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| Prisoner's Base: A Nero Wolfe Mystery (Nero Wolfe Mysteries) | 
| Author: Rex Stout
Creator: Michael Prichard
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $19.76
You Save: $10.19 (34%)
New (8) from $19.76
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 125676
Format: Unabridged
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Unabridged
Number Of Items: 6
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.2 x 5.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 1602834261
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781602834262
ASIN: 1602834261
Publication Date: August 12, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new and factory shrinkwrapped. Official unabridged 6-CD set, exactly as pictured and described. Not a remainder or cheap import. In stock. Buy from a trusted seller. Check our rating.
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 12 | | NEXT » |
 Fun Mysteries August 29, 2007
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
Classic American with the two awesome characters of Nero and Archie. Sure to sparkle a drab day.
Another great visit with Nero Wolfe August 22, 2007
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
Nero Wolfe fans will not be disappointed in this book. Archie Goodwin delivers his usual smart-alecky narration, Wolfe himself is as gruff and brilliant as usual, and the rest of the cast of favorites make their appearances as well (Fritz is particularly amusing this time around).
Wolfe is approached by a young woman who wishes to simply live in his house for a week. While she is out of sight in an upstairs bedroom, a man, also offering to pay Wolfe for his services, comes to the door looking for her. The girl refuses Wolfe's terms, leaves, and winds up dead before morning.
After a few more corpses turn up, Archie begins to feel responsible, and takes off on his own to assist the police investigation. In a surprise twist, Wolfe agrees to represent a new client's interests in the matter, and the plot thickens.
If you're looking for a highbrow mystery, don't stop here, but if you're looking for a quick whodunit, you'll enjoy this book. At 150 or so pages, it's a nice afternoon's distraction that will keep you entertained, but don't expect Rendell or James here. Stout wrote them fast and furious, and they need to be read the same way. All in all, a very enjoyable episode in the Nero Wolfe collection.
 Solid, but not spectacular Nero Wolfe novel June 24, 2007
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
Prisoner's Base begins with a woman coming to Nero Wolfe and asking to remain in his home for one week. She wants complete secrecy and seclusion but won't say why. While Archie is attracted to her, Wolfe simply doesn't want the bother and turns her out. Later that same night she and her maid are killed and the mystery begins.
This book is somewhat different from a typical Nero Wolfe novel in a few ways. First, it is on the short side as it is a good 50 pages or so less than a typical full-length Wolfe story but still considerably longer than the novellas. Also, it shows Archie more personally motivated to solve the murders than is the norm. Rather than simply working for a client, Archie is motivated by guilt. Things get even worse for him later as another murder is committed that he blames himself for. We rarely see the wisecracking Archie Goodwin so worked up about finding a murderer. There are also some nice moments between Wolfe and Archie, as Nero knows his right hand man is hurting and ultimately does what he can to help him.
One effect of Archie's guilt is that the humor gets toned down somewhat. There are still some funny moments but far less than in other books. I also found some elements of the mystery a little unsatisfying. The most glaring example was the setup for the story. It is never really made clear why the woman comes to Wolfe seeking sanctuary in the first place. She was rich and powerful and could have hired a bodyguard, traveled anywhere in the world, refused to accept phone calls or visitors, etc. The idea of a single woman going to the private home of a male investigator (in 1952) for the sole purpose of sleeping in a spare bedroom is frankly ridiculous. There should have been a truly compelling motive for why she went to Wolfe specifically but there isn't.
Overall, Prisoner's Base is a good book. I didn't enjoy it as much as some other Wolfe novels but the story moves along reasonably well, there is at least a little humor, and some of the interplay between Wolfe and Archie is excellent. This certainly shouldn't be the first Nero Wolfe novel you read, but don't be afraid to give it a try if you're a fan.
Classic Wolfe February 28, 2007
5 out of 9 found this review helpful
PRISONER'S BASE is classic Wolfe. Archie takes on a different role in this one; a man possessed by anger and self-doubt. These feelings are brought on by the death of a young woman who is denied the safety of the Wolfe residence and then exacerbated by a ploy that Archie uses that leads to another murder. Archie's rage, checked by his ever-present control, threatens to consume him and even brings him into an alliance with Cramer and Stebbins in his efforts to solve the case. But it is still up to Wolfe to bring this one to a close, which he proceeds to do by a bit of a cheat on Stout's part, but it still proves to be an excellent addition to the Wolfe series.
I'm Biased - This Was One Of His Best October 8, 2004
9 out of 20 found this review helpful
For some reason, Prisoner's Base hit me as one of Stout's best efforts. I know not many people agree.
I also see this as one of the least successful A&E screen transitions. When I first read this book, I was really captivated by the female lead, as seen through Archie's eyes. And we learn a lot more about Archie-as-Galahad in this one, too.
The TV show, though, through its characterizations and musical theming of the female protagonist, insist on portraying her as a sterotypicaly dizzy blonde.
If you saw the TV show before reading the book, you could not have gotten the impression Rex Stout intended, I'm afraid.
Read this one - it is my personal favorite, next to Fer de Lance, and you will perhaps love it, too.
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