I loved just about everything about this book. A wistful, infatuated Archie, an exasperated/exasperating Wolfe, police who are (as Wolfe himself would say) good enough at what they do but always a step or two behind, and an action-packed yet heartbreaking mystery. So often books of this genre use murder merely as a catalyst for action. By introducing the victims' families and giving them voice, Rex Stout makes us view the murders in terms of the very real pain they cause those who are left behind. But don't get me wrong -- this book is not a downer. It's bright and clever and, as always, the Wolfe/Goodwin exchanges brought me many a smile.

(If you're interested in an audio edition, Michael Pritchard's unabridged narration is pretty good.)

We begin with the murder of a man who had no life: Leonard Dykes, fished out of the river on New Year's Day, a confidential clerk in the law firm of Corrigan, Phelps, Custen, and Briggs. No family (other than a married sister in California), no lovers, no unsavoury habits, no money problems (neither debts nor a large net worth), no problems with his job. Somebody somewhere, though, hit him on the head before leaving him to drown, and ransacked Dykes' apartment, but the only thing the Manhattan homicide squad could find was a single sheet of paper in a book, with a list of men's names, none of whom could be found in New York City.

Stuck, Cramer pays a call at the brownstone, but Wolfe can only suggest that Dykes or someone he knew had tried to come up with an alias for someone, but never used it. Cramer, frustrated (and embarrassed at having sunk so low as to ask for help without getting anywhere), leaves it at that.

Six weeks later, John R. Wellman hires Wolfe to find the man who killed his daughter Joan; he's not satisfied with the Bronx's handling of the case. From a letter, he knows that after Joan rejected a manuscript - "Put Not Your Trust", by Baird Archer - for her publishing firm, Archer had made an appointment to see her privately and get feedback on how to improve it, and the appointment coincided with her death. But nobody can find either the man or the manuscript. Wolfe has no information that the police don't have - collectively, between Manhattan and the Bronx - but he remembers that "Baird Archer" was one of the names on Dykes' list. So begins the hunt for "Put Not Your Trust", beginning with a search of all the typing services in the city - and soon another murder is added to the tally, that of typist Rachel Abrahms, only minutes before Archie could speak to her.

Stout has given us a real story here - where the lives of the survivors have been torn up with the loss of their daughters, with a man who's going against the advice of his pastor and his wife in hiring Wolfe. Not that it's a tale *only* of human suffering; Archie's telling it, after all. As balance, Wellman's a bit disturbed by Wolfe's tactics at times, particularly when Wolfe decides to have Archie go to work on extracting information from the female clerical staff of Dykes' law firm. Fritz nobly offers to help with the ladies, since there are so many. :)

Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe / Archie Goodwin books comprise one of the best mystery series of all time, and *Murder by the Book* is one of the best of the series. Sparkling with Stout's sharp wit, brilliant in detail and characterization, rich in period ambiance, the book is a total pleasure from start to finish. Even from the viewpoint of formal detection, usually not one of Stout's stronger points, this one is a flawless gem. The fact that it is out out print is little short of appalling, but the fact that used copies (as well as "audios") are readily available save the day. Still, the book deserves to be reissued and to be kept in print for posterity.

Michael Wolfe is an excellent writer. He is also a very convincing writer. For years my parents have been asking me to go for Hajj. I compromised and went for Umra. Mr. Wolfe's preface and the introduction convinced me that I should make this journey. I am preparing for the trip in year 2003. Inshallah.
This is an excellent book. Equally enlighting to Muslims and Non-Muslim. I recommend it.

Reading the title, one might think that this is a religion book, in reality this is a unique history book that give us a look at what the common man might experience on the way to and in Mecca through 1,000 years, through the eyes and words of the people who experienced the trips.

I found this book to be wonderful. I enjoyed it alot. It really has showen change in the pilgrimage. I would recomend the book for Muslims, like my self and non- Muslims alike.

you wouldn't think heartburn could be an interesting subject but this book was very readable. the information is easily understood and very complete. advice is given for all stages and conditions. i was burping 500-1000 times a day and frequently had chest pain unlike any heartburn i had known. i had seen a report on tv that got me thinking about heartburn and this was the one heartburn book in our library. the advice given prompted me to try an over the counter h2 blocker (pepcid ac) and the symptoms reduced dramatically almost immediately! but because the symptoms were not eliminated and indicate ulceration's, i am planning a trip to the doctor seeking a prescription for prilosec so my ulceration's can heal completely. i learned acid reflux can cause a host of problems with or without the accompanying symptom of heartburn and that life threatening ulceration's can develop with no symptoms whatsoever! the knowledge in this book should be useful to everyone at some point in their life and a god send to those suffering from acid reflux.

