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.