Murder in E Minor

A Nero Wolfe Mystery

By: Robert Goldsborough

Narrated by: L. J. Ganser

Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

Iconic sleuth Nero Wolfe returns to track down the murderer of a New York Symphony Orchestra conductor in this Nero Award-winning mystery.

Ever since disgraced associate Orrie Cather’s suicide, armchair detective Nero Wolfe has relished retirement in his Manhattan brownstone on West 35th Street. Two years after Cather’s death, only a visit from Maria Radovich - and the urging of Wolfe’s prize assistant, Archie Goodwin - could draw the eccentric and reclusive genius back into business. Maria’s uncle, New York Symphony Orchestra conductor Milan Stevens, formerly known as Milos Stefanovic, spent his youth alongside Wolfe as a fellow freedom fighter in the mountains of Montenegro. And now that the maestro has been receiving death threats, Wolfe can’t turn his back on the compatriot who once saved his life.

Though her uncle has dismissed the menacing letters, Maria fears they’re more than the work of a harmless crank. But before Wolfe can attack the case, Stevens is murdered. The accused is the orchestra’s lead violinist, whose intimate relationship with Maria hit more than a few sour notes in her uncle’s professional circle. But Wolfe knows that when it comes to murder, nothing is so simple - especially when there are so many suspects, from newspaper critics and ex-lovers to an assortment of shady musicians.

Now, in this award-winning novel that carries on the great tradition of Rex Stout, the irascible and immovable Nero Wolfe is back in the game, listening for clues and ready to go to war to find a killer.

©1986 by Robert Goldsborough (P)2020 by Blackstone Publishing

Loved it

This is quite like Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe, which is just how I hoped it would be.

Wonderful continuation of the Stout legacy.

I am afraid I went unaware of Goldsborough‘s continuation of this series until audible put these available for free with the gold membership. These audio versions are extremely well performed and produced. The story is well written and truly a Nero Wolfe mystery.

Not Even Close

Imitation is NOT the sincerest form of flattery. Narrator isn't any good with voices or accents.
I'm a few minutes into the second chapter and not sure whether I will continue.

Ganser is no Nero Wolfe

Ganser's narration was okay––he's a fairly decent Archie Goodwin, but his Nero Wolfe is a two-thumbs down. Of course Goldsborough's story is not as tight as Rex Stout's story lines, but I did appreciate his ability to maintain characteristics of the original stories.
I think I'll stick to listening to the 1950 radio program with Sydney Greenstreet as Wolfe and re-reading the books on my own.

No thank you

Looooong , drawn ooooout and boooooring . Just get on with it don’t need all this unnecessary stuff

Indistinguishable From the Rex Stout originals.

Mr. Goldsborough is able to find the exact atmosphere the original books were written. It is a book you can finish in one listening.

interesting, wish I'd read it before seeing films,

worth listening to, once I realised films set in different time, rest the same

Awful, even when free

Most likely t storey may be okay but I could t actually hear it or concentrate past the awful narration. It’s like listening to auto generated captions. I tried 4 times and that doesn’t include all of the rewinds.
Honestly don’t bother.

Fun, light hearted listen

Easy listening, nice characters, gentle mystery plot - exactly the sort of audiobook to pass a relaxed afternoon ironing. Recommended if that's what you're in the market for

Not for me

Thought I would try this series but it didn’t appeal. The characters are drawn without depth and the plot simple.

Something to bring my memories back.

I've been reading Nero Wolfe books since I was a teenager (I'm retired now) and I was very sad when, many years ago, I read the last one. I had severe doubts about someone else writing about him, as I've read some of these alternative authors before, and most have been very disappointing.

Robert Goldsborough however does not fall into the disappointment catagory, and I really enjoyed listening to this book. I'm looking forward to listening to another in the near future.

Excellent

This is the first of an excellent series of books about the cases solved by Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. This is the first book of the series. The last book of the original Rex Stout series ends with the death of Ori Cathar. This book, the first in this series, takes up the timeline two years later, a time during which Mr Wolfe has taken on no cases at all.
Characters and setting are true to those created by Rex Stout, and the style follow seamlessly from the original books.
If, like me, you love the Golden Age of crime writing style then you’ll enjoy this book.

one of the better books

apparently I need to write 15 words as the above is not enough recommendation

Nero makes a return

Another golden oldie, if the seventies fits that term.

I loved these books at the time, and am rediscovering the pleasure of plot and pace which is not obsessed with violence or forensics.