Murder, Stage Left

A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Book 12

By: Robert Goldsborough

Narrated by: L. J. Ganser

It’s curtains for a famous Broadway director, and private investigator Nero Wolfe is on the case - but his assistant, Archie Goodwin, is a suspect.

When a renowned theater director senses something amiss during his latest production, he calls in Nero Wolfe. Though the corpulent genius wouldn’t normally accept a job this vague, a mutual friend dangles the prospect of a very rare orchid in exchange for his services, and Wolfe can’t resist.

With a mind to suss out useful backstage gossip, Wolfe turns to his faithful assistant, Archie Goodwin, to impersonate a journalist in order to speak to the cast. Though Goodwin’s conversations prove unfruitful, on his last day at the theater, the director is murdered in his sound-proof booth, poisoned by an unseen culprit during an evening performance. In short order, an actor whose health is failing attempts suicide with the same poison.

Now Archie Goodwin is a prime suspect in the director’s demise, effectively sidelining him for the rest of the case, and freelance gumshoe Saul Panzer must step in to help wrangle the various members of the play - from the ingénue and the diva to the handsome movie star and the surly stage manager - so that New York’s smartest, and most reclusive, private detective can determine who is responsible for these dramatic deaths and clear Goodwin’s name once and for all.

Continuing his beloved series, Nero Award - winning author Robert Goldsborough “brings Nero Wolfe, late of Rex Stout, gloriously back to life” (Chicago).

Murder, Stage Left is the 59th book in the Nero Wolfe Mysteries, but all stories can be enjoyed on their own.

©2017 Robert Goldsborough (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Good story- narration, not so much

I have enjoyed reading all of the Robert Goldsborough/Nero Wolfe books and was looking forward to listening to them. I planned on adding them all to my audible library. BUT, I can not get past this narrator. He forgets which accent he should be using to differentiate the male characters, so the voices all get muddled making it difficult to keep track of which one is speaking. He does somewhat better when alternating between male and female voices, but it’s still a challenge to keep characters straight. I will consider purchasing this series if another reader takes over the narration.

Well done!

I listened to this story with a smile. I believe I have read all of Stout’s books on Archie and Nero, and loved them, of course. My highest score to Goldsborough both for the recognizable style and for his excellent knowledge on all of the idiosyncrasies of the two protagonists and of the the structural arc of these classic stories. A small minus for the slightly rushed ending and a bit too contemporary solution. (Sorry.)

okay story, but not great narration

Liked the story and atmosphere as usual, but narrator seemed like a caricature of each character. Just seemed a bit off.

Interesting but Unattractive

I find Nero Wolfe not such a likeable character and the ending was so much fun. However the plot is solid and interesting.

Exactly what it’s supposed to be!

If you enjoy those old school, vintage “whodunnit” movies-you’ll love this book in the Nero Wolfe series.