And Four to Go

Nero Wolfe #30

by Rex Stout

In And Four to Go,Nero Wolfe and his assistant, Archie Goodwin, star in four gems of short fiction. In "The Christmas Party" Archie and his fiancee attend an office party where Wolfe condescends to uncharacteristic theatrics. His dramatic technique is good, but it isn't enough to clear him from suspicion of murder. The "Easter Parade" tempts Wolfe to commit petty larceny for an orchid. Though that crime goes unpunished, the inevitable murder doesn't. "A Fourth of July Picnic" has Wolfe scheduled for an unprecedented appearance as orator. But his day in the sun is rained out -- by murder. The last selection, "Murder Is No Joke" is a whodunit in a couturier's salon, where a murderer is dressed to kill -- and kill again.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Short Stories, Crime, Detective, Christmas, Audiobook

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 1958

About the author

Rex Todhunter Stout (1886–1975) was an American crime writer, best known as the creator of the larger-than-life fictional detective Nero Wolfe, described by reviewer Will Cuppy as "that Falstaff of detectives." Wolfe's assistant Archie Goodwin recorded the cases of the detective genius from 1934 (Fer-de-Lance) to 1975 (A Family Affair).

The Nero Wolfe corpus was nominated Best Mystery Series of the Century at Bouchercon 2000, the world's largest mystery convention, and Rex Stout was nominated Best Mystery Writer of the Century.

Reviews

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining group of four Nero Wolfe short stories, three with holiday themes.

In the first, Archie attends a Christmas Party at a design studio, a party equipped with a professional Santa. Soon someone is poisoned from drinking Pernod, and Santa is nowhere to be seen. In the second, Wolfe, takes up orchid-napping by proxy at New York's fashionable Easter Parade, where Mrs. Bynoe, the wearer of the aforementioned orchid, is murdered. In the next, murder occurs at the restaurant union's Fourth of July Picnic, where Wolfe has promised to speak (in return for the the union's promise that they will stop pressuring his chef Fritz to join). The last story, Murder is No Joke (sans holiday theme) involves an esteemed couturier, ghosts of the French resistance, and a murder overheard--by both Archie and Wolfe--on the telephone.

All in all, a good collection of tales, perfect for any festive--or non-festive--occasion.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four novellas, three centered around holidays. It always fun and enjoyable coming back to the brownstone on West 35th Street in New York City to visit Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. The stories are a bit dated. Pay phones? Automats? But the characters are so wonderful and trying to match wits with Wolfe to figure out whodunit is a treat.

"Those stories have ignored time for thirty-nine years," Stout told his authorized biographer John McAleer. "Any reader who can't or won't do the same should skip them."

Christmas Party(1957)
As often seems to be the situation, Wolfe has no case and he and Archie are at odds. Here Wolfe wants Archie to drive him to Long Island to see someone who will only be available one day and Archie has plans. Things are tense in the brownstone. Wolfe hires a limousine to take him to Long Island. Archie goes to a Christmas party where the bartender is dressed as Santa Clause and the host drops dead after drinking a drink poured by St. Nick. While the others are attending to the stricken host Santa Claus was gone in a flash.

Easter Parade(1957)
Fans of Nero Wolfe know that one of his loves is orchids. It seems that someone claims to have grown a pink orchid. A shade that Wolfe has had no success with. The wife of the orchid grower plans to wear it in the Easter parade and Wolfe wants it. He asks Archie to hire someone to grab it during the parade. Things turn sticky for Wolfe and Goodwin when the woman drops dead during the parade.

Fourth of July Picnic(1957)
Nero Wolfe rarely leaves his brownstone where he is content to read, tend his orchids, and eat gourmet meals prepared by his chef, Fritz Brenner. But in this story he agrees to give a speech at a picnic for a restaurant union's Fourth of July Picnic, in exchange for the the union's promise that they will stop pressuring Fritz to join. The fireworks begin when one of the union leaders is murdered.

Murder is No Joke" (1958)
The only story that does not center around a holiday. A potential client is visiting Wolfe and presenting her case. As part of her presentation she makes a phone call and hands the phone to Archie. Wolfe is listening on his extension. They overhear what appears to be a murder. The timing is suspicious and Wolfe believes someone is making a fool of him. His ego will not allow that.

