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Philip Marlowe #4

The Lady in the Lake

raymond chandler

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A beautiful, historically accurate edition of the modern classic first published in 1943 reproduces the original and offers an alternative for those who love great old books and want to relive Philip Marlowe's strange and puzzling search for the missing woman.

0 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1943
Series
Philip Marlowe
Places
california, los angeles california, san bernardino california, 

This edition

Format
0 pages, Hardcover
Published
October 1, 1994 by Otto Penzler Books
ISBN
9781883402945
ASIN
1883402948
Language
Spanish; Castilian
Characters More characters

More editions

About the author

Profile Image for raymond chandler

raymond chandler

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Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Great Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in 1933 in Black Mask, a popular pulp magazine. His first novel, The Big Sleep, was published in 1939. In addition to his short stories, Chandler published seven novels during his lifetime (an eighth, in progress at the time of his death, was completed by Robert B. Parker). All but Playback have been made into motion pictures, some more than once. In the year before his death, he was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America.
Chandler had an immense stylistic influence on American popular literature. He is a founder of the hardboiled school of detective fiction, along with Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain and other Black Mask writers. The protagonist of his novels, Philip Marlowe, like Hammett's Sam Spade, is considered by some to be synonymous with "private detective". Both were played in films by Humphrey Bogart, whom many consider to be the quintessential Marlowe.
The Big Sleep placed second on the Crime Writers Association poll of the 100 best crime novels; Farewell, My Lovely (1940), The Lady in the Lake (1943) and The Long Goodbye (1953) also made the list. The latter novel was praised in an anthology of American crime stories as "arguably the first book since Hammett's The Glass Key, published more than twenty years earlier, to qualify as a serious and significant mainstream novel that just happened to possess elements of mystery". Chandler was also a perceptive critic of detective fiction; his "The Simple Art of Murder" is the canonical essay in the field. In it he wrote: "Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. The detective must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor—by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world."
Parker wrote that, with Marlowe, "Chandler seems to have created the culminating American hero: wised up, hopeful, thoughtful, adventurous, sentimental, cynical and rebellious—an innocent who knows better, a Romantic who is tough enough to sustain Romanticism in a world that has seen the eternal footman hold its coat and snicker. Living at the end of the Far West, where the American dream ran out of room, no hero has ever been more congruent with his landscape. Chandler had the right hero in the right place, and engaged him in the consideration of good and evil at precisely the time when our central certainty of good no longer held."

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Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 99 votes)
5 stars
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99 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Japania
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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It has been a real pleasure to reunite with Marlowe in this book that I had not yet read. Reading this kind of stories makes me read "in black and white" and within an atmosphere with the smell of cigarette smoke and that cheekiness of the "bloodhound" in the typical American detective novels.

Certainly, by reading these books, one understands the reason why Chandler is considered the father of this genre and why Lorenzo Silva has always had him as a reference.

In this particular novel, we will see some more familiar and ordinary characters than those usually seen in books with Marlowe as the protagonist... in Los Angeles, there are not only millionaires and glamour.

With quite direct language and allusions to sex, drugs, and political and law enforcement corruption, we navigate through a very entertaining plot that will delight the lovers of classic noir.

The movie is not bad, but it does not have the Chandlerian essence that the previous ones had and although Robert Montgomery is not one of the actors who has embodied the detective that I like the most, I承认 that he is at least the most "refined". To my taste, the real Marlowe was Bogart, of whom Chandler said: "Bogart knows how to be tough without a gun. Besides, he has that sense of humor that contains a subtle shade of contempt. Bogart is the real deal."... Years later, Robert Mitchum, an actor like the top of a pine tree, was not able to be exploited in two other movies with the character.

Well, I have already recommended the book, the character, and the movies to you.
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danman794
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The convoluted and deliciously quixotic plots of Chandler always seem to slip right out of my memory the moment I finish reading them. In most cases, I would be hesitant to consider this as a strength. However, with Chandler, it takes on the quality of waking from a dream. They are so vivid when experienced moment by moment. But afterwards, only a few scattered impressions and details remain. This only makes one treasure what has been grasped onto even more. I'm not sure if there is another novelist who is so consistently pleasurable to return to and reread.

That being said, I do prefer following Marlowe as he negotiates the urban jungle of Los Angeles rather than meandering through rural landscapes and small neighboring towns. But truly, when it comes down to it, I will always happily follow Marlowe wherever Chandler decides he needs to go.

"However hard I try to be nice I always end up with my nose in the dirt and my thumb feeling for somebody’s eye."
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ProtoDrive
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This well may be Chandler at his very best!

He not only does everything he usually does so incredibly well. There's the hard hitting, gritty and wisecracking Marlowe, who is brought to life in the most vivid way. The wonderfully sharp and evocative prose just flows, painting a picture that sucks you right in. And the pacing is superb, keeping you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

But what really sets this one apart is the plot. It's a missing person case that quickly turns into a murder mystery, and it's perhaps the most sophisticated and suspenseful of all the Marlowe tales. Full of twists and turns, it keeps you guessing until the very end. And the cast of characters! They are the largest and best developed I've seen from Chandler. Conniving, shifty and treacherous, they add so much depth and intrigue to the story. Outstanding. This is like *the* gold standard for detective fiction!
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Ysltrm
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I am indeed able to understand the viewpoint of those others who regard this as masterful. However, it simply is not my cup of tea.

I did read it, though. And I was not in the least bit surprised in any way. This is because there were plentiful clues provided early on.

It seems quite clear that the author intended for these clues to lead the reader to a certain conclusion.

Perhaps for some, this style of writing is engaging and exciting. But for me, it lacked the element of surprise that I typically look for in a story.