I have read a lot of "vanilla" books on the Internet and technology. This is the first book with some excitement to it and some very interesting issues addressed by these CTOs. A great book for both techies and business executives....

'Over My Dead Body' finds a young lady who arrives at Wolfe's door claiming to be Wolfe's daughter. Wow! What a way to start the book! Things begin to heat up even more when the young lady is suspected of a murder in a fencing studio.

This is the seventh entry in the Wolfe series, and it is an entertaining one. Wolfe is in his usual beer-drinking, orchid-loving form, using that brilliant mind of his to sort out any difficulty. In this book, we begin to see a little more depth in two of the recurring minor characters in Wolfe's employ: First, Fred Durkin, the lumbering, bumbling guy who is not too bright, but is always there when Wolfe needs him. Second, Saul Panzer, who is probably just as good a detective as Archie (well, almost), but is completely no-nonsense. (And Archie thinks he's better looking than Saul.)

I'd give the book 4.5 stars if I could. The only problem is Wolfe says a few words and lines that really aren't in character for him. This would only distract readers who have read a lot of the books. Since this book is still fairly early in the series, Stout can be forgiven. 'Over My Dead Body' is definitely a Wolfe book not to be missed.

Imagine having Nero Wolfe as your dear old dad. That's one of the delicious premises of this book. The mystery is a very good one. But even more entertaining is the glimpses into Wolfe's early life, when he was "lean," and his long-ago adventures in Europe. Archie is terrific, as always. The police go from adversaries to allies, and there's plenty of action to keep us on our toes.

Prichard has done unabridged audio tapes of a whole series of Nero Wolfe novels and he is ideally suited for the task. You could find no better way to experience Stout's work than these audio tapes. He has a fine voice and his performance is excellent.

Read this book for what it is, and you'll enjoy it very much. This is not meant to be a literary masterpiece. That much should be clear from the subtitle of the book: "Erotic Tales of the Vampire". Don't expect an all new and brilliant monster epic, and you'll like this book.

I want to praise the publisher for mixing two well-known names (William J Mann and Micheal Thomas Ford) with two names I am not familiar with (Sean Wolfe and Jeff Mann). The diversity of the stories and writing styles are fresh and keep the reader engaged. Much better than reading a long book with one style from one author.

The two Manns (William J and Jeff) have a similar style. Both of those stories, though decent, are my least favorite. They seem to try to be more than what they are. A little superficial for my taste, but not badly written.

I like Sean Wolfe's story very much. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and is comfortable being a short entertainment piece. It doesn't try to be more than what it is. I was entertained and appreciate the "humanness" that the story brings to erotic vampirism. It is both erotic and interesting. Though I haven't heard of Wolfe before, I'm sure we'll hear more from him in the future.

It is Ford, though, who is the star of this book, and a good reason for naming him as the main author. Most of us are familiar with his non-fiction material, which has won several Lambda Literary awards. His fiction writing here is no less brilliant. Ford's talent for putting the reader in the middle of the story and for character description are perfect. I love his story, and look forward to more fiction from Ford in the future.

If you're a fan of vampire fiction at all, you'd be crazy not to get this book. The variety of stories and writing style is fresh and refreshing. The writing is good. It is both erotic and frighteningly engaging. A must have for serious fans of horror, and especially vampire fiction!

MASTERS OF MIDNIGHT contains four novellas in which vampires play a prominent and erotically gay role. The authors have different visions of vampires leading to highly original and entertaining tales.

"His Hunger" by William J. Mann. Thirty years ago in Cravensport, Maine murders and disappearances occurred with no explanation. Jeremy thinks the story will make a good human-interest piece, but he also has a personal stake in the story as one of the vanished was his father. However, he is in peril after visiting Bartholomew, a vampire who plans to enslave Jeremy and convert the writer's lover.

"Sting" by Michael Thomas Forge. Following the suicide of his lover, Ben becomes head librarian in Downing, Arkansas. He sees customer Titus put his hands into beehives. When the two men become lovers, Titus explains that he is a vampire and the bee venom prevents his blood craving. Titus feels strongly about stopping his kind who kills innocent children.

"Brandon's Bite" by Sean Wolfe. His father was a vampire while his mother was mortal. His father taught him how to survive as a vampire. As an adult Brandon discovered he was gay so his father disowned him. Brandon can choose any victim he wants but fears love because he believes he cannot control his urge for blood.

"Devoured" by Jeff Marin. Three centuries ago two Scottish lords shared a secret passion for one another. When they were caught, Angus was killed but Derek was changed into a vampire. He avenged his friend's death before immigrating to West Virginia. Now an affluent businessman, he finally has a chance to love again but must first take care of Matthew's homophobic enemies.