None of these are great stories. Each story is about sixty pages in length so there is no room for a lot of confusion or involvement. Wolfe sits back in his custom built chair, puffs his lips in and out for a while, has Archie call all the suspects together where he identifies the murderer. One of the common themes, besides the holidays, is that it does not appear that Wolfe has a client who will pay his large fees. Other than satisfying his ego the only compensation may be a pink orchid. What we have here is a small collection of mystery stories for fans of the genre.

[Paul Secor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reintroduction (it had been quite some time) for me to Nero Wolfe (all one seventh of a ton of him - that's just under 286 pounds, in case you wondered, Archie Goodwin, Saul Panzer, Fritz Brenner, Theodore Horstmann, Inspector Cramer, Sergeant Purley Stebbins, and the rest of the crew.
And Four To Go is a collection of four short stories. The stories aren't up to the usual Rex Stout Nero Wolfe novels because, at 40 to 50 pages each, there's not enough time for the plots to be developed and Wolfe's solutions are tossed off and not all that credible. Hence the three star rating.

I did enjoy the time I spent catching up with Mr. Wolfe and company and plan to read some more Rex Stout.
A tip of my cap to my GR friend Jill for hipping me to this book and to reintroducing me to Messrs. Stout, Wolfe, and Goodwin.

[Elizabeth (Alaska) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun collection of four Nero Wolf short stories. There are three holiday-themed stories and a fourth tucked in for good measure: "Christmas Party", "Easter Parade", "Fourth of July Picnic", and "Murder is No Joke".

My favorite was the first, "Christmas Party." Archie has planned to attend the holiday party at the workplace of his latest love. Wolfe, instead, wants Archie to be available so that Wolfe can meet with an orchid hybridizer who will be in town only a short time. Archie wins this argument, but a murder takes place at the party.

Easter Parade also involves Wolfe's passion for orchids. Wolfe needs a photo of a very rare orchid which will be worn by the wife of an orchid competitor in New York's Easter Parade. A discussion ensues where Wolfe is cornered into asking "as a favor."

“Then go ahead and ask. Call me Mr. Goodwin.”

His lips tightened. “Mr. Goodwin,” he said coldly, “I solicit a favor.”

It’s amazing what lengths a man will go to for envy.

The mysteries are good enough, though these are short stories. I think the best of the series, and these stories in particular, is the relationship between Archie and Wolfe. As with the novels, these stories are told in the first person by Archie and, as seen above, include his sharp wit.

I have at least one more Nero Wolfe story collection which I hope to get to soon. These are just too good to wait. But is this collection good enough for that unusual 4th-star? Not quite, though I'm tempted.

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and each of its four stories was just simply a fun and easy read. I had a good time with each story and was happy with the variety.

[Bryan Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of shorter stories as hinted at by the number four in the title. Most of these revolve around a holiday and give a little peek into Nero and Archies lives. The Christmas story is the most interesting because it all revolves around a period between cases where Nero and Archie are getting on each others nerves. This is part of their relationship that we usually don't get a glimpse at. Archie plots a way to tweak Nero's nose and Nero is unable to resist seeing it for himself. Unfortunately a murder happens at the same time and in order to prevent anyone from finding out he was there, Nero has to solve it.

Two of the other stories happen during an Easter celebration where Nero is obsessed by the idea of getting a look at a new Orchid and a disastrous 4th of July celebration. All of the stories are fine and full of the usual flavor readers of Stout are looking for.

[♪ Kim N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four short stories; the first three are holiday-themed.

Christmas Party
Archie is rebelling and wants to attend a Christmas party rather than change his plans to drive Wolfe out to Long Island. So he produces a marriage license, saying that his engagement will be announced at the party. The trick works and Archie gets his wish... well, except for the man who dies of a poisoned drink and the missing bartender (dressed as Santa Claus) who can't be identified.

Easter Parade
Archie and an accomplice go to the Easter Parade to snatch a rare flamingo-pink orchid that Wolfe is dying to examine up close. But, as luck would have it, the woman wearing the orchid is murdered and the police want to know why Archie was on the scene. Can Wolfe solve the case without revealing that he's an orchid thief?

Fourth of July Picnic
As a favor to a friend, Wolfe has agreed to speak at the Independence Day picnic of the United restaurant Workers of America. When one of the other speakers is found dead, the DA is sure Archie and Wolfe are concealing vital knowledge, and he's right!

