There is a great deal of crime. It is deeply ingrained.

Crime seems to be everywhere, infiltrating every aspect of our society. It ranges from petty thefts to serious violent offenses.

The reasons for this high level of crime are complex and multifaceted. Poverty, lack of education, and social inequality are some of the contributing factors.

Moreover, the influence of the media and popular culture can also have a negative impact on people's values and behaviors.

To address this issue, it is essential that we take a comprehensive approach. This includes strengthening law enforcement, improving social welfare, and promoting education and moral values.

Only by working together can we hope to reduce the level of crime and create a safer and more harmonious society for all.

Good, solid Chandler. His writing showcases a maturity of craft that is truly remarkable. However, it doesn't quite reach the level of tautness as seen in "High Window".

From the very outset, a large piece of the puzzle becomes obvious, which might slightly diminish the element of surprise for some readers.

Nevertheless, it is still an excellent book. The most outstanding aspect is perhaps the characterization. It is particularly rich and well done.

The characters are brought to life in a vivid and detailed manner, making them feel real and engaging.

Chandler's ability to create such complex and interesting characters is a testament to his skill as a writer.

Overall, despite its few flaws, this book is a great read and a worthy addition to any Chandler fan's collection.

I came to reading this book as I required something to read for my Literary Exploration challenge in the Hardboiled genre. Having never read this type of genre before, I had to refer to my bookish friend, Michael Kitto, for assistance. He recommended The Lady in the Lake as an introduction to the well-known and respected Private Investigator, Philip Marlowe, and to this genre. I can see from several reviews that this was a very popular choice for first-timers like me.

In this book, Marlowe was hired by a wealthy businessman, Derace Kingsley, to search for his missing wife, Crystal. Derace didn't truly desire Crystal's return as she had a reputation of being a loose woman, but rather wanted to keep track of her and perhaps avoid any public disgrace on his part. Marlowe's investigation leads him to a cottage in the mountains owned by the Kingsleys. It is there that he discovers another disappearance of the neighbor's wife and a corpse lying at the bottom of the lake of one of the missing women.

Initially, I thought it was slow-paced at the beginning as Marlowe tends to describe, in great detail, everything in his path. However, I soon realized that this is how Marlowe operates. He has a tendency to analyze everything from the landscape to the body language of his suspects. Once I understood his working style, I was able to go with the flow and truly enjoy it.

Raymond Chandler has brought this honest-to-goodness, no-bullshit PI to life through his writing, and I can truly understand why he is so well-liked. Marlowe is definitely a delightful oddball who smokes like a chimney and drinks an excessive amount of alcohol. I'm puzzled as to how he can fully function the next morning. He has an unorthodox method of interrogation, which usually involves pouring a large quantity of liquor to the person being questioned. By that time, they are intoxicated and more than ready to reveal anything to him. Marlowe is an honest person but far too outspoken, which can sometimes be a concern. Whether it is intentional or not, Marlowe's outspoken nature towards others has occasionally provoked a hostile and violent response, leaving him beaten and bruised on many occasions.

The mystery is not a nail-biting one, but it was an intriguing and somewhat complex murder mystery with several twists and turns. After the first murder is committed, more murdered bodies surface, there is a cover-up, and all these characters involved had a possible motive in one way or another. I knew that all these incidents were connected somehow, but it was just a matter of forming a connection in my own mind. However, it wasn't until the end that I actually found out who did it.

I have already tried my hand at a Noir novel and really enjoyed it. If this is a taste of what Hardboiled is like, then I'm sold. I thought it was a magnificent novel. I will definitely read more of Marlowe at some stage and perhaps start from the beginning and read The Big Sleep next.

Raindrops on strippers and crisp apple gunshots,

Bright copper floozies and warm woolly whatnots.

Muscular gentlemen tied up with strings,

These are a few of my favorite things.

Girls in bikinis with breathtaking lipstick,

Slayed belles on gurneys as fast talking dicks quip,

Silverwhite cocaine and fabulous bling,

These are a few of my favourite thing.

Finding those corpses with wide ugly gashes,

And no nose at all and not many eyelashes,

And Chandler and Marlowe and slightly left wings,

These are a few of my favourite things.

