Fer-De-Lance and The League of Frightened Men, Rex Stout

I found this book with the first two Nero Wolfe stories at the bookstore several weeks ago, and since I've been a Nero Wolfe fan for almost as long as I can remember, but haven't read the books in a while, I picked it up. Although it had been some time since I'd read one, Wolfe and Archie were just as I remembered them, Wolfe following his routine to the letter, Archie being the smart alecky sidekick trying to prod him into earning enough money to pay the bills.

I don't know how much to really say about these stories, I wouldn't want to give away an ending if anyone happens across this who hasn't read these yet. In Fer-De-Lance, Wolfe and Archie are called upon to find a woman's missing brother, but that case leads to Wolfe discovering that another man, whose death was thought to be natural, was murdered. Now they must solve both cases, if Archie can get Wolfe out of the kitchen and back to work.

In The League of Frightened Men, a group of men still trying to atone for a horrible prank in their college days becomes frightened that the person injured in that prank is trying to kill them. They hire Wolfe to prevent that from happening. It's notable in that it's one of the few books in which Wolfe actually leaves the brownstone.

It amazes me that Fer-De-Lance is the first Wolfe story - it certainly felt like Wolfe and Archie had been there in the brownstone forever, solving cases and annoying the police. Their routine was already established, and in fact Archie mentions he'd lived there with Wolfe for seven years and mentions cases they've worked on. I finished the book in about two days, staying up late one night to read the last few chapters. I will say that I think in those two days, I drank almost a gallon of milk, because every time Archie got himself a pitcher of milk from the kitchen, I found myself craving a glass as well. I guess I should just be glad I don't drink beer, as I'd never be able to keep up with Wolfe's six quarts a day.