Murder Is No Joke
The sister of a renowned clothing designer suspects her brother is being blackmailed. Wolfe is not really interested in the case until a murder occurs and he and Archie become convenient witnesses. Wolfe fears he's being played, and if there's anything he hates it's being taken for a "simpleton".

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy a Nero Wolfe story and these were no exception. I think they age better than those of some of the others of their time. Perhaps that's because although Wolfe wants nothing to do with women (and Archie is quite fond of them) Stout is less chauvinistic than most of his contemporaries.

[Pamela Shropshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

And Four to Go

Christmas Party
Archie has obtained a fake marriage license, and its purpose is two-fold: One, to get the females’s reluctant man to propose through inducing jealousy; and Two, to twit Wolfe with the idea of Archie marrying a woman and said woman living in the brownstone. Archie attends a Christmas party at the studio of her employer, who is also the reluctant bridegroom, where Santa Claus is dispensing drinks. The reluctant bridegroom falls down dead from cyanide in his Pernod.

The most interesting aspect of this case is that Wolfe was the Santa Claus! He adopted the disguise to observe Archie and determine if the claimed engagement was genuine. Unfortunately, he fled the scene and although he has important information about the murder, he can’t tell the cops because he can’t admit he was there. 3 stars.

Easter Parade

Another orchid connoisseur, Millard Bynoe, has supposedly developed a “flamingo pink Vanda,” and he won’t allow anyone else to see it until next year’s Flower Show. Wolfe can’t wait that long, so when he learns Mrs. Bynoe is going to be wearing a spray of it in the Easter Parade, Wolfe hires a guy to steal it. Archie goes along to take photos just in case the theft is unsuccessful.

It all goes like clockwork, except that Mrs. Bynoe collapses into convulsions and dies right there on the sidewalk, and it turns out her death was caused by strychnine administered with a needle. The Police theory is that one of the cameras was modified to shoot out a needle, a pretty ingenious idea. Inspector Cramer puts 2 and 2 together: ‘The point is that I know how you are on orchids, and Goodwin was around. The orchids alone, or Goodwin alone, I might pass, but the two together - . . . ‘

This one was pretty good. 3.5 stars.

Fourth of July Picnic
There are long-running jokes among detective story aficionados about the frequency of murders in the vicinity of great fictional detectives. For example, that no sane person would ever want to live in Midsomer (Caroline Graham) or that it’s a miracle any residents are left in the small Canadian village of Three Pines (Louise Penny). Likewise, it’s really quite astonishing that gourmet chefs are so murderous in the Rex Stout universe. And yet, murder strikes once again, at a picnic of the restaurant workers’ union on the 4th of July. 3 stars.

Murder is no Joke
New York is one of the fashion capitals of the world; it’s also one of the show business capitals. Wolfe has a potential client who request him to make a phone call; upon doing so, Wolfe and Archie hear noises over the phone congruent with the woman on the other end being struck down. Wolfe and Archie assume, at first, that the woman was murdered during the phone call.

This story solves the mystery of two murders - the first murder is of a woman working for a great fashion house; the second is the apparent suicide of a stage actress. Wolfe deduces that one death was the result of the first death, and that someone, as he says, made a fool of him. 3.5 stars.

[Vicki Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another collection of novellas, with four instead of the usual three. These were pretty good, especially the first one, which has a delightful twist I maybe should have suspected. In the first three, Archie just happens to be present at a murder, with Wolfe also there for the third. So they don't have clients per se, just need to get themselves out of a jam.

[Ann-Marie Messbauer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first Nero Wolfe book I have read, and I think I should try reading one of Stout's earlier, full-length attempts to see if it is any better. "And Four to Go" is a collection of four short murder mysteries, and they were too much alike for my satisfaction. In each one Wolfe and his assistant, Goodwin, not only investigate a murder but are somehow inconveniently caught up in it themselves. The proceedings and resolution follow a seemingly well-worn pattern, and perhaps because they are so short, the characters are mere props and of no interest. Even Wolfe himself is a rather arrogant, boring person, occasionally thinking but mostly taking offense at other people (his favorite expressions seem to be "pfui," "flummery," and "shut up!"). Oh, well. I guess I'll forget about this book and go admire my orchids.

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly enjoyable (I'm not usually a fan of mysteries). Each story is short enough to to be succinct without feeling rushed, and the narrator's voice is lively and a pleasure to read. A bit formulaic, as the genre tends to be.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could I have missed this one? I know I’ve read the novella, “Christmas Party,” because it’s highly anthologized. But the others were unfamiliar—and all good.

