Dear Jane:
There's certain comfort in the familiar read. My husband can't understand why, with a stack of new books piling up on my night stand, I can often be found with a book I've read hundreds of times before in my hands. I love new books, but sometimes you just want something safe that you know you love, with characters that are trusted friends. One such favorite is the Nero Wolfe mystery series by Rex Stout, staring the private detective Nero Wolfe and his confidential assistant and man about town, Archie Goodwin. These are narrated in the first person by Archie who employs a conversational, slightly sarcastic tone complete with period slang (Rex Stout wrote about one a year from 1934 until 1975). What I love so much about this series is the very sameness of it. Nero is always Nero and Archie is always Archie, no need to read the books in any order because they never change. Nero's New York City brownstone which doubles as office and home for the duo is as familiar to me as my own home. I know Nero's exacting schedule better than my own. (Nero, although …
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