This would have been a neat mystery, actually.
A Rex Stout Nero Wolfe book that never was -- it was actually an in-house publishing joke, but the artist didn't know they were joking. Here's the full story and the proposed cover for Stiff Upper Lipstick. For those who don't feel like opening a new tab, here's the summary:
"Archie Goodwin has a field-day -- and Nero finds his misogyny slipping ( Read more... )
"Archie Goodwin has a field-day -- and Nero finds his misogyny slipping ( Read more... )
A collection of suspects:
You have your Miss A, a demonstrator who spends most of her time in the labs, whose formulation for a new, redder red that doesn't bleed all over and leave lipstick marks has been stolen. Reference to kiss mark on the dead men's brows.
Miss B and her ex-fiance Mr. B, here named as a pair despite not sharing a surname. Mr. B works as a sales representative at a rival company. Miss B dumped him after he insisted that she come to work for his company--at a lower salary.
Miss C, soon revealed to be Mrs C, who concealed her marriage because glamorous cosmetics demonstrators are presumed? required? to be single. Mr C, her husband, who is out of work and resents his wife having/being able to support them.
Mr D, the obviously gay but never mentioned as such, who has been passed over as sales manager three times. States his belief that the dead men were killed by boyfriend of "one of the girls" because the sales managers treated the female employees as their own personal harems.
Miss E, the apparently willing and enthusiastic lover of two of the dead men--possibly dated at the same time. Comes onto Archie and attempts to flirt with Nero, with a predicable lack of success.
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