FER-DE-LANCE

The urbane antics of Nero Wolfe and his legman, Archie, always provide enjoyment. The language is witty and the Bootleg Era deftly conjured forth. In this episode, all action (such as it is) involves Archie's several trips to the wilds of Westchester to collect the facts needed for Wolfe's solving of the case. Prichard makes no extensive attempts at characterization, so the flamboyant and sometimes resentful Archie's first-person narrative loses a little of its bite. The precise, smooth reading instead seems an attempt to emulate the evolution of the plot. Some varying audio levels are disturbing. S.B.S. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: NOV/DEC 97]