Harriet Klausner

Unlike a previous reviewer, I AM a fan of gay vampire fiction, and of gay horror in general. I picked this book up because I'd read some of the authors' previous work in books like QUEER FEAR I and II, SONS OF DARKNESS, and BROTHERS OF THE NIGHT (all edited by Michael Rowe, in case you want to look them up). So how does this collection stack up? William J. Mann's contribution is an obvious ode to the glorious old cult supernatural soap opera, DARK SHADOWS, and if you read it that way it's a lot of fun. Sean Wolfe and Jeff Mann are new names to me, and although Wolfe's story didn't grab me, I really liked the second Mr. Mann's ability to bring out the most in his setting. But I have to say, it was Michael Thomas Ford's "Sting" that kept me up way past midnight. I saved it for last, because it sounded the most interesting, and was it ever. This novella is totally unique, not just in gay horror but in ALL horror. His writing is gorgeous, and the imagery he creates is both beautiful and terrifying. I defy anyone to read his descriptions of the Death Puppet and be able to sleep with the lights on. I, too, would love to see this story made into a film, especially if George Clooney plays Ben!

The seperate essays make this an easy book to put down and pick back up...but you prolly won't want to. If you are a new covert then this will have you goin' "yeah....yeah...yeah". If you ARE a new convert...hey? have u learned how to pray yet? If your not muslim this book gives you alotta info about how most moderate (as opposed to extremists) muslims feel about the state of Islam as it exists in the States. Peace be with ALL of you!

American Muslims reclaim their faith and pride in Islamic roots in Taking Back Islam, a unique compilation which gathers American voices from the vanguard of Muslim faith. Here devout believers talk of their religion, Islam's basic beliefs, and messages of tolerance and peace in the Qur'an which are central to their beliefs.

As a recent convert to Islam, I can only imagine what it would feel like to stand in the Great Mosque in Mecca with the hundreds of thousands of other pilgrims. Wolfe had this opportunity, but unfortunately, he did not sufficiently express his religious/spiritual impressions in the book. His writing style was a bit too objective and detached. It appeared that he carried the initial uneasyness he felt in Morocco (i.e. when he was afraid to enter the mosque) throughout the entire trip. However, I do applaud the honesty with which he described his religious upbringing and why he decided to become a Muslim.

A very good account of one of the most important journeys in a Muslim's life. I picked up this hoping it would be a good guide for Muslim converts if not a guide for Hadj. It was neither. Although Wolfe does take a genuine interest in the Arab culture and the religion of Islam, he fails to take the opportunity to enlighten his readers on clearly, one of the world's most misunderstood religion. He does not talk about how to prepare, how to perform, why they do it and what to watch for at the Pilgrimage. Wolfe dwells instead on his personal observations of his tour of Morocco, Mecca and Medina; the book is a personal trip diary. The author has obviously started out by studying a lot into Islam, however, it seems he received his inspirations from unusual sources. He quotes liberally from Frost, Twain and Washington Irving throughout the book but rarely goes into the traditions of the Prophet of Islam. He even sumarizes the entire autobigraphy of the Prophet in 3 paragraphs. Wolfe's admiration for Mohammed (Peace be upon him) is very evident, however; scattered through the book amidst car deals and accounts of his shopping cart are revealing reasons on why he became a Muslim. A short list of the Prophet's words favorite sayings, towards the end, is as refreshing as the cool ZamZam waters of Mecca.

Micheal Wolfe is indeed a storyteller. This book is interesting yet educational. This is good for everyone interested in travel and Islam. This is simply excellent!

I had seen this book at the library, and being a fan of Dante's Inferno, I checked it out. I was a bit disconcerted when I realized not all the stories take place in or near Hell, as the title suggests. Most of them occur here on Earth, where the characters are in a metaphorical hell. Surprise! Only a handful of the stories are worthy of note, including Gene Wolfe's and James Longrove's. The stories take place either in Hell, Chicago, or London. I found this last fact sometimes discouraging--i.e., I ended up skimming the story.

I recommend you get this book from the library before you spend the cash at a store.

Can't put it down. The intro promises that all the stories will be related to Dante's Inferno theme of Hellish portals on Earth, but they aren't all on that theme (in fact, one is a remake of the Christmas Carol). Scary and thought-provoking none-the-less.

I can't agree with the other reviewer. I found many of these stories scary precisely *because* they were based in metaphorical hells - hells we might actually live in, rather than encounter after death. Also, many stories were set in hells that were not on Earth but were also far from the fire-and-brimstone stereotype. The story "Office Space" alone makes this book worth buying.

In their first recorded enterprise, the Big Bad Wolfe and his sidekick Archie Goodwin apply their wits and charms to unravel a strange case of announced death... Vintage Stout with some memorable scenes, Fer-de-lance deserves a special place on your bookshelf. This particular edition is quite good for a paperback, including as it does an introduction and some memorabilia from the private world of great Rex Stout. Definitely an excellent choice for the lover of classic mystery fiction.

