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Robert Goldsborough

The Last Coincidence (Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe) Hardcover – November 1, 1989

by Robert Goldsborough (Author)

261 ratings

Book 4 of 16: The Nero Wolfe Mysteries

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Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin return to investigate a case of murder when nasty playboy Sparky Linville targets Noreen James--Lily Rowan's niece--as his next playmate, an involvement that leads to scandal, family squabbles, and death

Print length

183 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Bantam
Publication date

November 1, 1989
ISBN-10

0553053833
ISBN-13

978-0553053838
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of that fat genius, Nero Wolfe, and his indomitable sidekick, Archie Goodwin, will be gratified by this stylish revival. The mystery begins with a plea for help from Archie's longtime pal, Lilly Rowan. Noreen James, Lilly's niece, has been attacked by a vicious roisterer named Sparky Linville. But before Archie can intervene, Sparky is murdered, and Noreen's brother Michael confesses to the deed. The cops think this closes the case. Noreen isn't satisfied, however, and she hires Wolfe to clear her brother. This mostly credible renaissance has a few glitches, notably those having to do with Goldsborough's attempts to bring the 35th Street duo into the 1980s. It's jarring to find Archie updating the orchid germination records on a PC instead of the old Remington. It would have been better to stick to period, as Ed McBain has done with his ageless 87th Precinct cops. Still, this rates a Wolfean "satisfactory,"--meaning, a job very well done.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam; 0 edition (November 1, 1989)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 183 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553053833
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553053838
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces

Best Sellers Rank: #1,637,688 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #15,712 in Historical Mystery
- #146,674 in American Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
261 ratings

About the author

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Robert Goldsborough

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Robert Goldsborough (b. 1937) is an American author best known for continuing Rex Stout’s famous Nero Wolfe series. Born in Chicago, he attended Northwestern University, and upon graduation went to work for the Associated Press, beginning a lifelong career in journalism that would include long periods at the Chicago Tribune and Advertising Age. Goldsborough’s first novel starring Wolfe, Murder in E Minor (1986), was met with acclaim from both critics and devoted fans, winning a Nero Award from the Wolfe Pack. Six more Nero Wolfe novels followed, including most recently, Archie Goodwin Meets Nero Wolfe: A Prequel to Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe Mysteries (2012).

Customer reviews

5 star		60%
4 star		25%
3 star		8%
2 star		4%
1 star		2%

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Tim WilliamsTop Contributor: Baseball

Show Don't Tell

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2021

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So-So. Stultified. Stylish. Jacques Barzun said that if Rex Stout had done nothing more than create Archie Goodwin, connoisseurs of American literature would be indebted to him. Although I appreciate the efforts of Robert Goldsborough to continue the series that Stout created, this was the first book in Goldsborough’s series that I found unsatisfactory. One reason is that this offering seems to lack subtlety, especially in its portrayal of Archie. Stout’s “Nero Wolfe” books displayed a talent for “show don’t tell” writing, but “The Last Coincidence” seems jarringly pedantic. We have Lily delivering a lecture to Archie, Archie delivering one to Fritz and Archie sermonizing on a minister’s funeral sermon. I hope Archie and the rest will bounce back in book #5.

One person found this helpful

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Kay Hudson

Another case for Archie and Wolfe

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2017

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I know some Rex Stout/Nero Wolfe purists are not thrilled with Robert Goldsborough’s continuation of the series, but I’ve been enjoying his efforts. The Last Coincidence was published in 1989, and, although the characters have not aged over several decades, they are now living in the late twentieth century, and Archie is keeping the orchid records and doing other office tasks on a computer. His relationship with long-time lady friend Lily Rowan gets a bit more attention, too, although Archie remains a gentleman and never goes into detail.

In this installment, Wolfe and Archie investigate the murder of a young man who has assaulted Lily’s niece. For a moment even Archie might be a suspect, but attention soon turns to a collection of Lily’s relatives and their friends. The novel ends, as Wolfe’s cases often do, with all the suspects gathered in Wolfe’s office, as the great detective drinks beer and explains all.

Many years ago, when I was a book-a-day reader, I barreled through all the Nero Wolfe novels. I’ve picked up and enjoyed a few of those more recently, but I’m also happy to see the cases continue.

3 people found this helpful

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Reviewer #18.

Another nifty bit of writing by Bob.

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2022

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Just so we're straight, Rex Stout is THE Nero Wolfe writer.
Robert Goldsborough adds to his version of the stories from the Brown Stone. This book, as the others written by Bob, hits all the right notes, names all the right players and sets a crime only Wolfe can solve. I was entertained and look forward to the next book.

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Archie spends time with his girlfriend's family

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2015

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This is one of the authorized continuations of the Nero Wolfe series. Goldsborough has come very close to capturing the feel of the original series.

As the story begins Archie is out with his long time favorite companion, Lily Rowan when he realizes that something is bothering her. She reveals that her niece had recently been date raped and although the young woman did not want to disclose the culprit's name Lily had a very good idea who it had been. Archie set off to convince the man to leave the girl alone but unfortunately shortly after their meeting someone murdered the man. Inspector Cramer thought that Archie might have committed the crime but soon it became clear that there were no shortage of those who thought the man needed killing. Soon Nero has to enter into the fray, to regain the peace in brownstone if nothing else.

3 people found this helpful

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Horsemom

The best of Goldsborough's Nero Wolfe series

Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2018

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I'd actually give this a 4.5 if I could, but I'm rounding up because I was pleasantly surprised by how much this felt like a Rex Stout offering. The characterizations were very good - perhaps a little too much Archie and not enough Wolfe, but they were both very close to the original Stout characters. The plot flowed smoothly, and followed the pattern of the original series, with, of course, the big reveal at the end.
Worth reading if you are a Nero Wolfe fan.

