The second Nero Wolfe novel is a fairly clued (barely), somewhat overlong yet satisfactory read. The plot is driven by the fears of a group of Harvard graduates who believe that the victim of one of their long ago hazing incidents is out to kill them off one by one. Wolfe stays ahead of the killer, the police, the "league" and Archie mainly by drawing inferences from the writings of the avenging author/hazing victim. The story could have gone in several directions other than the one Stout chose but in the end I cannot argue with his choice. This is not the best Nero Wolfe story but it is far from the worst.

Bob Schneider

See also: http://onlydetect.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/rex-stout-the-league-of-frightened-men-1935/