Champagne
for One – Rex Stout, 1958
The plot is rather sillier than
usual. PI Archie Goodwin is asked by a sick acquaintance to substitute for him
at a dinner party held by a foundation for the aid of unwed mothers.
Goodwin lives with the gourmet PI Nero
Wolfe but even Goodwin is impressed the rich food. He also appreciates that the
girls are pretty and friendly. But one of the girls, Faith Usher, falls dead, perhaps at her own hand, because everybody has
heard her suicidal ideation. Though put out that a crime has been committed
right under his nose, Archie insists that the death is in fact murder one.
Inspector Cramer of the Homicide
Bureau is unable to close the case because of Goodwin’s assertion. Thus, the
pressure is on Goodwin and his boss Wolfe to investigate the crime. Luckily, a male rich guest at the banquet is concerned that his past indiscretions
may be brought to light in the glare of a police investigation. So he hires
Wolfe to get to the bottom of things.
Gathering all the suspects in
Wolfe’s office takes some clumsy doing. Wolfe gets up on his high horse too
often and seems detached, though the banter with Goodwin is pretty funny.
“Archie.'
'Yes, sir.'
'Do I ever intrude in your private affairs?'
'Yes, sir. Frequently. But you think you don't, so go right ahead.”
'Yes, sir.'
'Do I ever intrude in your private affairs?'
'Yes, sir. Frequently. But you think you don't, so go right ahead.”
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