I went through a phase in my life (a rather long one) when I devoured police procedurals and said it was one of my favorite genres. This phase started in adolescence, with the discovery of Sherlock Holmes and ended in early adulthood, around my 19 years old.

At that time, I began to think that police procedurals were always "more of the same", forgettable entertainment, books that added little to me as a person, and I completely abandoned them to read what I thought were more "enriching" things.

Nowadays, my opinion is one of balance. Literature can be, should be, and is... both things: entertainment and discovery, learning and development. And diversifying our reading will allow us to try to reach all the dimensions that it can offer us to the maximum.

That said, the truth is that my old passion never faded, and I'm always very happy when a police procedural title appears on my list of books to read. The problem is that LinkedBooks usually refers me to these classic police procedurals, which were exactly the ones that made me "tired" of the genre a little. And in this case, what I expected this book to be came true.

It's a good classic police procedural. The detective, the central character of this story and this series (Philip Marlow), is the most remarkable thing about the story, but he didn't impress me positively. I already "knew him from other walks" or rather from other books that I don't remember. As I said before, the plots of these books are usually very interesting, but they are pure entertainment that is easily forgotten. This is also the case here. A good plot, intricate with several twists, but... more of the same for those who have read many police procedurals of this genre. The truth is that very early in the story, I guessed the ending, as it often happened to me in the past.

I didn't like the era in which the book took place, this "macho" detective, rough and without any special characteristics to highlight, who is always filling up with whiskey and cigarettes. The author's writing is crude and rough like the protagonist, very simple and that goes well with this plot, but whenever he tries to beautify his writing with descriptions or metaphors, it seems forced and disastrous to me. In short, very dated, very "macho lit", very "american private eye bullshit" and after all, to tell a story that you can almost guess how it will end from the beginning.

I really would like to enjoy police procedurals and thrillers again, but it won't happen by going back to what I already know. I don't recommend reading this book, but it's not a bad read. A mediocre classic police procedural is how I see it. It serves to pass a good amount of time reading and forget it after a few months, leaving only the "macho Marlowe" (unfortunately) in memory.

This was truly an interesting experience.

The ideal scenario for reading this would be during one of those early spring weekends when an ice storm has led to a five-day power outage. Since your significant other had had enough of your nonsense and left a few weeks ago, you are now feeling cold, lonely, and are surviving on frozen celery and potatoes that were stored in the garage. You are sitting on the couch, with only your melancholy thoughts to keep you company.

I, however, attempted to read it in short bursts of ten or twenty minutes in between Zoom meetings, enjoying hot meals, having exercise sessions, and dealing with the possibility of evacuations due to approaching wildfires. I ended up having to go back and re-read many long passages just to figure out what was happening, because in this book, few people are honest, and even fewer feel a sense of obligation to do the right thing.

What always amazes me in books from this era is how easily women would sleep with their bosses, their husband's friends, their husband's enemies, the mailman, the bartender, whoever crosses their path that day. Contraceptives were not as reliable back then, and the consequences were much more severe. But then I have to remind myself that this is just fiction, and Raymond Chandler was probably huddled in the cold in a lonely kitchen, indulging in flights of fantasy while also questioning the trajectory of his own miserable life.

My first Raymond Chandler. My first Philip Marlowe.

I think what is most impressive about Chandler's writing is that he allows the reader to investigate and reach the same conclusions as Marlowe. It is an extremely interesting journey, and the twist doesn't matter because the reader has followed the same clues and is already aware in advance. This is treating the reader with respect and not as if he were a stupid policeman, right, hahaha. I loved it.

The funny thing is that although my favorite Marlowe in cinema is Elliott Gould, throughout the reading of the book I visualized Bogart, even though it was Robert Montgomery who was in the adaptation of this book.