[Jill Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is Rex Stout and Nero Wolfe....My favorite detective........there is nothing else to say.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four short stories, three with a holiday theme (Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July), all from the 1950s.

I think I liked "Christmas Party" best.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Gu Kun · Rating 2 out of 5]

First story: three stars - the other three: two-minus stars.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Clint Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's a fun short story mystery collection decorated in a holiday mood for Christmas, Easter and Independence Day. They're very light and mostly not over-complex. Archie Goodwin is in good form for his lively brand of laconic and gallows humor. The exception is the final story, "Murder Is No Joke," which is far less humorous and more on the subtly complex side, but still enjoyable.

"The Christmas Party":
I personally categorize it as a "Reaonable Doubt" plot formula, where Wolfe sets up a scheme by which the guilty are tricked into action insinuating their knowledge of the crime. Wolfe often uses blackmail to steer the culprit into the trap. While no evidence is available to directly implicate them, the fact that the killer shows up to acknowledge a detail of the crime proves guilt by reasonable doubt.

Here are some good lines:

... she slid off the stool and let herself be steered across to a divan which had been covered with designs by Euclid in six or seven colors.

Having realized it, instantly there was a traffic jam inside my skull, horns blowing, brakes squealing, head-on collisions.

"Easter Parade":
"It's amazing what lengths a man will go to for envy," that man being Nero Wolfe himself. He goes to extremes to avoid public embarrassment that would likely destroy his reputation. Wolfe and Archie are absolutely on the wrong side of the law, their licenses on the line and can only be salvaged if Wolfe can solve the murder before the trail leads to their door.

Archie sums up his own role in the fiasco:

For what you pay me I do your mail, I make myself obnoxious to people, I tail them when necessary, I shoot when I have to and get shot at, I stick around and take every mood you've got, I give you and Theodore a hand in the plant rooms when required, I lie to Inspector Cramer and Sergeant Stebbins whether required or not, I even help Fritz in the kitchen in emergencies, I answer the phone.

He works in this mild jab:

Her fur jacket, sable or long-haired hamster or something...

Here is a dry exchange with Detective Cramer:

"How would you like to come downtown for a session with Lieutenant Rowcliff?"

"I'd love it. I once got him stuttering in eight minutes, the best I ever did..."

"Fourth of July Picnic":
More on the side of gallows humor, this story takes a few light jabs at Unions from Wolfe's perspective. A murder at a 4th of July union workers gathering Wolfe finds himself in several situations he despises: speaking for a union event, a passenger in a car ride, trapped away from the comforts of his office while the police investigate, and withholding evidence that ethically forces him to solve the crime before the police are on to him.

The idea behind the "Fourth of July Picnic" is centered on motive, but the motive isn't made clear until the end. It wasn't a very solvable mystery for me. Yet Stout breaks the fourth wall by having Archie or challenging the reader to find the solution—it’s a bit of a sucker punch :

If you like games you might lean back now, close your eyes ... and see how long it takes you to decide how you would do it. Fair enough, since you know everything that Wolfe and I knew.

Here Stout revisits the recurring detective story theme of political practicality and legal compromise:

At least 91.2 percent of the district attorneys in the State of New York think they would make fine tenants of the governor's mansion at Albany, and that should be kept in mind in considering the conduct of DA James R. Delaney. To him at least four of that bunch, and possibly all five, were upright, important citizens in positions to influence segments of the electorate.

[Wolfe:] "How dead is he?"
[Archie:] "I have told you he is dead."

It was 4:39 when the medical examiner arrived with his bag and found that Philip Holt was still dead.

"Murder Is No Joke":

As in some of the other Nero Wolfe plots the criminals fruitlessly try to pull one over on him in an attempt to foolproof the crime. Wolfe expertly points out when a suspect has unintentionally revealed incriminating information:

"And how do you know she dialed Sarah Yare's number? You weren't where you could see the dial, and neither was Goodwin."
Wolfe nodded. "Evidently you have discussed it with her..."

A little recurring snark from Archie:

[Wolfe] had actually gone to my desk, stooped to get the book, lifted it, and carried it around to his chair. Unheard of.

