Plot It Yourself

By: Rex Stout

Narrated by: Michael Prichard

Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

When a group of publishers and writers hires Wolfe to solve a case of false plagiarism, it's time for the great detective to hit the books. Four unrelated accusers - including a down-and-out hack writer and a lady poet with a penchant for nude sunbathing - have been fleecing best-selling authors, claiming the authors have stolen their work and ingeniously planting evidence to back up their claims. But when punctuation gives way to puncture, Wolfe knows this is no simple case of extortion. This time he'll need all the critical skills at his disposal to close the book on a killer well versed on the ABCs of murder.

Introduction by Susan Dunlap

“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!

©1959 Rex Stout (P)1996 Books on Tape Inc.

Critic reviews

"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. In this breezy title, Nero Wolfe, aided by his faithful employee, Archie, exposes an extortion plot involving plagiarism and catches a cold-blooded killer. Michael Pritchard 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)

Classic Nero Wolfe

I’ve been listening to the Rex Stout audiobooks for a long time. This one meets the high standard of mystery, although there seems to be less “action”. Just a few forays.
I can’t imagine anyone reading it any better than Michael Prichard. He gets Archie’s/Rex Stout’s “voice” just right

Plot It Yourself is a good listen.

I love Michael Pritchard as the narrator of the Nero Wolfe books. This is a good story with interesting characters well drawn and I think Rex Stout got in a few digs about the publishing industry of his time. Well done.

Rex Stout is consistent; always good writing!

Having been reading, and rereading Stout’s Nero Wolfe mysteries since 1985, I am constantly amazed at the difference an excellent writer can make when it comes to making his books/stories readable over and over again.

Atmosphere is everything. Within the walls of the brownstone in New York City, Nero Wolfe, Archie, Wolfe’s legman, Fritz the cook, and Theodore up in the plant rooms on the roof who cares for the thousands of orchids (to which Wolfe joins him twice a day for 2 hours), is the main setting of the stories. Adding Inspector Cramer, Stg. Stebbins, the client(s), suspects, assorted other characters needed to round out the story, then of course Archie’s wit and guesses as to who-dun-it, and you are entertained and kept guessing to the last page.

Waiting two or more years between, I will begin reading the books and short stories in the order they were written, beginning with “Fer-de-Lance” (1934) and ending with “A Family Affair” (1975), I enjoy catching the feeling of the era each book was written as they progress from the mid 1930s and progress, one or two years between each book or story, up to mid 1970s. Another book of was published in 1985 after the discovery of three short stories that had yet to be enjoyed by the millions of Nero Wolfe fans still around.

If you like mysteries, one’s that are clean, except for an occasional god..mn, you just may get hooked on theses. Online there are numerous places one can find all the books that Stout published along with the dates of copyright. Or inside one of the paperbacks that are still available today. It took a bit of time but I was able to collect all the Nero Wolfe mysteries that I now have on my bookshelves, along with a number in ebook format (to be able to read more easily when traveling) along with all the audio books I’ve been able to find (a great way to lay back and relax and enjoy without having to hold a book or device).

A great book.

All Nero Wolfe books are great and this is no exception. Rex Stout allows Archie to be a superb teller of the tales.

Good story

Where does Plot It Yourself rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Pretty high in mysteries

Who was your favorite character and why?

Always Archie. He has several facets to him.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ones in Wolfe's office

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

No

Literary murder

The usual Wolf which we love and are actually plowing through a great swath of his books. This one has a few new twists, Nero making a mistake and musings on writing tells.

Great read

Loved this typical Nero and Archie. Think this is the first time I ever heard Kramer polite.

Still one of the elite private detectives

Readers familiar with Rex Stout's tales of Nero Wolfe and his Associate Archie Goodwin will be gratified to see that the Old Master retained his mastery of the detective story form to the end of his long writing career.
Civilized, articulate, short on explicit violence and long on solid craftsmanship, this late book in the series will give pleasure to long-time readers.
For those, perhaps attracted by the excellent TV series of some years back, this offering should be no disappointment. The narrator, I imagine, has had a longer engagement with these characters than anyone but the late author. His reading reinforces the different characteristics of the two leading characters and offers none of the failed efforts of some to reproduce male and female voices with verisimilitude. He allows the text and subtle variations in intonation to work their magic in the listeners mind.
The plot retains its interest throughout the book without resorting to the complex variations,misplaced psychologizing and ready sex play which bog down the straight ahead story line preferred by the "classic" detective story writers of his era.

Nero Wolfe ' s pride is challenged by a murderer.

Nero Wolfe is one step behind a murderer and it challenges his pride so severely that he vows to quit his detective business entirely if he fails to catch the villian. The ending is inspired!

Typical Wolfe Story

Unusual plot. Good humor included. Excellent reader. A few too many characters. Such consistency in personal characteristics of Nero, Archie and Fritz.