Chandler's writing style is truly captivating. His descriptions are vivid and bring the story and the characters to life. The plot is full of mystery and suspense, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish. The relationship between Marlowe and the other characters is complex and adds depth to the story. Overall, reading this book was a great experience, and I look forward to reading more of Chandler's works.

I truly prefer these to Christie when it comes to the classic mysteries. Perhaps it's the Noir element, but that's not entirely the case for this particular book.

We find ourselves in the boondocks, encircled by endearing small-town deputies and some rather charmingly corrupt officials. Alright, so we're not in the city. However, the corruption, murder, and mystery remain just as intense.

As is always the case, Chandler's prose is simply astonishing. The voice is everything, the interactions are constantly amusing and frequently surprising, and the rest is vividly evocative.

This book has everything I anticipate in a great Noir, and it packs a harder punch than the body bobbing in the water. It's a captivating read that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

The setting of the boondocks adds an extra layer of authenticity and charm to the story, making it a unique and engaging experience. Chandler's ability to create such memorable characters and vivid scenes is truly remarkable.

If you're a fan of Noir mysteries, this book is definitely one to add to your collection. It will not disappoint.

Wow! Wow! Wow!

Attention, attractiveness, power, and one hundred percent avoidance of any kind of long-windedness. These characteristics, which were present in the first book of the Philip Marlowe series, have now reached the fourth one!

To make a cinematic quote from this book, a three-hour movie would have to be made. Because if you delete any part, you disrupt the entire flow of the story. It's not like the long and drawn-out Iranian novels where from three hundred pages, you can roughly extract a hundred pages of content with some pain.

Happy reading, Mr. Chandler. You were always my teacher.

One of the most comprehensive efforts and, in my opinion, one of the most interesting books by Chandler, which affects the reader in a mysterious way.

In the first half of the book (which is also the best in terms of the flow of the plot), Chandler charms and at the same time induces a basic sense of fear and panic when he describes the hard and 'frozen' landscape of the lake, which hides in its 'murky' waters a decomposing female corpse. The literary tone refers to a police mystery story, and a game of characters begins to be played in which the true identity of the heroes is indirectly questioned.

In the second half, Chandler returns to the familiar hard-boiled paths in order to be able to complete the last piece of the puzzle of the police riddle and give a solution that, until the end, hides twists and turns.

The dialogues are clever, the descriptions of the lake and the landscapes recall a 'gothic' thriller, and all the heroes in this book have dark sides and are guilty of some action of theirs. It is worth noting that the author plays very cleverly with the theme of disguise and impersonation, while confirming the myth of the 'femmes fatales' and the 'vamps' of that era.

Chandler used in the book and modified parts from his previous short novel, 'Bay City Blues', since 'The Lady of the Lake' is also set in Bay City among other places.

Ratings: 4/5 or 8/10.

Perfect shamus ❤️

It doesn't really matter that I am able to guess the ending. The fact is that these stories are truly outstanding. Mystery writers and movie makers have been borrowing his ideas for a very long time. The enjoyment that comes from reading them lies in the engaging dialogue, the seamless story development, and the natural progression. There are still 3 more stories to go, and I am looking forward to experiencing the same level of excitement and entertainment with each one. I can't wait to see how the author will continue to captivate me with his unique storytelling skills. It's like embarking on a thrilling adventure with each turn of the page. I know that no matter what, I will be thoroughly entertained until the very end.

Another case for Marlowe. A runaway wife sends a telegram to her wealthy husband Kingsley, stating Am crossing to get Mexican divorce stop Will marry Chris stop Good luck and goodbye crystal. The man doesn't truly desire her return; he simply wants to know her whereabouts to ensure there is no scandal that could affect him. At the cabin in the mountains, Marlowe's investigation leads him to Kingsley's alcoholic caretaker. His wife has also disappeared. Is this too much of a coincidence? Maybe.

