Character descriptionSneak thief.

Reserved notes for this case

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

Character descriptionPhilanthropist (inherited wealth). Age 55.

Reserved notes for this caseIn addition to paying Wolfe for solving the murder, he presents Wolfe with the flamingo-pink Vanda orchid plant.

Character descriptionWife to Millard Bynoe, who is 20 years her senior; daughter of an Episcopalian bishop.

Reserved notes for this caseWouldn't bother her husband with the problem of Mr. Frimm on Good Friday; she was waiting until after Easter to tell him about it.

Character descriptionItalian adventurer.

Reserved notes for this caseIris calls the killer a 'tinhorn Casanova.'

Character descriptionSecond in line behind Saul Panzer when Nero and Archie need extra manpower.

Reserved notes for this caseArchie said that Orrie wouldn't do it except possibly as a personal favour to Wolfe.

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

Reserved notes for this case

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

Character descriptionAssistant District Attorney

Reserved notes for this case

Character descriptionExecutive Secretary of the Bynoe Rehabilition Fund, which is one of the major interests of both Mr. and Mrs. Millard Bynoe.

Reserved notes for this caseMurdered Mrs. Bynoe because she discovered that he was embezzling from the Bynoe Rehabilition Fund. Archie's photo showed that he had something in his hand (the needle with the poison) when he was fending off Tabby in front of the church.

Character descriptionFreelance professional photographer.

Reserved notes for this caseDidn't know the Bynoes at all.

Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.

Reserved notes for this case

Character descriptionPhotographer for the Gazette.

Reserved notes for this case

Character descriptionOrchid grower.

Reserved notes for this case

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

Character descriptionPhotographer for 'Senorita' magazine.

Reserved notes for this caseKnew that Frimm had tried to seduce Mrs. Bynoe, because he hinted at it; called him a tinhorn Casanova.

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

Character descriptionPhotographer with All-Over Pictures, Inc.

Reserved notes for this case

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

Reserved notes for this case

Character descriptionDistrict attorney. Unfriendly.

Reserved notes for this case

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

Reserved notes for this case

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