The mother hunt by Rex Stout

A Nero Wolfe book, nice enough. The title explains the case, because a rich woman, Lucy Valdon, widow of a writer, hires Wolfe to find out the name of the mother of a child that has been left in her house with a note saying the child's father is her deceased husband. Most of all she wants to know if it is true. It's a long thing, they check every name of women Mr Valdon knew. The names are given by Mrs Valdon and three men who knew Mr Valdon well: Krug his agent, Bingham tv producer, Haft the editor. Upton, the head of a literary magazine, refused to help. With the help of the usual private investigators Saul, Orrie and Fred, they check dozens of names without finding the mother. Wolfe has the 'Gazette' write an article saying where the child can be found each day, and then when among many other people the mother comes to see the baby, they're sure they're on the right track. Unfortunately, the mother Carol Mardus is murdered. This is the second time their investigation leads to a murder. The first one had been an ex-nurse, an old woman that had kept the baby in her house for four months, Ellen Tenzer.
Archie starts a sort of relationship with the client, spending time with her at her beach house and going dancing with her after the case is closed.
After Carol's murder, their position with the police gets worse, they're keeping information from them, so when Cramer comes to their house they flee, and go to Mrs Valdon's house and hide there until Wolfe solves the case. At that point they call Cramer and explain it all. It was Haft, who had brought Mrs Valdon the baby for a sort of nasty pleasure, but then had killed two women for fear it would all come out. So, after 48 days and a lot of money spent, something like 14 or 15.000 dollars, the case is solved, Mrs Valdon knows the truth about the baby and will keep it with her, Cramer has his murderer and wolfe is back at home with his orchids, just a little worried that Archie might marry Lucy Valdon and leave his job, so Archie plans to ask for a raise in a month time.
A funny thing about Wolfe is that he is an excellent cook, he loves good food, but always drinks beer. Nothing wrong with it, but I'd have expected something more refined from him.