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Marily

Nero figured it out!

Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2017

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If you like mysteries that are solved by a man in a chair, good thinking quiet ones, then this is your book! Most of the time I can figure them out, but this not only had me stumped, but it seemed as if Nero was also. He made an appology to his client and told her to prove who "did it" may just end in conjecture and not in a conviction. This could certainly have been anyone of many people. How would he prove who was guilty? To get the murderer to confess was the
only way! To do that he needed to be devious.

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Customer Cathy

Smart Mystery

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2019

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Lily gets her friend, Archie, to ask Nero Wolfe to help prove her nephew didn’t kill a man. Even though he attacked his sister even and he confessed, Lily knows he isn’t a murder. Even the police chief doesn’t want to charge the boy, but the dead man was a rich and important person and his family demands justice. This is a good mystery with great characters and the genius, Nero Wolfe.

Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2020

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I’m really enjoying Goldsborough’s take on the big man.
This no wannabe Rex Stout, he writes almost like Rex is whispering in his ear.
This one is better in that he is using the references to Nero’s, umm, waistline soaring, and so, with better effect.

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Moehewa

Mostly faithful to the original but?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2022

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Good story and well done in keeping with the style of Nero Wolfe but do have one criticism and that is the author can't seem to decide if he was going to keep Nero in the same era that Rex Stout placed him or bring him into the modern era. One moment the scene was set for original era with talk of Art Deco and old movie stars, etc and the next there was talk about the soap opera Dynasty and Stephen Hawkins book. It was a bit jarring.

CAROLY

SINOPSE DOS LIVROS E OPINIÕES DOS LEITORES

Reviewed in Brazil on December 31, 2018

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Ainda estou lendo o livro comprado e estou gostando. Quanto ao serviço da AMAZON, é nota dez.

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坂口誠一

レックス・スタウトが描かなかった世界

Reviewed in Japan on May 5, 2018

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この物語はアーチー・グッドウィンの永遠の恋人リリー・ローワンの家族(実際には姪のノリーンの家族が関係する)が巻き込まれる殺人事件である。
レックス・スタウトのネロ・ウルフ物語においてリリー・ローワンは「シーザーの埋葬(Some Buried Caesar::1938年）」に初登場し、その後いくつかの作品においてアーチーの恋人であり、よき協力者であり続ける。しかし、リリー自身については父親が下水道事業で財を成した億万長者であり、その娘でニューヨーク市内のペントハウスで優雅な生活を送っていることぐらいしか描かれていない。
作者のロバート・ゴールズボロはこの作品でもそうであるが、「Death on Deadline]においても友人のロン・コーエンが務める新聞社ガゼット社を舞台にした物語を書いており、読者にとってはネロ・ウルフの世界が広がるのは有難いことだとおもう。。
さて、事件の発端はアーチーがいつものようにリリーとデートして食事をしながら冗談を言うのであるが、リリーの様子がおかしいのに気が付く、話を聞いてみると姪のノリーンが付き合っていた男からレイプされたということが判る。
ノリーンは母親のメガンとの折り合いが悪く(海外に出かけることが多く離婚も何度かあり、現夫だけでなく元夫とも付き合いがあり、娘ともは話が合わない)、色々とリリーを頼っていたのであった。

だが、こういうことは当然家族にも知られることに・・・
アーチーはノリーンが付き合っていた男(スパーキー・リンヴィル、典型的な遊び人で毎夜キャバレーやナイトクラブを渡り歩くような人物であり、いわゆる大金持ちのドラ息子）と接触して話をつけようとする。
Morgana'sというクラブの玄関前で待ち構えて話をしようとするが、ガラの悪い連れがいて話し合いにならず殴り合いになりそうになるが、ドアマンに制止されてその場を収める。
アーチーは別の機会にしようという事でその場を去るが、翌朝リンヴィルの撲殺死体が自分の車を置いているガレージで発見される。
殺害に用いられたのはタイヤレンチと考えられたが現場には残されていなかった。
当然、前夜被害者とトラブルのあったアーチーも容疑者として疑われ、クレーマー警部が事務所を訪ねてくるが嫌疑は晴れる。
やがてノリーンの兄であるマイケルが自分がリンヴィルを殺したと自首をする。だが、証言にはあいまいなところもあり、妹がレイプされたことが動機として挙げられるが、妹をかばって自首したのが本当の所と考えられた。
ノリーンはポリー・マーズという友達と同居していたのであるがこのポリーも殺されたリンヴィルの元の彼女であり、彼女もリンヴィルから暴力を受けていたことが判って来る。まあ調べれば調べるほど殺されたリンヴィルは下司野郎であったことが判って来るが、勿論殺人は許されることではない。
殺人の動機としてはノリーンがレイプされたことが最有力と考えられ、ノリーンの周囲の人物が怪しいという事でアーチーが調査するが手がかりは中々得られない。（ノリーンの家族、母親の元夫、ノリーンの友人(男性)など）
犯罪に用いられたと考えられるタイヤレンチも発見されず事件は膠着状態へ・・・
果たして犯人は誰か？凶器の行方は？
最終的には関係者全員を集めてネロウルフが例のごとく犯人を特定するのであるが、この本の表題の「The Last Coincidence (最後の偶然の一致）」の意味がイマイチ明確でないのが気にかかるところである。

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The Last Coincidence (Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe) Hardcover – November 1, 1989

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Robert Goldsborough

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