[Christopher Rush · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you get to the end of summer and realize you haven't read any Nero Wolfe all year yet, it's way past time to get on that. This is another trim, clean, crisp group of Nero Wolfe adventures mostly though ancillarily pertaining to holidays. "Christmas Party" is a surprising revelation to what lengths Nero Wolfe will go to keep Archie Goodwin in his employ (and single). "Easter Parade" is a very clever mystery about ancient machines known as photographometers (I believe), fantastickal boxes of antiquity that were used to visually capture a moment of time without also letting you order pizza. This, too, has a surprising revelation concerning to what lengths Wolfe will go to acquiring rare orchids, including asking Archie to steal them!

"Fourth of July Picnic" is also bizarre, but not in a bad way - whenever Wolfe is out of the house the story feels unsettled. Wolfe is on deck to give a speech about the restaurant world and, of course, a murder is discovered during his speech. The problem is an eyewitness can testify no one went into the room of the murder except Archie and Wolfe! Another unique aspect of this mystery (though a bit of a theme for this collection) is motive for murder is almost a nonfactor in the crimesolving. Archie and Wolfe spend almost no time on "why" the murder, just "who." "Murder is no Joke" is another very clever mystery with an obvious set-up: a painfully obvious ruse to befuddle Wolfe at the very beginning, but soon that ruse takes on new twists and nothing is quite so obvious anymore.

Top notch collection. Strangely, as readers, we are torn between wanting to spend time with Archie and Wolfe and the rest but wanting short, concise stories that we can inhale and enjoy quickly. This collection with four very short yet rich stories balances that tension perfectly: short, quick stories, but four instead of the usual three. "Satisfactory."

[cool breeze · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of four novellas that were originally published in 1956-57. “Christmas Party” contains some unusual interplay between Wolfe and Archie and is quite good, 4 stars. “Easter Parade” marks the first use of photographic images (staged by “Look” magazine) along with the text as clues in a Wolfe mystery. The story is otherwise average, 3 stars, as is “Fourth of July Picnic”. A key clue in “Murder is No Joke” will probably be incomprehensible to anyone who is not old enough to have used dial telephones regularly in real life. The mystery is somewhat better than average, 3.5 stars.

The stories contain several observations on contemporary life in 1956-57. Color slide photography has become common enough that Wolfe has purchased a camera for Archie (for orchids, of course). However, the color fidelity is suspect and same-day film developing requires a small bribe. A TV remote control appears for the first time. I was surprised they were around by 1957. Wolfe particularly likes the "Off" button. Restaurant worker unions are on the rise, as are automats, which use far fewer workers, not a coincidence. One is trying to bully Wolfe's chef into unionizing, and Wolfe is willing to take extraordinary steps to avoid that. It is again noted bitterly that Federal taxes take 84% of Wolfe's income, putting him in the $80-$90,000 bracket, not the top 91% bracket. This book contains the first appearances I can recall by significant characters who are Mexican and Asian, both of whom are fairly stereotyped. The series has occasionally included ethnic characters, but they were almost all Europeans. Stout had apparently noticed that US immigration was shifting from the post-war European influx to the third world.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a set of four novellas, which may make for an easier introduction to this detective. However, it's not typical of the books. We are normally told that Wolfe has agoraphobia or else just prefers never to go out; here he is out at least twice. Only when it suits him, and in at least one instance when he can be pompous and important.

There is a story in which a man dies during a Christmas office party in a bar, and this happens when Archie the gofer detective for control freak Wolfe has bought a marriage licence and the lady has thrown him over, which seems unpleasant. The whole attitude to women is unpleasant, with one woman telling Wolfe and Archie several times that she is (ahem) innocent, despite having been propositioned by a man she knew was married and seeing someone else as well. Why is it anyone's business whether she is (ahem) innocent or not? Why would she even mention it? To strange men? Not even the police? Are men being asked this question? What would be the point anyway? Copyright is 1956 / 1957. Times they were a-changing pretty soon.

Wolfe keeps on lying to police and even to Archie, in each of the cases, it's generally unpleasant, mean and just weird. On finding someone dead, stabbed, he tries to leave because he doesn't want to be interviewed by police. He was present to give a speech and should provide any info he can. Later crime writers would suggest a serial killer, but Wolfe just sees death as grubby. Unless he can get paid for resolving a case.

There is detail about orchids in one story. More lying to police, putting a rare strain over somebody's tragic loss of life. Wolfe must be among the least sympathetic detectives in print. And Archie, well he doesn't impress me either.

