MY READER'S BLOCK: Rex Stout Duo

SCAM artist alert

Apparently there is someone calling themself "Luigi Calloway" out there who is claiming to be associated with the Mount TBR Reading Challenge. He is contacting authors and telling them if they pay him, then their books will be used for the challenge. It's possible he's also telling people they must pay to participate in any way. Please know that there is absolutely no charge associated in any way with this reading challenge and that this person does NOT represent me or anything associated with my blog. I DO NOT endorse anything that he claims.There will NEVER be a reason for anyone to have to pay for participation in any way for any of my challenges. If only people who exert this much time and effort on scamming people would put it into something worthwhile....like reading their own books!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Rex Stout Duo

Just finished up two mysteries by Rex Stout--And Be a Villain and If Death Ever Slept. The Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin books are part of one of my comfort mystery series. When I want a book that I know will satisfy and take me to another time period, then I reach for Stout (or Christie or Sayers or Richard & Frances Lockridge). Both of these were fast reads and gave me exactly what I was looking for. I love Archie Goodwin and I love the way he plays Wolfe...especially when Wolfe has been lazy and they need a job to pay the bills (orchids and the fancy eating prepared by Fritz). The beginning of If Death Ever Slept is classic. Wolfe thinks he's going to teach Archie a lesson and Archie turns the tables and reels his boss right into the job. Both of these were well-plotted. I had my suspicions about the villain in And Be a Villain, but wasn't sure and I didn't expect the twist at the end of If Death Ever Slept.

Each book earned three out of five stars.