The League Of Frightened Men




The League of Frightened Men was first published in 1935 and is the 2nd Nero Wolfe novel. And, it might be my favorite that I've read so far. The story opens with Archie and Wolfe in the office. Archie is reading to Wolfe, out loud, about a man named Paul Chapin, who was on trial for writing an "obscene" book. Wolfe then asks Archie to read to him a conversation that he had with a man named Andrew Hibbard, which was written down and kept in a file. In this conversation, Paul Chapin is mentioned. Hibbard wants Wolfe to protect him from Chapin. But since Wolfe is not in the "protection" business, per se, he declines to work for Mr. Hibbard. Soon Wolfe receives a phone call from Hibbard's niece, with whom Andrew Hibbard lives. She visits Wolfe and tells him that Hibbard has disappeared, and that she thinks that Paul Chapin is responsible for it. She lets Wolfe look at some papers and offers him a good sum of money to take the case. She also tells Wolfe a good deal about Paul Chapin and his relationship with Andrew Hibbard. It seems that Chapin went to college with Hibbard, and a bunch of guys, including Hibbard, harmed Chapin in a college prank. Two of the men who were part of the group have recently died somewhat mysteriously. And now Hibbard is missing and naturally Hibbard's niece suspects Chapin of killing him and the two others. Wolfe refuses her case. However, while he was looking through the papers she brought to him, he took a paper that had all of the names of the men who were involved in the incident against Paul Chapin. Wolfe's plan is to go to them, offer to take the case, ease the fear from them of being killed by Chapin, and collect an even larger fee than Hibbard's niece had offered. The men take Wolfe up on his offer, after some cajoling by Wolfe, and Wolfe and Archie get busy on the case.

Like I said, this might be my favorite Wolfe novel I've read to date. It has a great mystery, and the solution makes perfect sense. Also, some notable things happen in this novel. For instance, Wolfe leaves the house AND rides in a car!

I read this novel as a part of the omnibus entitled "Full House". It includes the books "The League of Frightened Men", "And Be A Villain", and "Curtains For Three". It is a hard back, but the binding is in bad shape. Also, it looks like someone spilled some kind of juice on it. But aside from all of that, it is readable. It was generously given to be by a member of the Wolfe-list.

Here's a picture of my copy of the book:



Here are some quotes from the book:

Wolfe, to Andrew Hibbard: "I have no talents. I have genius or nothing."

Wolfe, to Archie: "Archie. Understand this. As a man of action you are tolerable, you are even competent. But I will not for one moment put up with you as a psychologist. I am going to bed."