THE RED BOX

Fans of Nero Wolfe can welcome two portraits of the orchid-loving gourmet and master sleuth. The recent release of performance rights allowed Books On Tape to assemble more than 10 unabridged recordings of Rex Stout's mysteries. Michael Prichard takes on the occupants of the West 35th St. brownstone with some reserve, however, the comprehensive list of titles recorded is impressive. Saul Rubinek, on the other hand, recording abridged versions of the Nero Wolfe series for Durkin Hayes, perfectly captures this fan's vision of Wolfe, Archie, Fritz, Inspector Cramer and various nefarious clients. Rubinek somehow colors all the expressions, gestures and postures with subtle vocal changes. He snaps out the dialogue, and projects Wolfe's impatience in a single sentence. On the other hand, all the characters just fit. Rubinek's RED BOX is a masterful performance. The single-cassette abridgments also available let us glimpse Rubinek as Wolfe but just don't allow enough time for Wolfe to spin his web or for the listener to delight in Rubinek's mastery of the characters and the cases. R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: NOV/DEC 96]