- Case
- Murder by the Book
- Year Published
- 1951
- Case Introduction
- 19 February - 12 March, 1951. Inspector Cramer shows Wolfe a list of names found in the room of a murdered man who was fished out of the river on New Year's Day. A few weeks later, John R. Wellman tells Wolfe of a letter written by his dead daughter. The letter mentions a name on Cramer's list. Wellman wants the person that killed his daughter; thus, Wolfe has a client.
- Notes
- Resolution
-
Wolfe compiles adequate evidence to cast doubt on Con O'Malley's alibi, and Cramer is prepared to take O'Malley downtown for questioning. John Wellman, father of murdered Joan Wellman, saves Cramer the trouble when he confronts O'Malley who crumbles.
Characters in the case:
Typed the manuscript of "Put Not Your Trust."
Character descriptionFreelance professional typist.
Reserved notes for this casePushed from the window of her 7th-floor office two or three minutes before Archie arrives; third murder victim.
One of the few guests to remain sober at Archie's dinner party; attempts to maintain some level of decorum and discretion.
Character descriptionSecretary to senior partner James A. Corrigan at the law firm of Corrigan, Phelps, Kustin and Briggs. Age 48, serious.
Reserved notes for this case
Fritz prepared almond parfait, ducklings, and spareribs in special sauce during this case. Out of the goodness of his heart, he volunteered to help Archie with the ladies if needed. :)
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
Age at least 70. Does not impress Archie favourably.
Character descriptionAttorney. Partner in Corrigan, Phelps, Kustin and Briggs.
Reserved notes for this case
Became senior partner in the reorganized firm upon the disbarment of O'Malley.
Character descriptionAttorney, once a partner in O'Malley, Corrigan, and Phelps, later senior partner in Corrigan, Phelps, Kustin and Briggs.
Reserved notes for this caseTriggered the disbarment via an anonymous letter; murdered by O'Malley.
Became a full partner and chief trial counsel in the firm, after O'Malley (former senior partner and former chief trial counsel) was disbarred.
Character descriptionAttorney. Partner in Corrigan, Phelps, Kustin and Briggs, in which he is chief trial counsel.
Reserved notes for this case
Stuck in the investigation of the Dykes murder, Cramer breaks down and asks Wolfe, as a favor, to look at a list of names found in the victim's apartment.
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
Assists Archie at the dinner party by prompting him to tell an exciting story about being a detective.
Character descriptionSecretary to Emmett Phelps at Corrigan, Phelps, Kustin & Briggs law firm. Fine temples.
Reserved notes for this caseLeonard Dykes was secretly in love with her.
Archie delivers the orchids to her at the office. She's the one who calls him up in response to his dinner invitation by spelling out her recipe for a good drink.
Character descriptionSwitchboard operator at Corrigan law firm. Three shades of blonde, good dancer.
Reserved notes for this caseConfidante of Leonard Dykes.
First murder victim; fished out of the East River on New Year's Day, before the story opens. Hit on the head but died of drowning.
Character descriptionConfidential law clerk at Corrigan firm, about 40; deceased. No personal life to speak of outside work, unmarried.
Reserved notes for this caseWrote "Put Not Your Trust", fictionalized account of a scandal in the firm, hoping to accomplish something good enough to attract Sue Dondero.
Archie wines and dines the women from the law firm in an attempt to shake loose some facts concerning the murder of Leonard Dykes.
Archie describes his adverserial relationship with Rowcliff; whenever the two are in a heated debate, Archie stutters brining on Rowcliff's stutter. Thus, Archie has the upper hand.
Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.
Reserved notes for this caseJust misses speaking with Rachel Abrahms who typed "Put Not Your Trust" for Baird Archer by three minutes. She had been strangled and pushed out her office window.
Wolfe sends Archie to California to speak with Dykes' sister about helping lay a trap.
Character descriptionSecretary to Louis Kustin at Corrigan, Phelps, Kustin and Briggs. Not only pretty, but clever.
Reserved notes for this caseO'Malley used her typewriter to add the bogus biblical reference to the memo.
Employed by Archie to pose as a literary agent, Walter Finch, in possession of the manuscript for "Put Not Your Trust."
Character descriptionCompetent detective employed by the Southwest Agency in Los Angeles.
Reserved notes for this case
Packs the orchids for Archie while Archie makes out & attaches the labels; nearly has a nervous breakdown with so many people and so much alcohol sloshing around the plant rooms during the dinner party.
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 case
Embittered; suspects his partners of involvement in his disbarment.
Character descriptionDisbarred attorney, formerly chief trial lawyer and senior partner of the firm of O'Malley, Corrigan, and Phelps.
Reserved notes for this caseMurdered Dykes, who knew the whole story of his disbarment and had written a novel (Put Not Your Trust) about it, then murdered Joan Wellman and Rachel Abrams, who had read it, in order to clear the way to murder Corrigan.
Called in to help check all the typing bureaus, looking for records of Baird Archer and "Put Not Your Trust." Investigates the killer's alibi for the murder of Rachel Abrams.
Chapter 22, Nero Wolfe speaking: "That is Mr. Panzer, there at the end of Mr. Goodwin's desk. If he ever wants to know anything about you, tell him; you might as well."
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 case
Corresponded regularly with brother and kept his letters. Archie travels to California to interview her.
Character descriptionYounger sister and sole heir of Leonard Dykes; married to a man Archie calls 'bubblehead.'
Reserved notes for this caseArchie figures in 20 years the difference in their ages won't matter much, she'll be a widow, and he'll grab her.
Gets a bit smashed at Archie's dinner party; makes the speech she calls her 'maiden effort'.
Character descriptionSecretary at Corrigan law firm. Middle-aged.
Reserved notes for this case
Wolfe leaves the brownstone to eat with Marko rather than attend Archie's dinner party.
Character description"He was one of only two men whom Wolfe will call by their first names, apart from employees," Archie relates as he introduces Marko in "Too Many Cooks." A boyhood friend from Montenegro, Marko is welcome to address Wolfe by his first name, and he dines monthly at Wolfe's house. One of the Fifteen Masters, Marko is the great chef of Rusterman's restaurant in New York -- one of the few places Wolfe will dine away from home.
Reserved notes for this case
Deceased as the story begins. An editor at Scholl and Hanna book publishers; sent rejection letter to Baird Archer after reading manuscript of "Put Not Your Trust." Run over by a car in Van Cortlandt Park. Second murder victim.
Character descriptionSmith graduate, age 26, pursuing a promising career in publishing.
Reserved notes for this case
Wellman hires Wolfe to catch the murderer of his daughter Joan.
Wellman is tenacious in his desire to have the murderer brought to justice, risking his life savings.
Character descriptionPlump, short, going bald, with not much of a nose to hold up his rimless glasses.
Wholesale grocer from Peoria, Illinois.
Father of Joan Wellman.
Reserved notes for this caseWellman dramatically confronts Con O'Malley in Wolfe's office, "I'd like to see if you feel like shaking hands with me." O'Malley crumbles, saving Cramer the trouble of interrogating him with the evidence Wolfe compiled.
Shoots pool with Marko in the basement for exercise. According to Archie, he can tie bows better than either Archie or Theodore.
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 caseHas a telegram waiting for Archie in California: CONFOUND IT DID YOU ARRIVE SAFELY OR NOT.
Meals in the case:
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Orchids in the case:
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Quotations in the case:
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