[Adam Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could be better than the numerous Nero Wolfe books including three Novellas? How about one featuring four? Well, it doesn't quite work out that way, but there are still some worthwhile stories in the lot:

"The Christmas Party"

Archie connives to get a fake wedding license for a dancing partner who wants her to boss to marry her. The boss is being stubborn so Archie gets a fake marriage license blank with both their names on it to force the issue.

When Wolfe starts to get bossy and unreasonable in demanding Archie drive him to meet an orchid expert, Archie springs the marriage license on Wolfe and tells him that he's getting married. Wolfe is displeased but Archie gets out of the errand.

Archie ends up attending the Christmas Party where the boss is murdered and Santa mysteriously disappears after the crime is committed. Archie also can't find the fake wedding license which has him at risk of a forgery charge. When Archie gets home he finds out that Santa was none other than Nero Wolfe, spying on him and his supposed fiancée. To make matters worse, a jealous young woman who believes the woman Archie helped was the murderess demands that Wolfe connive to help frame the woman. Otherwise, Wolfe will have to endure the embarrassment of being exposed as Santa. Wolfe and Archie are in a pickle and it'll take all of Wolfe's wits to get them out.

The story's plot is priceless and along with some memorable characters, I'll give it a:

Rating: Very Satisfactory

"Easter Parade"

A wealthy philanthropist, who is also an orchid grower has developed a new species of orchid that he's keeping under wraps. Wolfe has to see it, and the only chance he has is that the philanthropist's wife is wearing one of the orchids. So he has Archie hire a two bit hood to snatch the orchid as the lady is exiting the church and entering the Easter Parade. The orchid snatch is done right as the woman dies and Wolfe finds himself in a pickle, as police want to find the orchid snatcher.

The best part of this story is the look back at the Easter Parade, an event that was much more widely practiced both in New York and across the country in years past. In essence, Stout gives us a portrait of the Easter Parade in its heyday.

The plot itself has problems. While Wolfe can tend to childish behavior in pursuit of his goals, this one takes the cake. The action has several accomplishments. Wolfe's reputation and his license are both put at risk. More than that though, the stunt is itself quite mean and both the lady and her husband are sympathetic characters who have dedicated themselves to the betterment of others and have done nothing to agrieve Wolfe aside from refusing to let him look at a flower. The idea of hiring a criminal to assault two saintly people coming out of church on the holiest day of the Christian year does little to make one sympathetic as Wolfe and Archie try to avoid embarassment.

Of course, Stout could have turned this around a little bit with a clever solution, a dramatic stunt to find the real killer, some clever interaction between Wolfe and Archie. Unfortunately, the story is wrapped all too easily on the spur of the moment. with Wolfe barely moving a brain cell. The story was first published in the April 1957 issue of Look and has all the earmarks of being written to satisfy the commercial requests of a magazine wanting a story for its April issue rather than the cleverness of a typical Wolfe story. If another writer wrote it, I'd say it was flummery. However, as Stout wrote it, I must give it a:

Rating: Pfui

Fourth of July Picnic:

After the death of Marco Vukcic, Wolfe assumed a key role in ensuring the qualtity of Rusterman's restauraunt with Wolfe's cook Fritz providing some consulting assistance. A restaurant union leader seized on this to try and force Fritz into the union and this became an annoyance to Wolfe. In order to rid himself of the annoyance, Wolfe agrees to speak at the Union's 4th of July Picnic.

However, before Wolfe's speech, the man who'd been annoying him is murdered after having taken ill. Every speaker went in to the tent he was resting in for one reason or another including Wolfe, but police suspect someone came through the back of the tent because they'd rather not suspect prominent citizens of the crime (other than Wolfe and Archie). However, Archie knows that a woman was watching that back entrance and no one had gone in but withholds the fact because he's annoyed by the police and didn't want He and Wolfe to be held as material witnesses in rural New York. When Wolfe finds out about the witness, he has to solve the crime quickly or risk going back as a material witness to be held by a very unhappy and unfriendly district attorney.

While not up to the best standards of Wolfe Stories, it features a good amount of atmosphere and a clever enough solution to make it:

Rating: Satisfactory.

"Murder is No Joke"

If Murder is No Joke had been set at the fall, this would have been a four seasons collection. As it was, Stout appears to have abandonned the seasonal stories after two middling efforts. Murder is No Joke is a much more solid story.

