Book Review - A First for me!

You all know I cook - a lot. You all know I sew - a lot. You probably don't know that I read a lot, too. My local paper, the Wall Street Journal every day. Time, Bloomberg Business, National Review, Smart Money, Forbes, The American Spectator, Smithsonian, National Geographic and other stuff I've forgotten all get at least a cursory glance, and usually much more, when they come in. And guess what? I read books, too. Nothing new, of course. Virtually all of my books come from used book sales at the library; as Karin said, there's nothing like giving an old book another chance. So I'm going to tell you about some of them periodically. You'll probably run from the room screaming in fear, because I'm no great reviewer, but you might hear about something you like!

The Doorbell Rang
by Rex Stout
pub. 1965

Below the title, on the title page, it said "A Nero Wolfe Mystery." That was enough for me. Who else remembers the series on TV from a few years ago? I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed this book.

The story opens with a rich widow showing up to hire Nero Wolfe to stop the FBI from following her and bugging her house. He decided to take the case because it was January, and his income had not yet reached the point where it was taxed at the 91% rate; she wrote him a check for $100,000. Nero's assistant, Archie, was dispatched to determine that the client was indeed under surveillance by the FBI, and then to determine why. The story is fast paced and easy to follow - no great plot turns such as are typical with Agatha Christie, for example. I read the entire book while my dearly beloved was having one cataract surgery performed, laughed at Nero's specially made chair for his 1/7th of a ton body, and gasped in awe at Fritz the cook's 289 cookbooks. During one distractionary caper, I learned a new word, when Nero Wolfe's "Ten for Aristology Club" had a meeting. Don't fret; I looked it up for you: Aristology is the science of dining. (Just because I have a minimum of one dictionary in every room contiguous to my kitchen, including the kitchen, doesn't mean I think everyone does).

This was a light, easy read, requiring not too much thinking. Try it!

(This was one of a set of mysteries that I bought for $4. I've read or plan to read some of the others, and I'll bore you with those reviews one of these days).

Happy Weekending, everyone!