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