- Case
- Where There's a Will
- Year Published
- 1940
- Case Introduction
- 14-16 July, 1939. The will of wealthy and famous Noel Hawthorne causes suspicion and ill-will in the Hawthorne family. Wolfe is hired to iron out the matter.
- Notes
- Resolution
-
Glen Prescott altered the will by changing out the first page to leave the bulk of Hawthorne's estate to Naomi Karn to get Naomi to agree to marry him. He executed his plan after the death of his secretary, who was the only person who could contradict his story about the will. He drove out to the Dunn's country home and murdered Noel Hawthorne and then drove back to New York to pick up Sara Dunn and bring her to the party. His mistake was that he had cornflowers in his buttonhole on the day of the murder but came back to the city with a wild rose in his buttonhole, which could not have been purchased in New York City. Sara photographed him with the wild roses, which was proof of his guilt.
Characters in the case:
Is already deceased (tuberculosis) before the story begins. She is only mentioned.
Character descriptionFormer private secretary to Glenn Prescott, died in 1939 of tuberculosis
Reserved notes for this caseGlenn Prescott waited until she was dead and could not contradict his story of the will before he put his plan in action.
Assigned to tail Naomi Karn by Nero Wolfe.
Character descriptionSecond in line behind Saul Panzer when Nero and Archie need extra manpower.
Reserved notes for this caseThat is how Archie knew that Naomi Karn was at the Hawthorne house when he saw Orrie lurking outside.
Junior law partner with Dunwoodie, Prescott & Davis. Was a brilliant lawyer until he became an alcoholic and began living a double life as Earl Dawson.
Character descriptionAttorney with the firm Dunwoodie, Prescott, and Davis
Reserved notes for this caseWas hopelessly in love with Naomi Karn and began drinking heavily when she began her affair with Noel Hawthorne. He was already married and kept an apartment under the name of Earl Dawson so he could continue his affair with Naomi.
In love with Celia Fleet, his Aunt April's secretary. He is a lawyer who worked at Daniel Cullen and Company with his Uncle Noel. He is encouraged by his Aunt April and Celia to follow his dream to be an actor.
Character descriptionSon of June Hawthorne Dunn and Secretary of State John Dunn, attorney
Reserved notes for this caseHe and Celia were walking in the woods and were the first to discover Noel Hawthorne's body. Any removed the cornflower from the murder scene because he thought that it would incriminate his Aunt April.
Married to older Hawthorne sister, June. Father of Sarah and Andy.
Character descriptionSecretary of State
Reserved notes for this caseIn danger of losing his position because of confidential information that was leaked which allowed Daniel Cullen and Company to profit. Dunn suspected that the information was leaked by Noel Hawthorne, but it turned out that Daisy was the one.
Character descriptionOldest of the Hawthorne sisters.
Wrote sensational novels at young age.
Married John Charles Dunn who was Secretary of State.
Reserved notes for this caseShe and her husband and son Andy destroyed the cornflower found at Noel Hawthorne's murder scene because they thought it might incriminate April. She also let Naomi Karn into the Hawthorne home and suggested to her sisters that April impersonate Daisy to see what Naomi wanted.
Glen Prescott picked her up at her job and drove her to her parent's country home for their 25th anniversay party. She was an avid photographer.
Character descriptionDaughter of June Hawthorne Dunn and Secretary of State John Dunn, amateur photographer
Reserved notes for this caseShe took the incriminating phot of Glen Prescott with the wild rose pinned to his lapel, which was evidence that he had been to the country estate earlier and had discarded his cornflower and replaced it with a wild rose that was not available in New York.
He tailed the man that met Naomi Karn for dinner.
Character descriptionHired hand used by Wolfe and Archie when extra manpower is needed. Not the best, but can tail better than anybody but Saul. The favorite "irregular" after Saul - Fritz: "I'm glad it's Orrie instead of Saul or Fred"; Archie: "Such a chore for Saul or Fred of course, but I didn't like doing it for Orrie."; Mr Wolfe: "He doesn't have the dignity of a man who has found his place and occupies it, as you have, Fred."