Enough said on this matter. I will simply move on to other works that better suit my tastes.
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abrainyoreo
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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What seems to be a straightforward case of locating a missing wife quickly evolves into something far more complex, which is characteristic of Chandler. Once the initial mystery is presented, he has a knack for making things a great deal more convoluted. Marlowe is called upon and hired by Derace Kingsley to track down his wife, Crystal Kingsley. It appears that Crystal has left town with another man, and Kingsley, fearing a public scandal, offers a reward for finding her. Marlowe travels to Little Fawn Lake, a small resort outside the city, as it is the last known place where she was seen. Just like in many of Marlowe's novels, the main mystery gives rise to several other puzzles. Shortly after arriving and conversing with one of the more peculiar characters, the heavy drinker Bill Chess, Marlowe finds himself smack in the middle of a rather intricate case. In this case, people are not who they seem, and even if they are, they can't be trusted. After a mysterious death occurs, the game is truly on for Marlowe. He must attempt to understand the motives of a murderer while simultaneously dealing with some shady individuals and even corrupt cops.

I read The Big Sleep some time ago and was completely won over by Chandler. The Lady in the Lake is another excellent addition to the Marlowe series. It is the fourth book in the series and takes Marlowe out of his familiar Los Angeles environment and into the backwater of Bay City and Little Fawn Lake. There is something about Chandler's prose and style that is perfectly suited to the setting and pace of The Lady in the Lake. With Marlowe as the lead, the novel can seamlessly transition from cynical humor to intense, gripping tension and suspense within moments. Marlowe's imperfect approach to investigation is what truly makes this novel engaging. He carries the narrative forward, able to read seedy characters and dangerous situations. When he makes a misstep, he has to rely on his instincts, which he has developed over the years, to extricate himself.
The Lady in the Lake is a prime example of a noir classic, and Chandler demonstrates why he is regarded as one of the finest writers in this genre.
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Kumichan4812
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The Lady in the Lake is my least favorite among the Raymond Chandler works I've read (trailing behind The Long Goodbye, Farewell, my Lovely, and The Big Sleep). But that's akin to saying, "This is the fourth largest lump of gold I've discovered in the river."

It's still gold, and it's still something you unearthed from a river. Not precisely a wedding band, but not a dirt pie either.

Despite what some other reviewers here might imply (too many literature classes in college, I suspect), Raymond Chandler wasn't penning social commentary. Sure, it occurs incidentally, but that's not his purpose. He's no Charles Dickens. He wasn't writing the kind of sophisticated literary flair that you showcase prominently on your bookshelves to impress houseguests who discuss the relationship between your wine and their nose, use pretentious French phrases like "je ne sais quoi", and randomly reference British authors. Chandler was crafting entertaining detective fiction. Not quite noir pulp, but that's the origin from which his writing evolved. It bought a train ticket out of there and vowed never to return, but, as we all know, you can never truly escape your childhood. Not really. Not in your own heart, and at the end of the day, when everything else has succumbed to slumber and darkness, that's the only place that truly matters.

And yet, the pleasure of reading Raymond Chandler is much like the pleasure of reading literary fiction - that is, the magnificent prose serves to infuse even the ordinary details of our lives with a deeper sense of significance. Through Philip Marlowe's voice, Raymond Chandler endows everything, from people's faces to Venetian blinds, with the atmosphere of a dark, smoky romance. It's an atmosphere in which cold-hearted murder, adultery, and police cover-ups aren't quite as sordid as they should be. They have a bit of a shine, a glimmer to them, which, in my opinion, makes them all the more grotesque.

Let me suggest what a rare and wonderful gift this romantic transmutation is. One of my responsibilities as a teacher is to guide and assist students applying for college. My greatest sorrow in this role is how few of these students - in their college essays - are able to fathom the drama, romance, or importance of anything they've done in their lives. How depressing that must be! To have lived for 18 years without ever learning that magic, mystery, and meaning are all largely subjective concepts. That your life will possess these qualities only to the extent that you perceive it to have them.

So, yes, The Lady in the Lake has a plot. It's a who-dunnit with twists and turns, becoming increasingly complex as the murder count rises. It features corrupt police and dangerous women - all the staples you'd expect from a Raymond Chandler. But who cares? Because it also has that glimmer I mentioned, and it's the glamour that I sought and that I found.
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no-good-reason
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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In my opinion, it is much better than the Matlese Falcon.

Philip comes across as a lot more grounded and down to Earth compared to Spade. When the book is told from his perspective, it reads as a more genuine detective story.

Moreover, his motivation being limited to being invested in solving the mystery makes me root for Marlowe more than Spade. This is because Spade's main goal seems to be monetary gain.

Overall, I would rate it a 4, teetering towards maybe a 3.5. For the time being, it shall remain a 4. However, upon further reflection and analysis, I might change my rating. There are certain aspects of the story that could be improved upon, such as the pacing in some parts and the development of certain secondary characters. But despite these minor flaws, the book still manages to engage the reader and keep them hooked until the very end.
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Elandrial
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The book, although not overly spectacular, is well-written and adheres to the pattern of Chandler's novels.

Marlowe, a tough and resilient character, gets embroiled in trouble while working for a client. The story unfolds with the revelation that the line between good and bad is blurred, and the ending offers some unexpected twists.

However, I do have at least two questions. Firstly, how could Degarmo manage to escape without killing Marlowe, and why didn't he choose to do so? It seems rather strange considering the circumstances.

Secondly, how did Degarmo come to know the history of the scarf, especially when he was aware that Kingsley was not present at the crime scene? This aspect of the plot remains somewhat mysterious and requires further exploration.

Overall, despite these questions, the book still manages to engage the reader and keep them on the edge of their seat until the very end.
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