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Philip Marlowe #8

Trouble Is My Business

raymond chandler

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In the four long stories in this collection, Marlowe is hired to protect a rich old guy from a gold digger, runs afoul of crooked politicos, gets a line on some stolen jewels with a reward attached, and stumbles across a murder victim who may have been an extortionist.

Trouble is my business --
Finger man --
Goldfish --
Red wind

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1950
Series
Philip Marlowe
Places
california, los angeles california, 

This edition

Format
224 pages, Paperback
Published
August 12, 1992 by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
ISBN
ASIN
Language
English
Characters More characters
  • John Dalmas

    John Dalmas

    Several Chandler short stories were originally written with John Dalmas as the lead detective. Later changed to Philip Marlowe as Marlowe became the best known of Chandlers creations. The detectives are, basically, the same person.more...

  • Philip Marlowe

    Philip Marlowe

    Philip Marlowe is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler. Marlowe first appeared under that name in The Big Sleep, published in 1939. Chandlers early short stories, published in pulp magazines like Black Mask and Dime Detective, featured ...

  • Anna Halsey

    Anna Halsey

    Halsey runs the detective agency which retains Marlowe in the "Trouble .." case.more...

  • Harriet Huntress

    Harriet Huntress

    Anna Halsey describes Huntress as "a redheaded number with bedroom eyes ... (whos) got her hooks into a rich mans pup."more...

  • Marty Estel

    Marty Estel

    A well known gambler with connections. Harriet Huntress is a shill for him....

  • Old Man Jeeter

    Old Man Jeeter

    Is he the man really behind the hiring of Marlowe? Rich and mercurial. Gerald Jeeter is his son....

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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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Rating(3.8 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
MINDL3SSVIOLNC3
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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My initial encounter with the works of Raymond Chandler came in the guise of his renowned detective character, Philip Marlowe.

This concise anthology delves into the detective's career through four adventures that were first published in the old pulps during the 1930s.

I'm not an ardent enthusiast of this genre. However, considering Chandler's reputation and his significant influence, especially in Hollywood from the 1940s onwards, I knew I had to give it a try.

The first story was, for me, the most verbose and least appealing. It was充斥着行话 that couldn't help but deter me; in my view, it was style over substance.

The second story adopted a political tone and was an improvement, albeit still with flaws.

The third story began to captivate me with the numerous twists and turns and the engaging characterizations it contained.

And the fourth story was by far the best of the lot, offering pure enjoyment from start to finish.

Assuming the stories here were presented in chronological order, perhaps this indicates a natural progression in Chandler's career as a writer.
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shlomiardan
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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**Title: The Beauty of a Pure Style**

In the world of art, design, and even writing, a pure style holds a unique allure.

A pure style is characterized by simplicity, clarity, and a lack of unnecessary ornamentation. It strips away the excess and focuses on the essence of the subject.

This style allows the true beauty and meaning to shine through.

Whether it's a minimalist painting, a sleek and modern design, or a piece of writing with clean and concise language, a pure style has the power to captivate and inspire.

It has a timeless quality that transcends trends and fads.

By embracing a pure style, we can create works that are both elegant and enduring.

It forces us to be deliberate and intentional in our choices, to carefully consider each element and how it contributes to the whole.

A pure style challenges us to find beauty in the simplest of forms and to communicate our ideas with clarity and precision.

It is a style that rewards those who are willing to look beyond the surface and appreciate the true essence of things.

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CallMeMuff
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The edition of this anthology that I possess, which compiles Philip Marlowe's earliest adventures, with a few being rewritten stories originally featuring his first incarnation John Dalmas, contains a foreword. This foreword was written much later by Raymond Chandler, in which he reflects on his place in the history of the crime genre and its general state.

Specifically, Chandler describes how, through Dashiell Hammett before him, he saw the potential for psychological depth, social criticism, and an examination of moral grey areas in a genre that had hitherto been dismissed (not always unjustly) as mere escapist fantasy. It is also a pleasant surprise to see Chandler's humility. Unlike James Ellroy, he is not certain himself if what he writes is on the same level as that of a Dostoevsky or Flaubert.

As is typical for Chandler, it is less the "whodunit" aspect that is crucial than the hows and whys. Even here, his prose style exhibits more finesse and wit in a single story than many writers would in their entire body of work. The short story format results in a somewhat different reading experience than his full-length novels. Chandler's young age at the time is also evident in that his signature style is not quite fully developed in a couple of stories. "Finger Man," in particular, despite featuring an early version of one of "The Big Sleep"'s most famous scenes, has a style and tone that is halfway between Hammett's Continental Op stories and Chandler's own.

