As any herpetologist will tell you, the fer-de-lance is among the most dreaded snakes known to man. When someone makes a present of one to Nero Wolfe, Archie Goodwin knows he`s getting dreadully close to solving the devilishly clever murders of an immigrant and a college president. As for Wolfe, he`s playing snake charmer in a case with more twists than an anaconda - whistling a seductive tune he hopes will catch a killer who`s still got poison in his heart.