About the book: 1963 / Goodwin receives a letter from a certain J. N. Banks with a tie with a brown stain in it. Archie suspects it is blood. Later the phone rings. The caller, who introduces himself as Banks, asks to burn his tie. This piques Archie's curiosity even more, and he goes to visit Banks. He admits that the tie is his, but denies sending the letter and making the phone call. The conversation is interrupted by the arrival of a police officer to check the Kirks' apartment, where Bonnie Kirk discovers the body. The beauty's skull is cut open by a bottle. Suspicion falls on her husband, and he turns to Nero Wolfe...