The Nero Wolf Primer

de Rex Stout

And Be a Villain: In a live radio broadcast, the people being interviewed and the host all imbibe a soda pop by the sponsors. One of interviewees drinks a poisoned soda pop and keels over while on the air. Who did it? It turns out more than one person had a motive. Black Orchids: Anyone who knows Nero Wolfe knows that he raises Orchids and no one may disturb him during the hours while he's on the top floor of his Brownstone, cultivating them. On a rare occasion, he leaves his house and attends a flower show. Archie has been going every day to the show because to entice attenders in the auditorium there is a performance between a man and a woman picnicking in a "forest". Archie has decided he is in love with the woman. The man on stage is supposed to be sleeping on the picnic tablecloth, but when the woman goes to rouse him, he doesn't wake up. He has been shot through the heart right on stage, but no body heard or saw anything. How did it happen and why? Champagne for One: A rich woman continues the wishes of her late husband by hosting a dinner for unwed mothers. She invites an equal amount of men so there can be dancing, socializing and so on. The rich lady's nephew does not want to go so he persuades Archie to take his place. While there Archie is informed by another young woman that one of the mothers, Faith Usher, carries a cyanide pill in her purse in case she ever wants to commit suicide. Rather morbid, Archie thinks, but he keeps an eye on her. He watches a bartender pour drinks for a young man who takes them and carries them to Faith. He offers her one. She soon drops dead of cyanide poisoning. How did it happen? Archie was watching closely: Faith did not put a tablet in the drink before she took a sip. The young man did not pour the drinks and the bartender did not put anything in the drinks. And why would anyone want to kill Faith?