A woman comes to Wolfe's office concerned that her brother's business is being destroyed by a woman who has some hold over her. She wants Wolfe to investigate her but doesn't have the money to pay him. However, she offers to pay Wolfe to call the woman. Wolfe dials the number and is promptly insulted by the woman and then hears sounds that indicates violence has occurred. Archie calls the woman's office and finds she has indeed been murdered with Wolfe and Archie as likely ear witnesses.

However, Wolfe has a sense that someone is trying to make a fool of him and sets out to uncover the truth of what really happened and how the suicide of a formerly promising actress plays into what happened. He sends Archie down to the office where the murdered woman worked to ask about correspondence from the actress who committed suicide.

The highlight of this story is when Archie wants to know why Wolfe is an investigating and Wolfe and Archie share a moment of detective zen when Wolfe opens Archie's eyes to a key clue. All in all, the story has a good cast of characters and a solution that really shocked me.

Rating: Very Satisfactory

Overall, Four to Go features two middling stories in between two solid ones that make up for their lack.

Overall Collection Rating: Satisfactory

[Kb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stories, the first three set during holidays. The last one has the most interesting premeditated murder, but “the big reveal” reveals that we didn’t really have all the information we needed until it was told to us at the end.

First story: Archie attends a Christmas party and murder is committed. It involves poisoned Pernod. But what about that sneaky Santa mixing the drinks? Did he do it? A twisted tale, very entertaining in spite of the era-specific (though self-aware) racism against Asian-Americans.

Second story: A camera with slide film (the way for the masses to get colour images) features in this story. It is Wolfe’s camera, which he owns so he can record colour variations in his orchids. It records something else, and helps solve the murder at the Easter Parade.

Third story: Wolfe is asked to make a speech at the Fourth of July picnic held by the Union of Restaurant Workers. During the course of the picnic, another speaker falls ill and is murdered while resting in a tent set up near the stage. Wolfe and Archie are too close to the action for comfort and must save their necks by figuring out the motive and the murderer. Entertaining enough, but Stout is not one for planting clues, so this is another reveal that seems to come out of nowhere.

Worth reading, of course, but don’t expect much after the first story.

[Jim Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rex Stout wrote a number of Nero Wolfe novellas, usually collected in sets of three (or in this case four) to a volume. This volume features three novellas centered around holidays -- "Christmas Party," "Easter Parade," and "Fourth of July Picnic" -- plus "Murder Is No Joke."

All follow the typical formula: a murder occurs, often with Wolfe or Archie somehow already involved with the characters, Archie talks to a number of people, gathering evidence, Wolfe gathers everyone together, and finally Wolfe identifies the murderer. All feature Archie's wonderful first-person narrative, the usual banter between Wolfe and Archie, the usual meals by Fritz: everything that makes the series not only memorable, not only one of the great all time mystery series, but also one of my favorite comfort reads.

Three of the four novellas are very good. Only "Fourth of July Picnic" falls a little short, mostly because the ending ties things up two quickly, involving a key reason that we had no clue about earlier. But even it is fun along the way.

If you haven't read a Nero Wolfe mystery before, this isn't the top of the list to start at, but it's not a bad place. There are no bad places, really.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of four short stories featuring Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin is great if you’re looking for a quick mystery. Because of the length there are fewer loose ends to keep track of, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you will figure out the villain because Stout doesn’t always play fair. It’s not uncommon for Nero Wolfe to have a piece of information that isn’t shared with the reader, such as the contents of the photograph Archie takes in Easter Parade. It’s also not uncommon for him to trap people into exposing themselves instead of using old fashioned detective work. That didn’t really dampen my enjoyment of the stories, however, because the heart of every Nero Wolfe mystery is the at times tense relationship between Wolfe and Archie. Stout’s created an archetypal detective pairing here that has recurred in many other stories. Wolfe never leaves his mansion and sends Archie out to do all of his footwork. Archie’s more than competent in his own right, but Wolfe is a genius and watching him pull the strings of the various players in the mystery is always a delight. While Glen Cook, in his Garrett Files, and now Dan Wickline, in his Lucius Fogg series, do it well, no one surpasses the master, Rex Stout.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 5th march 2024 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner nero wolfe #30 four short stories and had i realized that before taking the loan i likely would have passed and looked for a novel length read. and apparently this is the first ever from stout for me as i've no "wolfe" shelf. i'm assuming i'll have quite a list of stories to read once i start looking. nero wolfe has a kind of antagonistic relationship with local law enforcement. there's a number of adjectives one could use to describe him...he has a few people who help him and his main man is this...archie...archie goodwin...godwin...goodwin i think. and like more than a few of lawrence block...as well as conan doyle...the results are revealed at a meeting of all the various suspects. honestly, i wonder if "real life" has ever been like that? though the plot device has been used by...maybe every mystery writer ever wrote? maybe better that than the bad guy falls ten stories off a building, lands on a wrought-iron fence, and gets up to escape and to pursue mayhem again. still...all entertaining stories.

