An Essay by Jill Edmondson "A dirty book is rarely dusty." -- unknown SEX! Now that I have your attention, let's start off with a couple of disconnects. First, the claim that "sex sells." Next is the recognition that in crime fiction readers can find detailed, graphic, visceral descriptions of death and dying, but not … Continue reading Sex… and Crime Fiction
Tag: Nero Wolfe
“Apologia Pro Vita Sua”
By Rex Stout The following poem, written by Rex Stout, appeared in the August 21, 1935 issue of The New York Times, in conjunction with the then-recent publication of his second Nero Wolfe mystery. At the time, Stout was still relatively unknown, and must have been feeling a little sensitive about being pegged as a mere … Continue reading “Apologia Pro Vita Sua”
Sally Colt (aka Sally Corbett)
Created by Rex Stout (1886-1975) "Sally... was one of the two women who, a couple of years back, had made me feel that there might be some flaw in my attitude toward female dicks." -- Archie Goodwin SALLY COLT (sometimes known as SALLY CORBETT) is a trim, blonde, blue-eyed, Manhattan-based P.I. who appeared in several Nero … Continue reading Sally Colt (aka Sally Corbett)
Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin
Created by Rex Stout (1886-1975) "Compose yourself, Archie. Why taunt me? Why upbraid me? I am merely a genius, not a god." --Nero Wolfe humbly confesses, in Fer-de-Lance "Go to hell, I'm reading." -- Archie has other things on his mind. Also in Fer-de-Lance At first glance, Rex Stout's NERO WOLFE might seem out of … Continue reading Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin
Dol Bonner
Created by Rex Stout (1886-1975) One of the first female eyes to make it to a novel. Before he struck it rich with Nero Wolfe, Rex Stout experimented with a few other private eyes, including no-nonsense THEOLINDA "DOL" BONNER, a young socialite whose family's fortune was wiped out in the Depression. Not overly fond of men, … Continue reading Dol Bonner