off what, in fact, actually happened in the office during the final confrontation. Archie didn't see Saul shoot at all, but it was his bullet that went through Schane's heart.

Character descriptionGangster, known as the King of the Black Market.

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

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Character descriptionFiance to Beulah Page.

Reserved notes for this caseSchane was not a law student but a con man in cahoots with Angelina Murphy. He double crossed her and gunned her down and Dazy Perrit and his bodyguard. He was shot dead in Wolfe's office.

Character descriptionLawyer

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Character descriptionEvangelist.

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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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