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Champagne for One
by Rex Stout
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Crimeline (1995-12-08)
ISBN: 0553244388
EAN: 9780553244380
Dewy Decimal #: 813.52
Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Release Date: 1995-12-08
SKU: M132001
Condition: Very Good
Comments: 0553244388 MMPB free of markings but "X" on first p. Cover (with blue napkin, champagne glass and pearl necklass) shows light wear. Interior evidences only gentle use, spine is lightly creased & slightly cocked, pages clean; overall, a very serviceable copy. Your book will be carefully protected for transit in sturdy, weather-resistant packaging. We are prompt, efficient, communicative.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Unwilling to accept a suicide ruling after witnessing the death of the admittedly morbid Faith Usher, Archie Goodwin is assisted in the investigation by Nero Wolfe, who has been warned to stay away from the case. Reissue. NYT.
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Customer Reviews
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No Good Turn Goes Unpunished
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-11-20
One March morning in 1952 Archie Goodwin got a phone call from an acquaintance, Austin Byne, who wanted Archie to fill in for him at a dinner party that evening. Archie had an unpleasant experience with the hostess a few years earlier, he knew that the excuse Austin had given him was false and he was aware that the dinner party, an annual event where the guests of honor are unwed mothers, was unusual and more than a bit awkward. Despite all the reasons not to go Archie's curiosity got the better of him and he agreed to go. Before the evening was over though he came to regret his decision though. One of the unwed mothers committed suicide by putting cyanide in her post dinner champagne. At least that was the official explanation, Archie was convinced that the young woman had been murdered, and based on Archie's conviction Wolfe found himself involved in the mess. It was a decision that he must have had second thoughts about though when multiple women came through the brownstone on several occasions before the culprit was found.
As always with Stout's stories the plot is clever, full of twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing as Archie ferrets out the clues. The dialog between Archie and Wolfe is witty and the scenes of Wolfe coping with a roomful of females is hilarious. Those who are new to the series would do well to start here and those who are fans will enjoy this one with its delightful peeks into life in the brownstone.
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"Champagne For One" - a Nero Wolfe Mystery by Rex Stout
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-07-27
For over 20 years, I have been collecting Nero Wolfe mysteries, and this was the one I couldn't find. I was delighted to have found it on Amazon! It didn't disappoint - Wolfe, Archie, Fritz and Inspector Cramer were all there, in rare form, as usual. I read and reread my Nero Wolfe mysteries all the time. Rex Stout was a literary genius, using big words that I sometimes I have to look up, plot lines to keep anyone interested, and a large dose of humor. I would recomend this book, as well as any Nero Wolfe mystery by the incomperable Rex Stout.
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ejn Review of Champagne for One
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-02-13
I am a fan of the Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries and think that Michael Prichard's readings capture all that is best in them. His individualistic voices for the Stout characters are right on target. His Nero Wolfe conveys Wolfe's unflappable superiority, his remarkable presence (and bulk), and his high IQ. But my favorite has to be Prichard's tongue-in-cheek, smooth-talking, sophisticated tough man, Archie Goodwin, the narrator of each tale. Prichard's reading of "Champagne for One" amply shows off his acting talents, as much as the intriguing plot and many characters demonstrate Stout's writing abilities.
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simple fun
Rating  (4)
Date: 2007-11-14
another in a series of simple, well devised Nero Wolfe mysteries. if you like the series this is a "gotta have".
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Good mystery & an entertaining read
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-08-31
Champagne for One begins with Archie Goodwin getting roped in to attending a somewhat unusual dinner. A small group of "unfortunate" young women (unmarried but had children) are paired with men of society in an attempt to broaden their horizons. It's sort of an odd premise but it does provide a great setup for Archie to practice his flirting skills. As you might guess, this being a Nero Wolfe novel, one of the young ladies swallows poisoned champagne and dies at the party. Most of the people there believe it's suicide, but Archie was watching her and knows she didn't poison the glass. From there, we are treated to a mystery with all the usual twists and turns until you're practically certain that no murderer will ever be revealed. And then, of course, Wolfe reveals the killer.
Champagne for One is a good read. It isn't quite up there with the very best Wolfe novels but it is far from the worst. The characters are probably better than average, the humor typical of the series is present and accounted for, and the mystery is more than interesting enough to hold the reader's attention. I probably wouldn't give this to a first time Wolfe reader if I wanted to be sure they'd get hooked on the series, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a fan looking for their next fix of the corpulent detective.
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