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Aaaaas hinted recently, I managed to finish a book in my absence though my reading, like basically all my activities, has stalled out just a little. Nevertheless, I couldn't fully abandon my last read as it was yet another amazing Nero Wolfe mystery.
If you aren't familiar with Rex Stout, you can read my post based on the first Rex Stout book I read which I have conveniently link to above; alternatively, you can click on the Nero Wolfe wiki link I also conveniently linked to for you. Either way, The League of Frightened Men starts with that same amazing cast of characters in that same orchid-filled New York brownstone.
Wolfe and Archie meet a murder mystery writer, Paul Chapin, who has set a group of men on edge after announcing that he has committed a murder (but offering no further information) after two of this group had recently died amidst mysterious circumstances. This group, The League of Frightened Men, appeal to Wolfe to successfully tie Chapin to these murders so that they can no longer fear for their lives.
They had cause to suspect revenge from Mr. Chapin following an accident years earlier while they were all attending Harvard. In a sort of hazing ritual, they forced Paul Chapin out on a window ledge to open the window of a room that was locked but he fell, injuring his leg and causing him to walk with a severe limp the rest of his life. While they attempted to atone for the accident, Chapin continued to carry a massive chip on his shoulder and, even as years pass, will not let these men forget the terrible thing they did, ultimately culminating in the events that transpire over the course of the book.
This is an excellently twisty turny plot of a book, weaving many different lives into an interesting psychological study of guilt and pity and how one event in your youth can affect your whole life. As a warning, I will say that it as a lot of ableist language, often describing Chapin as a "cripple" and various other negative terms focusing on his disability. Despite that, I find the plot very engaging and surprising and I'd highly recommend it.
Next up, I've started another nonfiction book because after every nonfiction book I read, I eventually forget that I have a hard time getting into nonfiction books and then I stumble across one I find extra interesting and the cycle starts again. It seems it was a quick turnaround this time.
Star rating: 4.3/5
2021 Book Count: 7
