| Main Wolfe Page | Cast of characters | Quotes | Memorable Moments | Notes | H O M E |
Fer-de-Lance introduces that great mountain of a man, Nero Wolfe. After wagering the District Attorney
$10,000 that if he exhumes the body of the College President it will be found he died of poison, not heart
failure; this amazing man (who lets others do the "leg work" and never stirs from his own armchair) solves
a remarkable crime.
Dangling suspects and clients alike as though they were puppets, he manipulates crime itself to his
un-alterable convenience and your infinite entertainment. "An official announcer remarks of Mr. Stout's new
snoop: 'By his temperament, his super-psychology and his admirable wit, Nero Wolfe distinguishes himself, a
master among sleuths, unequaled since Philo Vance stepped up beside Sherlock Holmes.' We shouldn't have put
it in that way ourself, since Nero talks plain English and drops no g's. We recommend him to all orchid
fanciers, golfers, plain and fancy murderers, crime addicts and sundry."
| Archie Goodwin | Nero Wolfe's sidekick/right hand man/motivator |
| Fritz Brenner | Nero Wolfe's cook/housekeeper/butler |
| Fred Durkin | Freelance private detective who regularly works for Wolfe. |
| Saul Panzer | Freelance private detective who regularly works for Wolfe. |
| Fanny Durkin | Fred Durkin's wife. |
| Maria Maffei | Friend of Fanny Durkin. Wolfe's client. Housekeeper. |
| Carlo Maffei | Victim.
Maria's brother, Metalworker, made jewelry for Rathbun & Cross before the depression. Body found in Westchester County in a thicket 100 feet from a dirt road three miles outside of Scarsdale, NY. |
| Peter Oliver Barstow | Victim.
President of Holland University. Was killed by a poison dart shot from the handle of a golf club. |
| Anna Fiore | Girl who lives in same rooming house as Carlo Maffei. |
| Mrs. Ricci | Owner of rooming house on Sullivan Street where Anna Fiore, and Carlo Maffei live. |
| Marve Doyle | Beat cop. Friend of Archie Goodwin. |
| Theodore Horstman | Gardener who lives on top floor of Nero's house. Takes care of Orchids. |
| Mr. O'Grady | Homicide detective |
| Fletcher M. Anderson | Westchester County District Attorney |
| Mr. Townsend | Delivery boy who brought golf clubs to Nero Wolfe, so he could examine them. |
| Mr. Derwin | Fletcher Anderson's chief assistant |
| Dr. Nathaniel Bradford | Doctor who signed Peter Barstow's death certificate. |
| Ben Cook | Chief of Police |
| Dick Morley | Assistant District Attorney of New York City. |
| Lawrence Barstow |
Peter Barstow's son. Mechanical engineer. Flies planes. Was golfing with his father and E.D. Kimball and Manuel Kimball when his father was killed. |
| E.D. Kimball | Friend of Barstow's. Part of foursome playing golf when Peter was killed |
| Manuel Kimball | E.D Kimball's son. Part of foursome playing golf when Peter was killed |
| Harry Foster | Works for The Gazette, a newspaper in New York. |
| H.R. Corbett | Works for Fletcher Anderson. |
| Sarah Barstow |
Peter Barstow's daughter. Came to Wolfe's office to tell him that he should disregard the advertisment in the newspaper for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for her fathers death. |
| Professor Gottlieb | Psychologist who Sarah Barstow heard lecture. Wrote a book called 'Modern Crime Detection' |
| Small | The Barstow's butler |
| Nero Wolfes Brownstone | West 35th Street |
| Mrs. Ricci's Rooming house | Sullivan Street |
| Green Meadow Golf Course | Pleasantville, New York |
| Agawalk Cemetary | - Peter Oliver Barstow buried there. |
| Barstow's Home | At the low point of a saddle between two hills about seven miles north of Pleasantville, NY. Built of stone, over twenty rooms and alot of outbuildings. |
| Main | Cast of characters | Quotes | Memorable Moments | Notes | Victim(s) | H O M E |