moriarty@fluke.UUCP (Jeff Meyer) (01/07/86)
I noticed when reading _Death_Times_Three_, the latest collection of three
"undiscovered" (i.e. not yet published) Rex Stout Nero Wolfe stories that
the last 20 pages of the book are a preview of a new Nero Wolfe story NOT
written by Stout (obviously, as he's dead); it's called _Murder_in_E_Minor_
and is written by someone called Robert Goldsborough. It's difficult to say
without reading the entire story, but I found the style sounded like late
30's Wolfe, mostly uninspired -- it didn't contain that swift, amusing
dialogue you find in the 50's Wolfe stories (to my mind, Stout's best period
-- certainly his most profilic). Also, the new author seems to do what so
many ghostwriting mystery authors do -- he steeps the story with the
characters and events from stories most directly dealing with the famous
detectives past, instead of just trying to tell a normal mystery story with
the main characters. For instance, probably 80% of the new Holmes stories
all deal with his origins, his relations with his family, or Moriarty, while
perhaps only 3% of Doyle's Holmes stories ever dealt with these subjects.
In the case of the new Wolfe book, we are immediately thrust back into
matters dealing with Montenegro (Wolfe's birthplace) and the aftermath of
Orrie Cather's betrayl in "A Family Affair" (Stout's last Wolfe story). I,
myself, would have prefered to see Wolfe and Archie solve a "standard"
murder, as they do in the great majority of their cases. I suspect that
great revelations about Wolfe's origins are forthcoming; this is
disappointing, as I prefer them shrouded in mystery somewhat, and besides, I
think it points to the new author's insecurity in duplicating Stout's style
that he must immediately resort to "uncovering" Wolfe's past.
Anyway, I look forward to the entire book with caution; and I look forward
to your reviews with anticipation.
"I can give you my word, but I know what it's
worth and you don't."
-Nero Wolfe, _Over_My_Dead_Body_
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA
UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb6, lbl-csam}!fluke!moriarty
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want with me, but leave my employers alone! <*>