The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout

The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout ISBN-13: 9780553237214 Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Bantam Released: 1965; June 1992

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When Rachel Bruner sends out copies of a book critical of the FBI to 10,000 influential people, the agency begins harassing her. Then she hires Nero Wolfe to make them stop, and once he's discovered the bureau's weak spot, he sets in motion a scheme guaranteed to force the FBI to leave both him and Rachel alone.


My Review:
The Doorbell Rang is a historical mystery set in New York City (though it was a contemporary mystery when it was written in 1965). This story was more a challenge to Nero Wolfe to do the impossible rather than a complex mystery. A murder mystery was involved, but Archie Goodwin figured out whodunit fairly quickly. I enjoyed the humorous tone of Archie as he told the story, and Wolfe did, indeed, come up with a clever way to best the FBI.

There was no sex. There was some bad language. I'd recommend starting with one of the actual mystery novels if you've never read a Nero Wolfe story since Wolfe is usually about solving complex mysteries. However, this book is certainly worth reading if you're a fan.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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