The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery

Pete Drossos visits Nero Wolfe at his house to seek help on a case he believes is real, not just a prank. He describes a woman wearing distinctive golden spider-shaped earrings who asked him to fetch a police officer while she drove, with a male passenger possibly holding her hostage. Wolfe listens, weighing the odd details and the boy’s earnestness before offering any insight.

The next night, NYPD Sgt. Purley Stebbins informs Wolfe that Pete has been killed by a hit-and-run, and INS agent Matthew Birch has also died in the same manner. The revelation turns a suspected prank into a real murder investigation, forcing Wolfe to reevaluate the boy's story. Wolfe and Archie realize the stakes are much higher than they anticipated.

Pete's mother arrives with the few coins Pete saved—$4.30—and pleads with Wolfe to find his killer. The gesture personalizes the case and places Wolfe under obligation to pursue answers for a grieving family. Wolfe accepts, though he remains unfazed outwardly, plotting the next steps quietly.

Archie uses the saved money to place a newspaper ad asking the woman who drove the car to contact Wolfe. The gambit transforms the case into a broader search and signals to potential witnesses that Wolfe is serious about solving the murders. The ad marks the start of active public involvement in the case.

Wealthy widow Laura Fromm arrives at Wolfe's office wearing the very spider earrings Pete described and asks to hire his services. Wolfe suspects she knows more than she reveals, but Fromm refuses to disclose the driver’s identity, keeping her information hidden. The meeting heightens tensions and sets up a critical later confrontation.

The following day, Laura Fromm is murdered in an apparent hit-and-run, echoing Pete and Birch's deaths and deepening the mystery. Wolfe’s suspicions grow stronger as the pattern of killings continues and the case tightens around a single culprit. The city feels the weight of a calculated killer on the loose.

Angered by the deaths of two people who sought his help, Wolfe decides to pursue the killer regardless of the danger. He channels his energy into constructing a theory that ties the killings to a larger criminal network. The dogged resolve signals a shift from passive investigation to active pursuit.

Wolfe identifies a charitable organization that Fromm supported as the likely link between the deaths. The charity becomes the central hub of a broader conspiracy, suggesting that the murders are tied to someone’s attempt to control information or profits. Archie begins to map out connections to this organization.

Archie delves into the charity's inner circle, focusing on four key figures: Jean Estey (the secretary), Angela White (the director), Paul Kuffner (the public-relations manager), and the wife of the charity's attorney, Dennis Horan. Each interview reveals motives, loyalties, and potential complicity in a blackmail scheme. The investigations lay bare a web of possible suspects.

It is revealed that the charity operates as part of a blackmail network targeting desperate refugees who are in America illegally. The revelation reframes the motive for the murders, hinting that the killer is attempting to protect or exploit this ring. Horan's attempt to distance himself from the circle confirms internal fractures and power plays within the operation.

Wolfe gathers the suspects in his office and identifies Jean Estey as the murderer. Estey had been a pivotal player inside the blackmail ring, and Fromm’s overheard warning words—'said the spider to the fly'—hinted at her guilt. The revelation ties together the spider motif and the killings in a single mastermind.

Estey’s escape plan collapses as the chain of killings becomes clear: Birch was used to control her, Estey killed Birch, then Pete when he could identify her, and finally Mrs. Fromm after a dinner at Horan's to cover her tracks. The brutality underscores her desperation and willingness to kill to maintain power.

The tailor who sold Estey the men's disguises recognizes her, confirming her involvement. Estey is arrested, and Archie wraps up the affair by delivering Wolfe's fee and giving half of it to Pete’s mother as a final gesture of closure. Wolfe’s reputation is solidified as the killer is finally brought to justice.