Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
The 6th Lew Archer novel starts out as another missing person case. The manager of an exclusive country club frequented by big-shot Hollywood types hires Archer to protect him from a "maniac' who claims that the manager stole his wife. The manager knows who the man's wife is but swears he has no idea of her whereabouts.
After talking to the "maniac" Archer flips a coin and goes to work to find the missing wife.
This novel has several characters you just can't wait to read run afoul of fate but mostly every other character in the book is sympathetic.
Even a murderer or two.
The following is from a passage describing Lew Archer, beaten unconscious by a trio of thugs who once worked for Anastasia, later Bugsy Siegel until he was murdered for getting greedy, lately employed by a motion picture studio as "security", ruminating on all the ways Hollywood has recreated all of us in its image.
Archer's dislike of movie people makes itself known in a parade of observations and overheard conversations:
And:
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. As much as I enjoyed the previous three entries. The feeling here is that Macdonald is on a winning streak at this point in the series. It's a solid mystery. I never saw the end coming. Had no idea which character murdered which character.
And the entire time, in almost every chapter, Archer's exhausted disgust at the way the wealthy waste what's left of their lives shoves itself to the fore.
After talking to the "maniac" Archer flips a coin and goes to work to find the missing wife.
He said with the bitter irony of age: "So you are an altruist, are you? A Hollywood culture-hero in a sports coat? ...
This novel has several characters you just can't wait to read run afoul of fate but mostly every other character in the book is sympathetic.
Even a murderer or two.
The following is from a passage describing Lew Archer, beaten unconscious by a trio of thugs who once worked for Anastasia, later Bugsy Siegel until he was murdered for getting greedy, lately employed by a motion picture studio as "security", ruminating on all the ways Hollywood has recreated all of us in its image.
I swung in black space, supported by some kind of sky hook above the bright scene... I was occupied with deep thoughts of my own. They flashed on my mind like brilliant lantern slides: Hollywood started as a meaningless dream, invented for money. But its colors ran, out through the holes in people's heads, spread across the landscape and solidified. North and south along the coast, east across the desert, across the continent. Now we were stuck with the dream without a meaning. It had become a nightmare that we lived in. Deep thoughts.
I realized with some embarrassment that the body on the deck [below] belonged to me. I climbed air down to it and crawled back in, a rat who lived inside a scarecrow.
Archer's dislike of movie people makes itself known in a parade of observations and overheard conversations:
There was a girl on my left. I caught a glimpse of her profile, young and pretty and smooth as glass. She was talking earnestly to the man beside her, an aging clown I'd seen in twenty movies.
"You said you'd catch me if I fell," she said.
"I was feeling stronger then."
"You said you'd marry me if it ever happened."
"You got more sense than to take me seriously. I'm two years behind on alimony now."
"You're very romantic, aren't you?"
"That's putting it mildly, sweetheart. I got some sense of responsibility, though. I'll do what I can for you, give you a telephone number. And you can tell him to send the bill to me."
"I don't want your dirty telephone number. I don't want your dirty money."
"Be reasonable. Think of it like it was a tumor or something -that is, if it really exists. Another drink?"
"Make mine prussic acid," she said dully.
"On the rocks?".
I left half my drink standing. It was air I needed.
And:
These were movie people, but a great deal of their talk was about television. They talked about communications media and the black list and the hook and payment for second showings and who had money for pilot films and what their agents said. Under their noise, they gave out a feeling of suspense.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. As much as I enjoyed the previous three entries. The feeling here is that Macdonald is on a winning streak at this point in the series. It's a solid mystery. I never saw the end coming. Had no idea which character murdered which character.
And the entire time, in almost every chapter, Archer's exhausted disgust at the way the wealthy waste what's left of their lives shoves itself to the fore.
The people were all inside. They had given up night walks back in the cold war. Call me trouble looking for a place to happen.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't have any idea when I read this. It may not even be the correct edition. I used to read all Ross Macdonald's book, mnay in the hardback versions. Anyway, for my info I know I've read this twice!
Macdonald is still the man who rightly inherited the Chandler hard boiled style but with more ccomplexity and more depth. However, as much as I love Lew Archer mysteries, sometimes I believe author Macdonald was a bit self conscious and forced in creating this depth. He needs to be read. The Library of America have released not one but three volumes of his works. I'm not sure anymore but The Library of America professed they would not publish genre works but literature. They eventually published both Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler because their works transcended genres. Macdonald is the same. You don't have to like mysteries or detective books because the puzzle of the mystery is less important than the characters he brings to life.
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
The detective has a kind and open heart, and he aims to do the moral thing. There is no elaborate backstory for him. This complicated story has many lively characters, about whom we know little because the characterization depends so much on dialogue spoken between fistfights and shootings.