Cordially Invited to Meet Death by Rex Stout (1942)

 

This novella is usually combined with Black Orchids in one volume.

About the author: Rex Stout (1886 – 1975) was an American writer noted for his detective fiction. His best-known characters are the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin, who were featured in 33 novels and 39 novellas between 1934 and 1975. (wikipedia). (bibliography)

Major characters:

• Bess Huddleston, professional party arranger
• Daniel Huddleston, her brother; a chemist
• Lawrence Huddleston, her nephew, a lazy stay-at-home
• Janet Nichols, her assistant
• Maryella Timms, her secretary
• Dr. Alan Brady

and of course:

• Nero Wolfe, private detective
• Archie Goodwin, private detective
• Lt. Cramer, homicide

Locale: Long Island, New York

Synopsis: Bess Huddleston arranges entertainment parties for the affluent Long Island set. She lives in a mansion on Long Island along with her idler nephew Lawrence "Larry" Huddleson, to whom she doles out an allowance. Also residing are her assistant, Janet Nichols, and her secretary, Maryella Timms; who are always shooting eye-daggers at each other. The estate is also home to Bess' collection of exotic animals, who have the run of the place.

Bess comes to Wolfe with a problem. Someone has been sending poison pen letters to her clients, hinting that Bess knows things about various indiscretions. The letters and the typewriter used are found to be in Bess' mansion, available to anyone in the house. No sooner has Archie looked the place over, when Bess turns up dead. And she was Wolfe's client!

Review: This is a nice tight novella, also published as Invitation to Death.  We don't get to know Bess very well, she is rather two-dimensional and she does not last long into the story. The animals running around her mansion are distracting and do not add anything much to the plot except messing up a bit of evidence.

The most enjoyable part of the story is the relationship between Maryella and Wolfe. Once Wolfe catches on that she is a credible and talented cook, he opens the kitchen to her and we get a number of firsts: a woman in the kitchen, and actually allowed to prepare food! Not only that, she touches him!

I learned a few things from this story, most importantly how tetanus is spread. The story is not to be taken as a medical reference, but it did send me to wikipedia to check (it agrees). Fortunately, my ten-year tetanus vaccination is still in force, and after reading the story, I will be sure to never let it lapse - and especially not wander around outside barefoot.

I also learned the secret ingredient which is required for corned beef hash.

Also see this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.