Compose yourself, Archie. Why taunt me? Why upbraid me? I am merely a genius, not a god. -Nero Wolfe

Rex Stout was in the midst of an unusually interesting life (including being a child math prodigy and serving on President Theodore Roosevelt's yacht) when he created one of the great detective series of all time, introducing Nero Wolfe for the first of 72 adventures in Fer-de-Lance. The brilliance of Stout's creation lies in the blending of Wolfe--an eccentric, elephantine, misanthropic, misogynistic, beer guzzling, gourmand--and his footman, Archie Goodwin--a classic, wise cracking, hard boiled dick. The combination, sort of like teaming Mycroft Holmes and Sam Spade, allowed him to use the best elements of both the British drawing room mystery and the American private eye novel. The result has enchanted readers for almost 70 years. Fans include everyone from Oliver Wendell Holmes to PG Wodehouse, James M. Cain to Kingsley Amis.

Nero Wolfe, logging in around 280 lbs and quaffing 6 quarts of beer a day, rarely leaves his 35th Street brownstone in Manhattan, preferring to tend his orchids and worry over the exquisite meals prepared by his butler/chef Fritz. To support his high living, Wolfe takes on investigations in a very unofficial capacity, relying on Goodwin to do the physical work and periodically summoning the principals in a case to his home for an exhibition of his deductive genius. His arrogant manner is nicely captured in the following admonition to a sporting goods salesman who has condescendingly demonstrated the proper use of golf clubs:

You know, Mr. Townsend, it is our good fortune that the exigencies of birth and training furnish all of us with opportunities for snobbery. My ignorance of this special nomenclature provided yours; your innocence of the elementary processes provides mine.

Meanwhile, Archie narrates the stories in the familiar sardonic banter of the great noir novels:

When I consider the different kinds I've seen it seems silly to say it, but somehow to me all lawyers look alike. It's a sort of mixture of a scared look and a satisfied look, as if they were crossing a traffic-filled street where they expect to get run over any minute but they know exactly what kind of paper to hand the driver if they get killed and they've got one right in their pocket.

This sets up an amusing dramatic tension between the two, as when Nero tells Archie:

Sit down. I would prefer to have you here, idle and useless...As I have remarked before, to have you with me like this is always refreshing because it constantly reminds me how distressing it would be to have someone present--a wife, for instance--whom I could not dismiss at will.

Lest it seem that Wolfe is to much of an egomaniac to be tolerated, Archie makes it clear that he stays around just for the sheer joy of watching the elephantine savant in action and Wolfe himself acknowledges that much of his facade is mere pretense when a District Attorney commands his presence in Westchester, he tells Archie to refuse, saying "I understand the technique of eccentricity; it would be futile for a man to labor at establishing a reputation for oddity if he were ready at the slightest provocation to revert to normal action." And Wolfe sometimes lets slip his admiration for Archie, telling a witness in the case, "Mr. Goodwin is a man of discretion, common decency and immeasurable valor."

It has long been a theory of mine that if you create characters of sufficient interest to enrapture your audience, you can get away with not always cranking out a top flight story, we'll show up just to spend some time with familiar friends (this carried Magnum PI and Cheers through some mighty lean episodes & even whole seasons). Nero and Archie are always worth a visit, never more so than in this their inaugural case.

GRADE: A

As a voracious reader in my youth I devoured books at an alarming rate, with never a backward glance. As I aged I began to spend more time selecting books and less time reading them, becoming more selective about how I spend my hard won reading time. One of the great joys in life is reading a really good book, but even the heftiest novels are all too fleetingly enjoyed, and all too soon their passing mourned. Rex Stout is the antidote for this 'readers remorse' in that he has created a world that rarely changes. His Nero Wolfe series is truly a literary time capsule. FER-DE-LANCE was the first book in Stout's lengthy series, and he had all the elements of his series in place when he wrote this excellent mystery. He deliberately mentions prior cases to establish their world as a constant presence. We aren't there for the beginning of the Archie/Nero relationship, if indeed there ever was one, but we are invited to stop by and visit whenever we wish. Having established the comfortable and familiar brownstone background against which all of his cases will play out, Mr. Stout then combined the softer classic deductive reasoning tradition, embodied in Nero Wolfe, with the tougher hardboiled action tradition, embodied in Archie Goodwin. They work together in this novel and dozens to follow, solving the homicide in a style all their own. His famous list of suspects with their lists of peculiarities are introduced in this novel as are, with the noted exception of Inspector Cramer, their comrades in arms. The characters ebb and flow throughout the series, but never seem to age or tire. This creates a span of thousands of well written pages to share with our new friends. FER-DE-LANCE is a unique and timeless classic of American mystery fiction.