This rather unusual collection of things seems to paint a vivid and somewhat macabre picture. The combination of the raindrops on strippers, the gunshots, and the various other elements creates a sense of chaos and mystery. It makes one wonder about the stories and experiences that might be associated with each of these items. Are they memories, fantasies, or something else entirely? The use of vivid and often unexpected language adds to the allure and makes this a truly unique piece.

A wealthy individual engages Phillip Marlowe to locate his wife. The investigation leads to a resort town and yet another deceased woman. Where exactly is Crystal Kingsley? Who is responsible for the murder of Muriel Chess? And what role do Chris Lavery or Dr. Almore play in all of this?

"The Lady in the Lake" is a story filled with lies, betrayals, a deceitful woman, murder, and a somewhat tarnished hero named Phillip Marlowe who finds himself right in the middle of it all. Chandler and Marlowe have set the benchmarks for smooth-talking detectives for generations. In this particular adventure, Marlowe is in good form, doing his best to follow the complex twists and turns of the plot. Chandler's use of similes is excellent, as is Marlowe's witty banter.

Since Raymond Chandler is my favorite among the noir pioneers, I feel a bit guilty for saying this, but this story is so convoluted that I stopped caring about the plot approximately a third of the way through and simply stuck around for the beautifully smooth prose. Seriously, this has to be the most convoluted plot from the master of overly convoluted plots. I had a hunch about the connection between the two women, but it took an eternity for everything to come together. Marlowe can't really be blamed for not solving the case earlier, as it seemed like Raymond Chandler was making it up as he went along, perhaps in between weekend-long drinking binges.

To summarize, the prose is of high quality, but the plot is a meandering mess. It's barely a 3 and my least favorite Chandler book that I've read so far.

There is more of Marlowe in this installment, filled with double-crossing and the typical twists and turns that I have come to like and love in this series. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat as Marlowe navigates through a web of deceit and mystery. The audio narration by Elliot Gould adds an extra layer of authenticity and charm to the tale. His voice brings the characters to life and makes you feel as if you are right there with Marlowe, experiencing every moment.

Overall, I would rate this book a B to B plus. It has all the elements that make a good mystery novel, with a great plot, interesting characters, and excellent narration. While it may not be the best in the series, it is still a highly enjoyable read/listen that fans of the genre will surely appreciate.

Raymond Chandler, in my humble opinion, stands head and shoulders above all other detective story writers. His language is thrillingly dry and low-key, which adds a unique charm to his works. The characterizations he creates are truly memorable, making the readers feel as if they know the characters personally. Moreover, his plotting is intricate yet believable, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats throughout the story.

But there is something else that sets Chandler apart. There is an undefinable quality of attitude and dialog that is simply inimitable. Only Dashiell Hammett has come close to duplicating this quality.

This wonderful novel, which is a clever mashup of two splendid short stories, feels like a single original creation. Chandler melds the two stories so skillfully that it is seamless. The story involves a dead woman in a lake, another one in a garage, and a dead guy in a bathtub. The knotty problem of who they were and how they got there keeps the readers guessing until the very end.

Crime fiction's finest modern character, private eye Philip Marlowe, takes on the case in one of Chandler's most engaging works. Marlowe's sharp wit, dogged determination, and moral compass make him a truly unforgettable character. Overall, this novel is a must-read for any fan of detective fiction.

Crime novels, before they were crime stories, were works of literature. Chandler said that the essence of a story, aside from the mystery element, must have dramatic appeal and rich human content. Chandler, while introducing violence and incident into his stories, does not neglect to analyze the social environment and describe the psychological transformations of his characters. His stories are characterized by simple and unpretentious narration, accompanied by poetic and surprisingly satirical images. "The Lady in the Lake" is Chandler's fourth novel and is among his best works. The subject matter of this story had a special allure for Chandler: he first published it as a short story in 1939. In 1943, by expanding the main core of the story, he brought "The Lady in the Lake" to its current form. The reception of this novel by readers led to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company making a film based on it in 1946. The director and lead actor of the film was Robert Montgomery.

The plot of this crime story concerns the Kingsley family. A man named Marlowe is hired by Captain MacGee and on the orders of Mr. Dris Kingsley to find Dris's wife, who has recently gone missing. Dris shows Marlowe a telegram that his wife had sent him when she left. The text of the telegram was: "I'm going across the border to Mexico to get a divorce. I'm going to marry Greys. Be happy. Crystal." In this way, Marlowe begins his investigations and...

