Alan Vanneman

This is a collection of three novellas, each featuring the famous literary detective, Nero Wolfe. I suppose one might say this is fan fic. The first was set in 1935, contemporaneous with the early Rex Stout novels featuring Nero Wolf. The latter two were set in modern times, i.e. the opening years of the 21st century. The novellas were originally published serially on the author's web site. He has subsequently packaged the novellas into a single ebook and which he rel="nofollow" target="_top">offers to all takers for free.


Invitation to a Shooting Party [*** ]

Set in the 1930s. A rich dowager wants to hire Wolf to break up the marriage between her granddaughter and heir and a British Lord. The granddaughter won't have it, in part because she's as stubborn and willful as is her grandmother. Wolfe doesn't do divorce cases, but eventually relents enough to send Archie Goodwin, his ever faithful sidekick down to the Poconos to the rich woman's estate. The extended family are gathered there for a shooting party, shooting deer, grouse and what not. One of the party is shot. An accident or murder?

I'm not familiar enough with Nero Wolfe to tell if the writing style is similar to Rex Stout's. I assume it is, given that the author, Alan Vanneman spends much of his time reading and musing. This novella is competently written and worth one's time.


Fame Will Tell [ ***- ]

Set in modern times, i.e. after 2000. Wolfe desperately needs money to restore his roof-top green house. So he agrees to consider taking on a case involving three bodelicious young black woman in a super group, Black Pussy Cat.

It seems that the group's manager is trying to get them signed to a big deal either with a big-time, hip-hop promoter, or with Sony. But the manager from their early days and her ex-con boyfriend show up and try to horn in on a piece of the action. Then some people get murdered and Wolfe's special analytical skills are required to finger the culprit and get the suspected member of the super group off the hook. Meh!

Politics is Murder [ **]

Ann Coulter seems to think she's being black mailed by an old friend who has a tape she recorded when she was beginning to practice her on-air personna, but with a twist, apparently. She wants the tapes found/destroyed. The old friend ends up murdered. Ann is a suspect. Ann, one of the ickiest people alive (I don't like professional liars), has an affair with Archy. Yeech!… (mehr)

A modern installment of the Sherlock Holmes series. In this installment, Holmes is in pursuit of an Austrian archduke and his murderous accomplice. The book centers on the world’s biggest diamond, The Great Blue, and its resurfacing in the hands of the Austrian noble. Holmes is hired by the British Gov’t, De Beers Diamond company and more to track down the gem for various ends throughout the book. The journey leads them to Scotland, France, Italy, and Constantinople as more bodies turn up and governments attempt to conceal the facts. In the end, [SPOILER] the diamond is cut and placed in a tiara, the Archduke is murdered and impersonated by his accomplice and Holmes foils both, returning the diamonds to Austria for a some of money to establish a scholarship for African students. Taking place at the turn of the century and narrated, as is the norm for Holmes novels, by Dr. Watson the book takes the chance to bring Holmes in the modern world, with Americans, motorcars, and changing imperial politics all playing a role. The author's prose and vocabulary is entertaining if not over the top and I do get the feel that he is writing of Victorian England through distant, almost theatrical means. The sexual side of the book seemed to preoccupy a great deal of the writer’s resources and time. Waston spent a large portion of his time in bed with a Countess and the a great deal of his narration is him thinking about such dalliances. There is little mystery, When it serves the story, Holmes will tell Watson and the reader what has happened and then leave the story and text to flounder until his next revelation.… (mehr)

With a title like that, you know it's not meant to be taken seriously. I'm fine with that. But well, it wasn't any fun either. One of Watson's acquaintances comes asking for help only to be murdered the next day by a mysteriously rodentine assailant. Holmes and Watson set off to Asia to track down the bad guy. Watson turns into a ladies' man, ending up in a Singapore brothel. Holmes has a crush on a Chinese woman. They find the bad guy and kill him.

And yet, like I said, it wasn't much fun. I got pretty tired of it. The whole romantic angle added nothing to the story. The only thing I liked about it was Captain Macdougall, a strangely named African Muslim. I liked him a lot. Whenever he left the story, I got bored.

Maybe for Holmesians, but I'm not going to read more by this author.… (mehr)