Archie Meets Nero Wolfe

A Prequel to Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe Mysteries (The Nero Wolfe Mysteries, Book 8)

By: Robert Goldsborough

Narrated by: L. J. Ganser

Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1930, young Archie Goodwin comes to New York City hoping for a bit of excitement. In his third week working as a night watchman, he stops two burglars in their tracks - with a pair of hot lead slugs.

Dismissed from his job for being “trigger-happy”, he parlays his newfound notoriety into a job as a detective’s assistant, helping honest sleuth Del Bascom solve cases like the Morningside Piano Heist, the Rive Gauche Art Gallery Swindle, and the Sumner-Hayes Burglary. But it’s the kidnapping of Tommie Williamson, the son of a New York hotel magnate, that introduces Goodwin to the man who will change his life.

Goodwin knows there’s only one detective who can help find Tommie: Nero Wolfe, the stout genius of West 35th Street. Together, they’ll form one of the most unlikely crime-fighting duos in history - but first Goodwin must locate Tommie and prove that he deserves a place by Wolfe’s side.

In this witty story about the origin of a legendary partnership, Robert Goldsborough gloriously evokes the spirit of Nero Wolfe’s creator, best-selling author Rex Stout, and breathes new life into his beloved characters.

©2012 Robert Goldsborough (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

geat prequel

now going to listen to ferdelance and the rest of the first neros but this is a great introduction

Excellent narration; faithful in details

Goldsborough brings all the regular characters into his storyline. Ganser’s narration is excellent and makes for completely enjoyable listening as he brings to life each personality. This book and performance is a worthy addition to the Nero Wolfe universe.

What a Ride

Having dipped my toes in the Nero Wolfe world for one other novel, “Archie Meets Nero Wolfe” sealed the deal in terms of making me a fan. I can’t lie, I was initially drawn to the series due to the hardboiled crime element as well as the reader, LJ Ganser, who’s just a favorite of mine. This novel picks up intensity with it twists and clever puzzles solved. Well worth the listen.

The BEST Robert Goldsborogh Nero Wolfe!

I've been a avid reader of all the Nero Wolfe mysteries both by Rex Stout and Robert Goldsborough for close to 40 years. I was delighted when Mr. Goldsborough picked up the gauntlet and continued the series. Although I enjoy the "new" Nero Wolfe mysteries, they're not quite the same as the original. But, this particular one comes the closest to Rex Stout's writing in terms of dialogue, Archie's narration of the story, Wolfe's personality, the actual complications of the story's mystery and the way Wolfe solves the case. It also fills in some missing pieces from Archie's early days in NYC which Stout only briefly mentions in his novels. VERY SATISFACTORY!

Pretty good…

Not quite Rex Stout, but really enjoyable book. Unlike others, I was not a fan of the narrator and his voices.

Mr. Goodwin, I presume

Who doesn’t love a great origin story, be it Superman, Harry Potter or, more pertinently, the opening chapters of A Study In Scarlet? Mr Goldsborough again does Rex Stout proud, dishing up (what other verb for Nero) not only a dandy plot complete with a “big show” scene at the end but also a lot of heart. We fall in love with our old friends all over again. The audio performance is virtuosic and also endearing. My only disappointment was with the genius himself. Nero can be Sydney Greenstreet or Michael Pritchard but for me he should be plummy and unintentionally funny. However, don’t let that keep you from feasting!

Excellent Back Story

Well written, well read. Very enjoyable. The story of Archie’s first work with Nero Wolf is woven around the kidnapping of the son of the world’s richest hotel owner. All of the characters are well represented. A good listen.

Great book!

This is a good story and great narration. I know Nero Wolf from the TV show, and this narrator’s version of Archie goes hand in hand with Timothy Hutton’s characterization of Archie. Definitely worth listening to! Really enjoyed this one.

fun read

Fun introduction to the recurring characters with a satisfactory closing explaining how Archie was employed.

best of genre additions

While I am a big rex stout fan and was originally excited to see Robert Goldsborogh's attempted additions to the genre, this is one of the best of that collection. It does a nice job of setting up the future relationship between Archie and Nero, along with some traditional characters like del Bascom. it is difficult to mimic another writer, but this prequel happened before the series was established and seems more genuine in style. I have also adapted to the reader being different many of the Rex stout books. worth reading as the first "Nero wolfe" novel, though different in tone from Rex stout.