Quote from Too Many Cooks

Too Many Cooks – At the “Les Quinze Maitres” Archie notes, after the third course, that “Those guys eating were like a woman packing a trunk – it’s not a question of capacity but of how much she has to put in.”

Wonderful bit of word play!

There Goes the Top of My Head: Too Many Cooks (A Nero Wolfe novel) by Rex Stout 1938

There Goes the Top of My Head: Too Many Cooks (A Nero Wolfe novel) by Rex Stout 1938

A review of To Many Cooks, as well as audio files of bits of it read by a fellow Wolfe fan living right here in Alabama… 😉

Too Many Cooks – February 1979

Too Many Cooks - February 1979 - Front Cover

Too Many Cooks - February 1979 - Rear Cover

Jove/HBJ Books Edition February 1979

Inside Front Cover:

ONE COOK, FRESHLY KILLED

Wolfe pointed to the floor. “Look at that confounded mess. ”

Archie had discounted all the loose talk about killing and it hadn’t prepared him for blood. But there was blood, though not much of it, because the knife. was still sticking in Phillip Laszio’s back. Only the hilt was showing . . .

It was enough to spoil anyone’s appetite for the finest food in the world-except Wolfe’s. It was a matter of honor to find the killer, but not on an empty stomach!

“Original … full of zip” -NICHOLAS BLAKE

Back Cover:

TOO MANY COOKS

At least three master chefs had sworn to kill Laszio — and with sufficient personal reason. Had one of them turned butcher and carved him up?
There were too many motives, too few clues and not enough time to solve one of the most bizarre puzzles in Nero Wolfe’s entire career.

“FIRST CLASS.” -SATURDAY REVIEW”BY FAR THE BEST OF MR. STOUT’S BOOKS:’ -THE NEW YORKER

AND DON’T MISS THESE OTHER NERO WOLFE ADVENTURES!

BLACK ORCHIDS. OVER MY DEAD BODY. FER-DE-LANCE. THE RED BOX. THE LEAGUE OF FRIGHTENED MEN . THE RUBBER BAND. NOT QUITE DEAD ENOUGH. SOME BURIED CAESAR

Too Many Cooks – 19??

This scan was sent to me by Leo Heller aka Michael Largey. Thanks Michael!!!

Too Many Cooks - 19?? - Front Cover

Copyright 1938 By Rex Stout
A Dell Book
Printing 19??

Contents:

Too Many Cooks

Cover is of a Dell paperback, date of publication unknown.

If anyone has any publishing information on this edition please email me … TIA Dave

Too Many Cooks – April 1972 – Fifth Printing

The cover on this edition was printed in 1972.
Note the shift from painting to photography (and really bad layout and
composition). It’s a 70’s book cover, no question about that…

Too Many Cooks - April 1972 - Fifth Printing - Front Cover

Too Many Cooks - April 1972 - Fifth Printing - Rear Cover

Copyright 1938 By Rex Stout
A Pyramid Book
Fifth Printing… April 1972
Contents
Too Many Cooks
Rear Cover Intro:

THE NAME IS ARCHIE,

Archie Goodwin. I work for Nero Wolfe as secretary, body guard, office manager, assistant detective — and fall-guy. When the world’s greatest chefs invited Wolfe to a cooking conclave in West Virginia, he managed to heave his bulk out of his oversize arm chair, leave his orchids and his office, to attend the gourmet gathering. It was worth the trip, until one of the chefs got a knife in his back…

TOO MANY COOKS

At least three master chefs had sworn to kill Laszio — and with sufficient personal reason. Had one of them turned butcher and carved him up? There were too many motives, too few clues, and not enough time to solve one of the most bizarre puzzles in Nero Wolfe’s entire career.

Inside Cover Text:

ONE COOK, FRESHLY-KILLED

Wolfe pointed to the floor. “Look at that confounded mess.”

Archie had discounted all the loose talk about killing and it hadn’t prepared him for blood. But there was blood, though not much of it, because the knife was still sticking in Phillip Laszio’s back. Only the hilt was showing….

It was enough to spoil anyone’s appetite for the finest food in the world – except Wolfe’s. It was a matter of honor to find the killer, but not on an empty stomach!