- Case
- Immune to Murder
- Year Published
- 1957
- Case Introduction
- Autumn 1955. David Leeson, Asst. Secretary of State, has persuaded Wolfe to visit River Bend to cook brook trout for an ambassador that the US wants favors from.
- Notes
- Resolution
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Ambassador Kelefy murdered Leeson because Leeson was having an affair with his wife, Adria, and she let it slip. Kelefy had diplomatic immunity and had to be sent back for trial in his own country, where he was shot. Wolfe realized that Kelefy had not been fishing that morning because the fish in his bag were old and had clearly been caught the day before. Wolfe was also insulted when Kelefy tried to bribe him with his emerald ring and he realized that Kelefy blamed his wife for the murder when he insisted that his wife present Wolfe with the ring.
Characters in the case:
Rich owner of an oil company and the host. He dislikes Ferris and seats him at the dinner table in a chair very close to the roaring fireplace for spite. Archie is seated across the table from Ferris, also too close to the fire and suffers as well.
Character descriptionHemisphere Oil Company, very rich.
Reserved notes for this case
Takes charge of the murder investigation.
Character descriptionDistrict Attorney up River Bend way.
Reserved notes for this caseWould prefer to find Wolfe or Archie guilty of the murder rather than offend one of the other rich guests.
Attends the murder investigation personally.
Character descriptionSheriff up River Bend way.
Reserved notes for this case
Mentioned.
Character descriptionRoman restauranteur who serves some recipes developed by Wolfe.
Reserved notes for this case
Bragan bears Ferris some petty ill-will, and shows it in little things like giving him an uncomfortable seat at the dining table.
Character descriptionRepresents the Universal Syndicate - a syndicate of 5 oil companies.
Reserved notes for this case
Got Wolfe all the way out to River Bend as directed.
Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.
Reserved notes for this caseFinds the murder victim while trout fishing
Investigating officer.
Character descriptionPoliceman in River Bend.
Reserved notes for this case
Phones during the investigation.
Character descriptionAttorney General, State of New York.
Reserved notes for this case
Wife of Ambassador Kelefy and Archie finds her appealing.
Character descriptionMarried to Theodore Kelefy, although she seems young enough to be his daughter.
Reserved notes for this caseHad an affair with David Leeson when he was serving in her country as an ambassador. Confessed to her husband and tried to resume the affair when they came to visit this country.
The U.S. wants a favor from him; he personally wants to eat brook trout cooked by Wolfe.
Character descriptionAmbassador to the U.S.
Reserved notes for this caseMurdered David Leeson because Leeson had an affair with Kelefy's wife. Wolfe realized the Ambassador's guilt when he noticed that the fish in Kelefy's bag were not fresh and had obviously been caught the day before.
Phoned Wolfe to ask him to cook for his country.
Character descriptionAssistant Secretary of State.
Reserved notes for this caseMurder victim. Was having an affair with the Ambassador's wife while Leeson was stationed in the Ambassador's country and the wife wanted to resume the affair when she arrived in the states, which infuriated the Ambassador.
Seems unhappy.
Character descriptionWife of David Leeson.
Reserved notes for this caseKnew of her husband's affair with the Ambassador's wife.
Invited Ferris to the trout fishing week.
Character descriptionAdvisor to Theodore Kelefy.
Reserved notes for this case
Wolfe phones him.
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.)
Reserved notes for this caseBecause the phones are being monitored, Wolfe speaks to Parker in French to find out the particulars of the Ambassador's immunity.
The local law would like him as a suspect.
Character descriptionCook for O.V. Bragan for the last 15 years.
Reserved notes for this case
Claims he has lumbago - Archie says it's acute mooditis from being tensed up throughout the drive to River Bend. He's been asked there to cook trout Montbarry.
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:
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Orchids in the case:
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Quotations in the case:
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