[David Goodday · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased several Nero Wolfe books while visiting America many years ago after watching the TV series starring Maury Chaykin as Wolfe and Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin. I loved the show, but never got around to reading the books. So, at last, I finally got to read one from my bookshelf and loved it. I visualised both Hutton and Chaykin playing the roles in the book, which sometimes helps, especially when the book is as good as the TV series, or better.
This book, as the title suggests, is split into four short stories.
1. Christmas party: which highlights the conflict between Archie's private life and his responsibilities to Nero Wolfe.
2. Easter parade, where a woman dies when an associate of Wolfes snatches a rare orchid from her lapel.
3. Fourth of July picnic, a man dies in a marquis at a gathering where Wolfe is due to make a speech. The two people seen leaving the tent shortly before the murder were Wolfe and Goodwin.
4. Murder is no joke, a more complex case involving an attempt to dupe the master detective himself.

All four short stories are good, so if you like Nero Wolfe, you will like this book.

[Suzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the last of my Christmas holiday reads in 2018, and darn if I wasn't disappointed! I usually love Nero Wolfe mysteries, especially the snappy repartee between Wolfe and his sidekick Archie Goodwin, but this one left me flat and frustrated. Actually, when I say "this one", I really mean the first of the four novellas included in this book, Christmas Party. I had a hard time tracking with the cast of characters (confusing for such a short book), maybe because I listened. Also, I can sometimes forgive racist content in books written in times past, but a basic message in this one was that "Orientals" can't be trusted (as in "I've heard they slant their eyes to keep us guessing"), while at the same time Archie was salivating over the Oriental beauty who was a key figure in this mystery. And I think unforgivable for a book written in 1958. Rex Stout, you let me down!! Two stars because I love the series and because we did get a lot of the snappy repartee we know and love.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 stories from Christmas, Easter, the 4th of July and Autumn? 1. Christmas Party ~ Archie dropped a bombshell on Wolfe when he produced his marriage application citing it as a reason for his declining to drive Wolfe to Long Island to meet a fellow orchid enthusiast from England because he had to be present when his 'engagement' would be announced? Wolfe went in disguise as Santa~bartender with Bottweill's sanction to this party where Bottweill himself died of arsenic poisoning, with Santa promptly disappearing when chaos ensues. 2. Easter Parade ~ and what I call as Pink Murder. Wolfe is in the throes of his covetous rampage... he wants to see up~close a millionaire's successful hybrid of a flaming~pink Vanda which he had tried to do for years but failed and wanted Archie's help to steal the corsage that would be proudly attached on Mrs. Bynoe's breast (clothed of course... during the Easter parade) to which Archie declined though he knows a thief. The snatch was successful... the orchid grabbed from the dying woman's breast. 3. Fourth of July Picnic ~ One of the occasions where Wolfe leaves his lair for a speaking engagement as guest at a restaurateurs' union celebration of Independence Day. Both detectives bit more than they can chew for a supposed to be carefree and fun holiday gourmets' picnic. 4. Murder is No Joke ~ Alex Gallant is an up and coming young designer of French origin and looks like Scottish poet Lord Byron when a much hated employee (Bianca Voss) suspected by her co~workers to have a hold on him died within the hearing on the telephone of the great detective Nero Wolfe, his confidential assistant Archie Goodwin (making them unwary witnesses/auditors as to time of death)... both were with Gallant's un~glamorous sister Flora who was attempting to hire Wolfe to do something about removing the soon~to~be dead woman's hold on her beloved brother. The matter being moot at this point, Archie returned her retainer as she was leaving shocked and moving like and automaton. Then an actress ex~client of Gallant died too. That galvanized Wolfe into action despite his lack of client because of an earlier suspicion voiced by Cramer that Voss' telephone death throes was staged thus making a dupe of Wolfe, largely denting his pride.