"And Be a Villain"

I've had a number of embarrassing moments over the course of a career in broadcast journalism, but none that really equals this one: the guest on a live radio broadcast (OK, this was 1948) takes a swig of the sponsor's soft drink - and promptly drops dead. That's the situation in "And Be a Villain," by Rex Stout, and it involves Nero Wolfe and his assistant, Archie Goodwin, in a most peculiar case. For some reason, nearly everyone involved with the case appears to be telling lies. And Wolfe needs to find out the truth before he can begin finding a solution to the murder. A full review can be heard here on our Classic Mysteries podcast.

I have been a fan of Rex Stout for many years, and I think the Wolfe novels and novellas are among the best American mysteries in the classic mold. "And Be a Villain" also introduces an arch-enemy for Wolfe in the person of Arnold Zeck, who would appear in two more books before the inevitable showdown with Wolfe. Stout's books are more about the characters of Wolfe, Goodwin and the others in the regular cast, and about the intricate marriage of classic armchair detection and the "private eye" genre which is featured in every one of his books. This one is a very enjoyable read.