The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout

Rachel Bruner is wealthy so when she reads a book she likes, she buys ten thousand copies and sends one to everyone she knows... and then some. That wouldn't bring her to the door of Nero Wolfe except that the book disparaged the FBI and now they are on her doorstep. And monitoring her phone line. And following her friends, family, and staff. So she's come to retain the great detective to get the FBI off her back. Normally Wolfe wouldn't be interested but it's the start of a new ear and his coffers are empty. And Mrs. Bruner is offering enough to more or less make it through the whole year. But can Nero Wolfe really stop an entire government group? 

Well, eventually, yes. And he'll solve a murder along the way.

This was an okay story but not particularly gripping. Was great for data entry.

Three stars

This book came out October 8th, 1965

Follows A Right to Die

Followed by Death of a Doxy

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Big Nate: Say Good-bye to Dork City by Lincoln Peirce

The cover of this book refers to the storyline where Nate joins the cool kid clique but then discovers that maybe he was better off where he was before. We also get to see favorite running themes and characters like Nate's crush on Jenny, his antipathy toward her boyfriend Artur, a (brief) return of Revenge of the Mollusk, a glimpse of school photography guy, and Nate playing sports.

A great addition to the series and one that shouldn't be missed.

Four stars

This book came out March 17th, 2015

Follows The Crowd Goes Wild

Followed by Welcome to My World

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

State of Affairs by Marie Force

At the end of the last book (even though this kicks off a new series, I guess), Lt. Sam Holland and her husband Nick Cappuano, Vice President of the United States, have gotten a call that the President has died. This throws their world into chaos. Nick had just the week before announced that he didn't want to run for president and now he's being sworn into office. 

For Sam, this is a nightmare. She has her dream job in the police force. Yes, there are always rumors about how she got there (either sleeping with people, riding her father's coattails, or both) but it's not like she wants to climb the ranks. She just wants to be able to work in the streets. But how will that work when no other First Lady has ever held a job before? 

This book was a little less emotionally fraught than others in the series because there was so much going into the world re-building. And I actually enjoyed the book all the more for it. These things happen in people's lives, seismic shifts change how we view the world, and we have to start from where we are. I can't wait to read the next book.

Four stars

This book came out April 20th, 2021

Follows Fatal Accusation

Followed by State of Grace

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout

An incredibly rich man has died and only Nero Wolfe seems to think that it is murder. And is it connected to the disappearance of a Greek engineer? He starts working on finding a client. And it gets even murkier when the police learn that Wolfe is right and that a man who seemingly had no enemies has been killed by an ingenious device.

The case becomes murky and gets twisty and turny. It's much better read as a physical book rather than an audiobook as it did get very confusing even as a book I was re-reading.

Three stars for audio

This book came out October 1934

Followed by 

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews

Meg's parents have always been slightly eccentric and often pick up new hobbies (Meg's dad learning lockpicking has come in handy in more than one book). Now her parents are getting into the hobby of raising and showing roses. There's a lot that goes into the practice and a lot of rules around what kind of roses can be entered into competition. Putting together a show can be time consuming and Meg has been roped into being the lead on this particular flower show. She's having problems finding volunteers and it has quite a bit to do with the fact that she is dealing with Mrs. Winkelson. The woman has graciously allowed the show to be on her property. Well... "gracious" might be an exaggeration. The woman has tried to run the show according to her own rigid standards - standards that very much make it likely that she herself will be the winner. None of what she does makes life any easier for Meg. For instance, Mrs. Winkelson called up many of the competitors and told them only black and white roses (the color scheme of her entire property including all animals) will be shown. 

Because Mrs. Winkelson is so universally reviled, it should come as little surprise to the reader that she is the one targeted for murder. This time, Meg is more of an active sleuth rather than just a busybody or being pushed into it by her family. 

An okay story but not one of my favorites in the series. Mrs. Winkelson is kind of fun and I did like the flipping of some of the solution.

Three and a half stars

This book came out July 21st, 2009

Meg Langslow #11

Follows Six Geese A-Slaying

Followed by Stork Raving Mad

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Reread July 2023 , November 2024 as Audible audiobook

The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts

 This is definitely my favorite of the Inn Boonsboro series.

Avery MacTavish runs a very successful pizza parlor and is happy with her life. Just because she's had a crush on middle brother Owen Montgomery since she was six and he gave her a bubble gum ring doesn't mean she's actually going to act on it. Except that he suddenly seems to have noticed that she's a woman. They decide that they're mature enough to handle a relationship, even if it might go south. I liked the discussion that they had with not too much beating around the bush, they decide they can handle a relationship and they go for it.

Also, I really liked Owen. He's organized, clear-headed and goes after Avery but is still concerned about her feelings.

Avery is a spitfire who is in charge of her own destiny. She does get a little shaken up when her past comes back but that is cleared up fairly quickly, not drawn out and made into some Big Misunderstanding.

Four stars

This book came out May 1st, 2012

Follows The Next Always

Followed by The Perfect Hope

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Not Quite Dead Enough by Rex Stout

I borrowed this book on a whim and was surprised to find out it was actually two longer novellas. When the first story wrapped up halfway through, I really thought it was a red herring. 

Both stories are set during WWII with the first having Archie return to the brownstone as a major in the army. It seems that Intelligence is in need of Nero Wolfe's skills and he is ignoring their requests. Archie is confident that he can change Wolfe's mind. On his way back to New York, Lily Rowan sits next to him on the plane having figured out his schedule. She wants help for her friend Ann Amory and can't get Wolfe to agree.

The reason that Wolfe didn't agree is because he is "training" in order to join the war. He is working hard to lose weight and get fit so that he can shoot Germans. Archie is shocked to see the great detective so deflated and even further shocked to figure out he can't change Wolfe's mind. So when Ann Amory is murdered, Archie frames himself in order to induce Wolfe to refocus on solving crimes. I didn't exactly get the end but it was an interesting story.

The second story is shortly afterward because Wolfe is now helping the war effort by working with Army Intelligence. He is even (gasp) leaving the brownstone and going to their offices. While there, he has Archie return the prototype of a new kind of grenade that Archie had had in their house. Wolfe, rather understandably, doesn't want it there. And it turns out that he is probably right to be worried since the grenade goes off in the army offices the next day, killing Archie's boss. There is a woman involved who Wolfe actually meets with an almost respects but otherwise it is a book about industrial espionage happening while the war is going on. 

Three stars

This book came out September 7th, 1944

Follows Black Orchids

Followed by The Silent Speaker

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own