Homicide Trinity

By: Rex Stout

Narrated by: Michael Prichard

Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

It’s a wily killer who dares to strike on Nero Wolfe’s hallowed turf - and leave a corpse strangled with Wolfe’s own soup-stained tie. But no sooner does the gourmandizing sleuth clean up this first course of murder than he faces a gun-toting wife who serves up a confession of homicidal intent - only to become the sole suspect when the corpus delicti is found. 

It’s murder à la carte when the third course is served: a cop-hating landlady brings Wolfe counterfeit cash - that leads to genuine murder. It’s up to Wolfe to see that the malefactors get their just desserts.   

Introduction by Stephen Greenleaf

“It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore.” (The New York Times Book Review)

A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time. Together, Stout and Wolfe have entertained - and puzzled - millions of mystery fans around the world. Now, with his perambulatory man-about-town, Archie Goodwin, the arrogant, gourmandizing, sedentary sleuth is back in the original 73 cases of crime and detection written by the inimitable master himself, Rex Stout.

Stout fellow: listen to all of our Nero Wolfe mysteries, including classic radio programs!

©1962 Rex Stout (P)1997 Books on Tape Inc.

Critic Reviews

"It's always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore." (The New York Times)
"What's not to like about a Nero Wolfe mystery? The mysteries are short, cleverly plotted, well paced, and, if you're an audiobook listener, wonderfully read by Michael Prichard....Prichard has read nearly 20 books in Stout's series and has mastered Wolfe's deep, meditative voice and Archie's spry, chipper voice, as well as those of a host of other characters we recognize from one recording to the next." (AudioFile)

Best of the Nero Shorts

This book contains three Nero Wolfe short stories; Eeny Meeny Murder Mo, Death of a Demon, and Counterfeit for Murder. Eeny Meeny Murder Mo was my favorite of these, and is also one of the stories that A&E adapted for TV. I generally prefer longer Nero Wolfe novels to the collections of short stories, but this was the best of the short collections. As usual Michael Prichard’s narration is excellent and audio quality is great. Each of these shorts have a situation or character that is so good, it overcomes the lack of richness I get from Stout’s novels. I thought I had read every Nero Wolfe story long ago, but somehow had missed Counterfeit for Murder, which was a pleasant surprise.

If you have never read a Nero Wolfe story, this is perhaps the best introduction to the series. The Nero Wolfe stories are funny, stimulating, and touching, developing a cast of character you come to appreciate in relationships that are like a close, clever, cantankerous family. The stories have twists that are unexpected, yet seldom unbelievable. The logic holds together, and even when I have not figured out the mystery, I almost always feel that I had a fair chance, but missed some subtle point, sometimes a single line.

Excellent Wolfe Recording

If you could sum up Homicide Trinity in three words, what would they be?

good nero wolfe

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I had read the three stories included in this recording before, but I do think Prichard's recording made it easier to follow and more suspenseful.

Which character – as performed by Michael Prichard – was your favorite?

I have always like Archie in the books, but Michael Prichard's reading of him makes him even more fun.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I learned my lesson. I now savor each Wolfe recording since eventually I will have them all and there won't be any more new ones.

Any additional comments?

The was a relic from the cassette recoding left on this version. After about 30 minutes, the narrator says "end of Cassette one, please turn over." etc. It only happens the once, but maybe someone can edit it out. (This is why I downgraded the overall rating to 4 stars.)

Great Listening

Great enjoyment. Well read. Lots of fun.

Not one but Three!

love these stories! The reader is always spot on with both Archy and Nero.
We have a blackmailee, killers, two bit actors, the rich and the poor. This is a great spread between the three stories.. Of course, by way of mental deduction Nero never fails to prove "who done it"

All fun to listen to

These short gems are fun to listen to. My only criticism -- they are just too short!

Delightful and Smart

Stout is always first rate and these performances are perfect. I love the novellas as much as the novels. The orderliness of Wolfe and Archie’s brownstone is a comfort to me in this crazy world.

terrible formatting!

What would have made Homicide Trinity better?

formatting was terrible, stories run together in the same chapters, chapter breaks in the middle of a thought, in one spot listener told to turn over the disc.

Audio needs cleanup

The story and audio quality are fine. The instructions every 30 minutes to flip the cassette tape is annoying and should have been removed.

Great Book

I've been a Rex Stout fan more or less all my life. He is very re-readable,. My mother was a fan, and so my daughter is the third generation fan, love all his books, he didn't write a bad one. Try this, you'll like it.

I so enjoyed the short stories

This was a good break from the longer books. It was very quick stories, not over done