My personal favorite is probably "Goldfish," as it shows Philip Marlowe somewhat out of his element in the Pacific Northwest and features a rather morally complex story where the real culprits turn out to be the most sympathetic side in the central conflict. In fact, if I were to introduce someone to Chandler's oeuvre, I would probably advise that person to start with that one, as it showcases all my favorite aspects of his writing: the easy-to-imitate but difficult-to-master gutter-philosophical first-person narration; the insightful depiction of the desperate and doomed fates across very different social backgrounds, portrayed with a sense of authenticity; and the decidedly grey moral landscapes, even with Philip Marlowe's code of honor serving as a compass.

So, is that business good? It is good, it is very good!
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Iamafan
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Quintessential noir by one of the creators of the genre. Private eye Phillip Marlowe is the archetype of those that followed. This book is four (rather long) short stories, each one a masterpiece in its own right. The stories are filled with the seedy underbelly of society, complex characters, and twisting plots that keep the reader on the edge of their seat.


Marlowe is a tough and cynical detective, but also has a code of honor that he adheres to. He is not afraid to take on the powerful and the corrupt, and his investigations lead him into some very dangerous situations. The writing is sharp and atmospheric, painting a vivid picture of the noir world.


Overall, this is an excellent collection of short stories that will appeal to fans of noir fiction. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the genre and a great introduction to the work of this talented author.

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GrandioseHD
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This is an outstanding little compilation of four concise and impactful Marlowe stories.

It's the second time I've delved into Trouble is My Business, yet after a few years, I realized I'd retained very little. So, it still had a refreshing feel to me.

None of these novellas quite reach the pinnacle of Chandler's finest work. However, neither are their plots as perplexing. There are ample dry one-liners to amuse fans of Chandler's style.

Somehow, these four stories, presented together, offer a deeper understanding of the character of Marlowe. Perhaps it's because he seems more confident here than in the more elaborate plots of his longer novels.

When Marlowe (and the reader) isn't迷失 in some convoluted plot instigated by wealthy Los Angelinos but rather in Marlowe's own world of middlemen, hustlers, and cops, he can exert greater control and展现 a more proactive side of his personality.

Marlowe becomes less of a mystery for the world around him and more of a protagonist in his own right.

Therefore, Trouble is My Business makes an excellent starting point for readers new to Chandler. These stories place the Marlowe of The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye in a more extensive context, and they're enjoyable to boot!

Any of the four stories here would make a great film. I just don't know who I'd cast as Marlowe though...
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fluoriteinquart
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Of course, I have a great affection for this collection.

It consists of four short stories that were later incorporated into Chandler's novels.

However, I must admit that I wished it could have been longer.

The Simple Art of Murder contained more stories and offered a bit more variety, so I definitely have a preference for it over this one.

Nonetheless, this was still a fine selection of short stories.

Almost nothing else outside of Chandler's works has the power to make me envision scenes in my mind so vividly or to make me burst out laughing at the sarcasm.

I was practically laughing every few minutes while reading this, and I am writing this review after my second reading.

In my opinion, no other noir can compare to Chandler, and this collection is just the most perfect example of the genre.

It truly showcases Chandler's unique writing style and his ability to create engaging and memorable stories.

Despite its brevity, it leaves a lasting impression and keeps the reader hooked from start to finish.

I would highly recommend this collection to any fan of noir or anyone looking for a great read.

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RoseAlice11
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I presume these are earlier Marlowe stories.

When reading them, I notice a softer side to the private eye.

In these tales, he doesn't always exude the tough and invincible persona one might expect.

Instead, he seems a bit vulnerable in certain places.

There is even one scene where he comes off straight up scared.

This portrayal adds a new dimension to his character.

It makes him more relatable and human.

We see that even a seasoned private eye like Marlowe can have moments of weakness and fear.

It makes us wonder what events in his past might have led to these displays of vulnerability.

Perhaps these earlier stories are setting the stage for his growth and development as a character.

As we continue to read, we look forward to seeing how he will overcome his fears and evolve into the confident and capable detective we know him to be.
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YourTimy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Phillip Marlowe, the tough and unyielding private detective, embarks on three captivating cases. With his unwavering determination and sharp intellect, he tackles each one with precision, just like the true professional he is.

Whether it's the search for precious lost pearls or the complex task of dealing with a pair of ruthless murderers, Marlowe adheres to his own unique brand of even-handed justice. He cuts through the chaos and deception, leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of the truth.

The dialogues in this book are so engaging and vivid that it's almost impossible not to read them out loud, channeling the iconic Humphrey Bogart impression. The words seem to come alive, drawing the reader into Marlowe's gritty and thrilling world.

As the story unfolds, we are taken on a rollercoaster ride of mystery, danger, and intrigue, eagerly following Marlowe's every move. This book is a must-read for any fan of detective fiction, offering a masterclass in storytelling and character development.
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