
Announcing the Seventeenth Annual Black Orchid Novella Award Contest
First Prize: $1,000 and publication in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
For Details: See the flyer

IN-PERSON BOOK DISCUSSIONS IN NEW YORK RESUME ON MONDAY, APRIL 24
In 2020, the Wolfe Pack was forced to suspend its longstanding bimonthly in-person book discussions in New York City. We are pleased to announce for our New York Metro area members that these in-person book discussions will now resume.
Given the time that has elapsed, we will resume reading through the Corpus from the beginning, starting with Rex Stout’s first Nero Wolfe novel, Fer-de-Lance. We will meet for dinner and discussion on Monday evening, April 24, 2023, at a restaurant in midtown Manhattan. We’ll gather beginning about 6:30 p.m. and start the discussion at 7:00 p.m. The specific location will be finalized and announced once we know how many people will be attending.
No advance payment for book discussion is necessary, but we would appreciate your letting us know if you expect to attend so we can know how many people to plan for. To RSVP, please e-mail werowance -at- nerowolfe.org
UPCOMING VIRTUAL BOOK DISCUSSIONS
The Wolfe Pack also continues to hold bimonthly online book discussions via Zoom. These online book discussions are open to Wolfe Pack members only. There is no fee, but advance registration is required, and the number of attendees is limited. If you are a Wolfe Pack member, you should have received a newsletter with details and registration information. If you didn’t receive it, please e-mail werowance -at- nerowolfe.org
BEER AND CHEESE DINNER – THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023 - REGISTRATION REQUIRED
At the beginning of Fer-de-Lance, Wolfe samples dozens of beers. In “Omit Flowers,” while dining at Rusterman’s, he samples five cheeses and tells Marko Vukcic, “I have not decided which to favor.” Given Mr. Wolfe’s enjoyment of beer and cheese, members of the Steering Committee thought that an event focused on these two comestibles would be a Very Satisfactory event for the Wolfe Pack.
We will gather at The Queensboro, a cozy restaurant at 80-02 Northern Blvd. in Jackson Heights, on the street level (no stairs), at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday evening, May 4, 2023. The restaurant has been well-reviewed in Grub Street and is listed as one of the top Queens restaurants by EaterNY.com. It is easy to reach by mass transit from Manhattan. Steffen Kenny, a noted fromagier, and beer maven Michael Fuquay have matched four artisanal cheeses (from around the world) and 4 hard-crafted beers (of course including a stout). Both Steffen and Michael are masters of their subjects and both enjoy a well-earned reputation in their respective fields.
After the tasting, the restaurant will serve dinner, family style: salad with cheese, mac and cheese and 4-5 different pizzas. The restaurant will replenish the menu items as needed. Coffee/tea will be served. Wine, beer, soda, and dessert (for those who want a sweet ending) can be purchased ala carte. All of this largesse for just $62.00 per person.
Advance registration and payment required. To register, please send a check for $62.00 per person payable to the Wolfe Pack to Ira Brad Matetsky, 245 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016. Please be sure to include your name, telephone number, and e-mail address. We would appreciate receiving your registration no later than April 25, 2023. We will e-mail all registrants directions to the restaurant, and will be glad to coordinate travel from Manhattan if people wish.
RESEARCH VISIT TO BOSTON COLLEGE AND DINNER – MAY 12, 2023
The Burns Library at Boston College is the home of Rex Stout’s personal papers, including extensive correspondence and files as well as the typewritten manuscripts of many Nero Wolfe stories. Burns Library also holds the faculty papers of Professor John McAleer, Stout’s biographer, and the related collections of Wolfe Pack members Judson Sapp and Ed Price. Links to the collections can be found at https://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/stout/archives.htm
Members of the Wolfe Pack will visit Burns Library on Friday, May 12, 2023 to conduct research in these collections. We will be welcomed by the Burns Library Director, Dr. Christian DuPont, and his staff, and provided with access to the collections. There is no fee to visit, but the library requests that we let them know how many people will be attending, and request the specific materials we would like to use through their online document retrieval system – details will be provided in advance.
We will also enjoy dinner on May 12 at a Boston restaurant. All Wolfe Pack members are invited to join us, whether or not they participate in the research visit. If you are interested in coming either to the research visit and/or to dinner, please e-mail werowance -at- nerowolfe.org
In addition, the Wolfe Pack is planning a return visit to the Greenbrier Resort (the inspiration for Kanawha Spa of Too Many Cooks) in the spring of 2024. Please watch this space or e-mail the Werowance for further information.
BOUCHERCON BANQUET IN SAN DIEGO, SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
Bouchercon is the international mystery and detective fiction convention held in a different city each year. This year Bouchercon will be in San Diego, California from August 30 to September 3, 2023. As we have done several times in the past, we will be presenting a Nero Wolfe Banquet at Bouchercon on Friday evening, September 1, 2023. The Banquet will take place at Morton’s Steakhouse (two minutes from the convention hotel). Our program will include fine dining, Wolfean toasts, song parodies, and a keynote speaker.
Everyone is welcome to attend this Banquet, but we would be especially glad to welcome our West Coast members who may not find it convenient to attend our annual events in New York. Attendees need not register for the remainder of Bouchercon to attend the Banquet, although we know that several of our members will be there.
For further information and to register for the Banquet, please visit the Bouchercon website. We hope to see many of you there!
SAVE THE DATE: ASSEMBLY AND BLACK ORCHID BANQUET ON DECEMBER 2
It’s not too early to save the date for the Nero Wolfe Assembly and the 46th annual Black Orchid Banquet, both of which will be held in midtown Manhattan on Saturday, December 2, 2023. We have already lined up an outstanding keynote speaker this year and hope to see as many of our members as possible in New York in December. Please watch this space for further information as the date gets closer!
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NO WOLFE PACK FUNDS are used for events and no steering committee or other member receives any payment or financial benefit.
Rex Stout on Dick Cavett Show
(September 2, 1969
Michael Bourne's Interview with Rex Stout
(out of print, no longer available for purchase)
Click below to listen to the interview
Side 1
Side 2 (approx. 10 second start delay)
Rex Stout Interviews John le Carre: Read the Print Interview
Latest Nero Wolfe Pastiche
THE MISADVENTURES OF NERO WOLFE:
Parodies and Pastiches Featuring the Great Detective of West 35th Street
Edited by Josh Pachter
Order the book from Amazon.com
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FLYER
The launch party was originally scheduled for Friday, April 10, 6:30 PM.
IT IS POSTPONED until after NYC travel restrictions are lifted. Check back soon!
WOLFE PACK MEMBERSHIP
For more enjoyment of the works of
Rex Stout, join the Wolfe Pack or renew your membership by sending a check or using PayPal. (Paypal allows you to select which credit card to use with your Purchase.) Membership costs just $40.00 for two years and includes four issues of our journal, The Gazette and newsletters of upcoming events and Wolfean news.
Join or Renew by check or with
Soldiers of the Pen: The Writers' War Board in World War II by Thomas Howell
The little-known story of the WW II efforts of The Writers' War Board and its president, Rex Stout. Click the text link above to order.