Found the only Nero Wolfe book I hadn’t read before, Not Quite Dead Enough, in a used bookstore this week, so naturally I bought and read it. Unfortunately, it was more exciting for its timing than anything else. Both of the stories in this volume are WWII stories; the first shows what an evolution Lily Rowan’s character, and her relationship with Archie, have gone through. I don’t know if she was throwing a temper tantrum or Archie was being a jerk—he doesn’t tell us enough—but it wasn’t very enjoyable, and I far prefer the way they are together in A Family Affair. The second is another bomb story, with the sort of ending that I’ve never really cared for.
I do have one more Wolfe story to find, but I’m not holding my breath. Maybe I’ll re-read Prisoner’s Base instead, one of the best Wolfe books, which I also netted during my bookstore run—as well as another stack of Ellis Peters, which I was particularly glad to buy because the store had recently had someone walk off with a whole shelf of books. People suck sometimes—it’s a Bryn Mawr bookstore, for goodness’ sakes, their money goes for scholarships.