Bald, burly, 5'10, 190 lbs; moves like a bear. Married with four children. Archie: "You can trust him to hell and back."
Reserved notes for this caseThe man turned out to be Eugene Davis, partner with the firm of Dunwoodie, Prescott, and Davis, who was keeping an apartment under the name of Earl Dawson.
In love with Andy Dunn.
Character descriptionSecretary of April Hawthorne.
Reserved notes for this caseShe and Andy Dunn were the first to find Noel Hawthorne's body at the country estate.
Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.
Reserved notes for this case
Youngest of the Hawthorne sisters, famous actress in love with Osric Stauffer.
Character descriptionFamous actress from famous family.
Reserved notes for this caseShe disguised herself as Daisy and met with Naomi Karn in the living room at the Hawthorn house.
She hated her husband Noel Hawthorne and intended to fight Naomi Karn for the money. She blamed all of the Hawthornes and hated them all.
Character descriptionWife of Noel Dunn, wears a veil to hide her face after is was disfigured in an archery accident
Reserved notes for this caseShe often hid behind the drapes in her living room to eavesdrop and snuck around for the same purpose. She knew about the corn flower that Andy Dunn found at the murder scene and suspected April of killing her brother. She was the one who overheard her brother-in-law and Secretary of State having confidential conversations and disclosed the information to Charles Cullen and Co.
She was insistent that her brother, Noel had promised her $1 million to her college. She did not get along with Wolfe because she was an intellectual and he was a romantic.
Character descriptionVery bright.
Never married.
President of Varney College.
Reserved notes for this case
He died suddenly and left most of his millions to his mistress, Naomi Karn.
Character descriptionWealthy partner of Daniel Cullen and Company.
Reserved notes for this caseIt turned out that he was murdered and that his will had been altered.
Character descriptionWealthy (inherited money), but a pariah in his financial bracked because he is a chief provider of bail for indicted Communists.
Reserved notes for this case
Had worked for Eugene Davis as his secretary when they began an affair. Then millionaire Noel Hawthorne seduced her away. She still continued to see Eugene Davis on the side.
Character descriptionSingle woman with strong personality.
Reserved notes for this caseWhen she realized that Noel Hawthorne had been murdered, she became a liability for the murderer and was then murdered to keep her quiet.
Wolfe assigned him to interview the female staff at Dunwoodie, Prescott, and Davis to see how the will could be altered.
Character descriptionReserve manpower called in periodically. Looks like a Princeton boy with his face washed. With his satisfied handsomeness, Johnny unquestionably wants Archie's job, Archie believes; but Archie knows Wolfe would never be able to stand him.
Reserved notes for this case
Investigated Dunwoodie, Prescott, and Davis' office procedures and found about the death of Lucille Adams, Prescott's confidential secretary.
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
Prepared the revised will for Noel Hawthorne, which left the majority of his money to his mistress, Naomi Karn.
Character descriptionAttorney from Dunwoodie, Prescott & Davis, representing the Hawthorne family.
Reserved notes for this caseObsessed with Naomi Karn. Concocted a scheme to change the first page of Noel Hawthorne's will to leave the bulk of his estate to Naomi Karn in return for her marrying him. When his old secretary died, he realized that there was no one who could contradict his story. He drove out to the Dunn's country home and murdered Noel Hawthorne and then drove back to the city to pick up Sara Dunn and bring her to the country home for her parent's 25th anniversary. He messed up by changing his lapel flower from the cornflower to a wild rose, which could not be gotten in New York. Sara photographed him with the incriminating flower.
In love with April Hawthorne.
Character descriptionEmployee of Daniel Cullen and Company.
Reserved notes for this caseHe hid behind the drapes in the living room when April was impersonating Daisy. He offered Archie $1,000 not to disclose that.
He also knew that Daisy Hawthorne was the one that disclosed the information that allowed Cullen and Company to benefit by the deal.
He traveled to the Hawthorne house in a taxi when summoned by Secretary of State John Charles Dunn.
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 caseHe snuck out of the Hawthorne house after Naomi Karn's body was found so he could go home and eat dinner.
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