Many people have commented that this is not Raymond Chandler's finest Marlowe novel. However, for me, it was still highly enjoyable and yet another excellent example of what initially attracted me to early detective fiction. I did find that the actual mystery was rather straightforward and a bit less intricate than in previous Marlowe books I've perused. Additionally, I noticed that there seemed to be fewer of those classic phrases for which Chandler is renowned. Many of them are still present, but in smaller numbers.

This is the fourth of the Philip Marlowe novels, and I can't help but wonder if Chandler was attempting something slightly novel here. The natures of the approaches of the two types of police agencies we encounter, for instance, are polar opposites. How they interact with citizens, how they approach a case, and, most significantly, how the general public views these two police agencies. He presents several types of stereotypical characters throughout this novel, from the client himself, a pompous and self-important businessman, to the bully and corrupt cop, to every single female in the story vying for the role of femme fatale. But this is Chandler, after all, and perhaps these characters aren't stereotypical at all; didn't he essentially invent them?

So, it was still great fun to read, even if it was slightly off pace. For me, that's what counts. I'm excited to have read half of all the Marlowe books, but also sad because I only have half of them left to read.

It has been an awfully long time since I last delved into any Chandler. His work is truly of a superior caliber. As I was reading, I couldn't help but keep jotting down phrases that seemed to effortlessly flow from the author's consciousness. They made me wonder in awe why I couldn't use language in such a masterful way.

After much consideration, I finally settled on just one phrase to highlight. It pretty much encapsulates the essence of the entire book:

"I sat very still and listened to the evening grow quiet outside the open windows. And very slowly I grew quiet with it."

There are numerous other passages that are far more descriptive, eloquent, and clever. However, this particular one simply lights a fire within me.

It's truly magical!

The Lady in the Lake (Philip Marlowe, #4) by Raymond Chandler is a captivating detective novel. Published in 1943, it follows the adventures of the renowned Los Angeles private investigator, Philip Marlowe, as he ventures outside his familiar city limits for a significant portion of the story.

The plot is complex and begins with the case of a missing woman in a small mountain town approximately 80 miles (130 km) away from Los Angeles. Chandler skillfully weaves a web of mystery and intrigue, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

Notably, the novel was written shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and it makes several references to America's recent entry into World War II. This historical backdrop adds an extra layer of depth and context to the story.

The Lady in the Lake has been widely acclaimed for its engaging narrative, vivid characters, and Chandler's masterful writing style. It is a must-read for fans of detective fiction and a testament to Chandler's status as one of the greatest mystery writers of the 20th century.

First read on November 15, 2001. Translated by Kaweh Mir-Abbasi, published by Tarh-e Now in Tehran in 1999, with 280 pages and ISBN 9645625653. The second edition was published in 2010 with ISBN 9789645625656. The subject matter includes police stories by American authors, the adventures of Philip Marlowe (book 4), and the 20th century.

Reviewed by A. Sharbiani.

Raymond Chandler's fourth novel featuring Los Angeles private investigator Philip Marlowe delves into a complex mystery involving two missing wives.

The first is Crystal, the independently wealthy spouse of Derace Kingsley, an executive in a large firm. She vanished a month ago after sending him a telegram from Texas, stating that she was divorcing him and marrying her boyfriend, Chris Lavery, a known ladies' man.

Kingsley, who doesn't truly love his wife and is aware of her promiscuous behavior and Lavery's status as one of her conquests, initially isn't overly concerned. However, when he runs into Lavery and discovers that he hasn't seen Crystal in a month and didn't accompany her to Texas or anywhere else, he becomes worried and hires Marlowe to find her.

As expected, this leads Marlowe into a convoluted web of events that is even more complex than usual for a Raymond Chandler novel. Several people are murdered, others are blackmailed, and almost everyone lies to Marlowe, making his job significantly more difficult. Corrupt cops also continuously beat him up and threaten to frame him for various crimes.

Nevertheless, Marlowe persists, regardless of the odds, determined to uncover the truth. Even though he doesn't particularly like his client or most of the people he encounters during the case, he is committed to doing his job to the best of his ability.

Like nearly all of Raymond Chandler's novels, the plot is nearly impossible to follow. However, readers don't turn to Chandler for his plots. Instead, they appreciate the beautiful writing in the spare, lean tone that set the early standard for hard-boiled crime novels. While this may not be my favorite of Chandler's novels, it is still a highly enjoyable read.