This is a rather convoluted story, perhaps lacking some of the polish that I have come to anticipate from Chandler. However, to be fair, the story eventually unfolds, and it has its share of twists and turns. There was some excellent genre writing here, but I thought it was lacking in the great one-liners and descriptive prose that was so outstanding in the earlier books - especially the first and second. It didn't completely disappoint, but for me, the convoluted plot and the absence of the descriptors we expect left this at 3 stars rather than 4 or 5.

Still, there are no regrets. It was a short book, a quick and easy read, and still very entertaining.

P371.

I smelled of gin. Not just casually, as if I had consumed four or five drinks on a winter morning to get out of bed, but as if the Pacific Ocean were pure gin and I had plunged off the boat deck. The gin permeated my hair and eyebrows, coated my chin and the underside of my chin. It soaked into my shirt. I reeked like dead toads.

My coat was removed, and I was lying flat on my back beside the davenport on someone's carpet, looking at a framed picture...

I reached up wearily and felt the back of my head. It felt soft and pulpy. A jolt of pain from the touch shot all the way to the soles of my feet. I groaned, and transformed the groan into a grunt, out of professional pride - what little remained of it.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

When I heard about Raymond Chandler, I immediately became eager to discover him, because mystery novels are my weakness. I have tried many other authors, but it seems that none of them have lived up to my expectations. (After reading dozens of books by Camilla Läckberg and Agatha Christie). However, he conquered me and I added him to the top. I liked everything about this novel. From the very suggestive title, to the plot, to the characters and even to the end. It was very well constructed, not overloaded with details, simple and beautiful. There were many entanglements that kept you on alert, but everything was very logically explained at the end. I can't wait for the next book!

Private Investigator Philip Marlowe was engaged by Derace Kingsley to locate his missing wife, Crystal. She had vanished a month after sending him a telegram from their cabin, stating her intention to divorce him and marry Chris Lavery. Kingsley was sufficiently worried to seek her out. Marlowe embarked on his investigation, unaware of the profound depth to which he would become embroiled and the numerous intricate webs that would entangle a significant number of lives.

With a modicum of assistance from a country sheriff named Patton, the mystery thickened when Marlowe uncovered the fact that there was another woman missing. However, they seemingly had no connection to each other - or did they? As the hours ticked by and then the days, instead of unearthing answers, Marlowe continued to encounter an ever-growing array of questions.

This is my initial foray into the world of Raymond Chandler and Philip Marlowe, having read it on the recommendation of a couple of friends. I thoroughly relished it. I am enamored with the writing style and the laid-back, laconic demeanor of Marlowe. There are several outstanding twists throughout, and the detective skills of Marlowe bear a slight resemblance to those of M Poirot from Murder on the Orient Express, which I recently perused. Without the slightest hesitation, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all aficionados of mystery and crime.

I've read this book now three times in as many months. More times in as many years. The first time I read it, years ago, I was nineteen. Now, much older, I had to come back with a different perspective and try to see what Raymond Chandler was really up to. Entertaining the reader wasn't the sole point. Sending Marlowe into another violent beat down, like in some of the other books, wasn't the essence. Chasing down the mystery man or woman wasn't the core either.

I can say this. Raymond Chandler, for those paying attention, penned a social portrait of the relationship that the public had with the police department at the time. This is a Dickensian social commentary on the differences between two small town (at the time) police departments. The Santa Monica PD and Lake Arrowhead Sheriff's Deputies versus the public. What you get is two polar opposites.

The book before this, my personal favourite, The High Window, also has an incredibly dark take on the Los Angeles Police Department during the late 30s and early 40s. The Lady In The Lake, though, is to The High Window as what a film is to a snapshot. This being the film.

