Feb 12, 2020
Plot it Yourself A Nero Wolfe Mystery
By Rex Stout
1959
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Singapore
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seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Russia
seen from United States
seen from Portugal
seen from Saudi Arabia
seen from Taiwan
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Australia
seen from Türkiye
seen from Russia
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
Plot it Yourself A Nero Wolfe Mystery
By Rex Stout
1959
Over the years I have chased a lot of wild geese, but that was about the wildest, asking a bunch of strangers about something that maybe didn’t exist, and if it did maybe they had never heard of it, and if one of them had it why should he tell me?
Rex Stout, Plot It Yourself
A female voice told me that Mr. Tabb was working and couldn’t be disturbed until one o’clock, and would I leave a message. She seemed surprised and a little indignant that there was anyone on earth who didn’t know that.
Rex Stout, Plot It Yourself
This Nero Wolfe novel should have an appeal for writers/authors. The cover art has everything a mystery writer needs: a typewriter, manuscript pages, light and refreshment. The only thing out of place? The rolled up newspaper with a bloody knife!
As for the plot... “A group of publishers and writers hire Wolfe to solve a case of false plagiarism.” Four seemingly unrelated accusers have been fleecing bestselling authors with clever extortions until murder enters the script. This one’s all about the quirky world of publishing.
The cover art is from the Bantam paperback edition issued in July 1994. The illustration is by Tom Hallman, who provided cover art for the Crime Line series of Rex Stout books that appeared in the 90s. Plot It Yourself was originally published by Viking Press in October 1959.
Fritz, entering with beer, stopped and looked at me reproachfully. Wolfe quit bellowing as abruptly as he had started, glared at Fritz, and said coldly, 'Take it back. I don't want it.' 'But it will do -- ' 'Take it back. I shall drink no beer until I get my fingers around that creature's throat. And I shall eat no meat.' 'But impossible! The squabs are marinating!' 'Throw them out.' 'Wait a minute,' I objected. 'What about Fritz and Theodore and me? Okay, Fritz. We've had a shock. I shall eat no boiled cucumbers.'
Rex Stout, Plot It Yourself