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virgilsaeneid's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
readhumanbean's review against another edition
5.0
Just the best — and these novels only get better with greater familiarity. The experience becomes transcendent if you are concurrently working your way through Columbo.
Philip Marlowe should have a side hustle as an interior decorator.
If you want to gain further appreciation for the crisp, economical prose, hop on over to Criterion Channel and catch the 1946 film adaptation. It utilizes the stylistic gambit of the camera operating from Marlowe’s POV, with the interrogated potential perps staring directly at the viewing audience while Marlowe lobs barbs. I dipped in briefly and it absolutely sucks shit.
Philip Marlowe should have a side hustle as an interior decorator.
If you want to gain further appreciation for the crisp, economical prose, hop on over to Criterion Channel and catch the 1946 film adaptation. It utilizes the stylistic gambit of the camera operating from Marlowe’s POV, with the interrogated potential perps staring directly at the viewing audience while Marlowe lobs barbs. I dipped in briefly and it absolutely sucks shit.
jeansbooks's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
tomgenue's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kaithyde's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jmscwht's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
creadsagain's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
whistlertrue's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.0
800slim's review against another edition
3.0
a typical Chandler but not his best work
short plot description: Philip Marlowe is hired by Derace Kingsley to find his wife Crystal. She has left him four weeks ago and send him a telegram that she will divorce him and marry her boyfriend Chris Lavery. But Lavery denies any knowledge of this when he meets Derace Kingsley by chance and now it is up to Marlowe to find out what really happened to Crystal Kingsley. And when he starts his investigation at the last place where Crystal was seen, a mountain resort called Little Fawn Lake where Kingsley has a house, and finds another woman drowned in the lake who had disappeared at the same time as Crystal things are getting complicated...
my thoughts: a typical work for Chandler's style, noir and cynical in tone and none of the characters has clean hands. This book felt "talky" in places, Marlowe explains several times at which point in the investigation (and in the plot) he currently stands which doesn't feel right and forced.
Otherwise a good novel by Chandler.
my advice: can be read stand alone but I suggest reading Chandler's novels chronologically.
short plot description: Philip Marlowe is hired by Derace Kingsley to find his wife Crystal. She has left him four weeks ago and send him a telegram that she will divorce him and marry her boyfriend Chris Lavery. But Lavery denies any knowledge of this when he meets Derace Kingsley by chance and now it is up to Marlowe to find out what really happened to Crystal Kingsley. And when he starts his investigation at the last place where Crystal was seen, a mountain resort called Little Fawn Lake where Kingsley has a house, and finds another woman drowned in the lake who had disappeared at the same time as Crystal things are getting complicated...
my thoughts: a typical work for Chandler's style, noir and cynical in tone and none of the characters has clean hands. This book felt "talky" in places, Marlowe explains several times at which point in the investigation (and in the plot) he currently stands which doesn't feel right and forced.
Otherwise a good novel by Chandler.
my advice: can be read stand alone but I suggest reading Chandler's novels chronologically.
bobbo49's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I continue to thoroughly enjoy Chandler's murder mysteries (this is my 4th). Marlowe is both a humorous and quick-witted private detective, and this story - like the others - winds around a host of characters and down a series of alleys until it all comes together at the end. Fun read.