Conan Doyle once stated as Holmes: "It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside." [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) Sherlock Holmes in "The Copper Beeches" (Doubleday p. 323)]. I would place a heavy wager that after The High Window came out, some of his critics were probably roasting him for his heavy-handed and dark portraits of the LAPD, which were likely too spot-on and were trying to deflect a bit for them and making the exact same point that Doyle made. I would imagine this novel is the response to that, and from that context, this book reads like a chess move. Knight to Kings' 4. I would also imagine that he was probably hearing it getting louder throughout his career. If you've read the earlier books in the series, then you'll know exactly what I'm speaking of here. And yes, Chandler was very much aware and concerned regarding his critics.

One of the more interesting aspects of this story is that every single Police Officer or Law Enforcement official is an archetypal figure. A known stereotype lifted straight from the modern vernacular of that day. These days, police procedurals are no big deal. But back then, you'd be hard-pressed to find a plethora of them or any as scathing. With high-profile crimes like the Black Dahlia and many others, as well as folks like Weegee (Arthur Fellig), Los Angeles really was a hotbed for corruption and cops who would sap a man dead rather than fill out a tiresome form.

(Sheriff) Patton up at Puma Lake & Little Fawn lake (Arrowhead & Big Bear Lake) is the indomitable, savvy veteran Sheriff who suffers no fools but wastes no energy being impolite. When you think you have him figured, you'd guess wrong. Degarmo is the textbook ne'er-do-well who roughs people up, frames poor saps who cross his path and busts people he doesn't like for intoxication and saps them on the back of the skull. He's like the bad guy out of every detective novel with a badge. Sneer included. Toothpick and quick-draw intact. Every instance on the page of this character has the reader cringing from Degarmo's behavior, choice of words, and inappropriate decisions. Webber, Chief over in Santa Monica - or Bay City as Chandler always referred to it, is the out of touch, administrative, trusting General who probably doesn't know half the business his men are getting into and is usually late to the scene on every occasion. He becomes an interesting character, quickly, once he's unearthed. It's curious that Chandler writes so snidely about the Santa Monica Police of this era, but perhaps he knew something back then that we don't, as readers, have a bead on anymore.

Someone's going to mince words with me about Bay City being Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades, but in this context, we know that Chandler was writing about Santa Monica, while some of the victims did reside in Pac Palisades. Hope that clarifies it. All the other detectives and beat patrolmen do nothing but ratchet up the tension with every appearance.

So much ground is covered in this book, in such a detailed manner, that the reader never sees any of it coming and the idea stays well camouflaged throughout most of the book. You think Chandler is trying to tell a complex story about a Doctor's wife that he might've worked out backwards, first, in order to write it out artfully, but I think that would lead down the wrong mountain path. The plot becomes so convoluted in fact that it takes almost four pages towards the end, without much dialogue or paragraph breaks to explain how it all ended up the way it did. When it does, you're left not just scratching your head a bit but a tad dazed. It's a mouthful of explanation that reads more like Agatha Christie than it does Raymond Chandler. He was on top of his game during this period and I doubt that something so obvious, at least to me, wasn't his main aim. Chandler was a master storyteller and the Dickens of his age. Chandler was writing very detailed essays during this era about the very thing that I've highlighted in this review. Social commentary in fiction. He also wrote a lot about Charles Dickens and was a definite fan.

I don't think I'm the first person to state that the overall story is pretty ludicrous. By the time you get 170 pages in, if you're not smelling the setup, then you probably just coast through books half asleep as it is. Reading like it's some form of sedative while you're curled up in bed after a long day. That's not a crime, but it does set the reader up for only a quarter of the message of the book. Some people like it like that though.

This is an absolutely perfect detective novel.

It takes the reader on a thrilling journey filled with mystery and suspense.

The story is masterfully crafted, with a complex plot that keeps you guessing until the very end.

The characters are well-developed and engaging, each with their own unique personalities and motives.

The detective, in particular, is a brilliant and resourceful investigator, using his keen intellect and sharp观察力 to solve the case.

The author's writing style is vivid and descriptive, painting a detailed picture of the crime scenes and the surrounding environment.

Overall, this is a must-read for any fan of detective novels, guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.