This is my favourite of the series up until now. It is truly a remarkable collection of shorter tales.

Each story within this collection has its own unique charm and吸引力. They range from heartwarming and touching to thrilling and exciting.

The authors have done an excellent job of creating vivid characters and engaging plots that keep the reader hooked from start to finish.

Whether you're in the mood for a quick read or want to lose yourself in a world of imagination, this collection has something for everyone.

I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good story.

I truly relished this experience. It is indeed a delight to drink from the wellspring of classic detective pulp fiction. I have not delved into Dashiel Hammett's works yet, but if he is as crucial as Chandler asserts in his forward, then their bodies of work must surely represent the zenith of this genre.

This is not my initial foray into the world of detective novels. I took a rather circuitous path to Chandler, commencing with several of John Schwartzwelder's parodies of the genre. From there, I ventured into Jonathan Lethem's "Gun, With Occasional Music" and an anonymous pulp volume. Each of these works has its own unique excellence.

Beyond the realm of the written word, I have also witnessed numerous classic film noir masterpieces and listened to a plethora of radio plays where Humphrey Bogart portrays both Chandler's Philip Marlowe and Hammett's Sam Spade. However, it is truly wonderful to be at the very beginning. I suppose that to journey even further back in time would necessitate Sir Conan Doyle's stories.

This is truly a remarkable set of four Philip Marlowe "long stories."

It is absolutely incredible how engaging and captivating these tales are.

The character of Philip Marlowe is brought to life in such a vivid and interesting way that one cannot help but be drawn into his world.

The plots are filled with twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat from beginning to end.

I find myself completely immersed in these stories and wish there were a couple dozen more.

Each one is a masterpiece in its own right, and I cannot get enough of them.

I highly recommend this set to anyone who loves a good mystery or detective story.

It is sure to satisfy even the most discerning reader.

There are just four stories, all within the 50 - 60 page range, and all are vintage Chandler.

The cadence of his writing is truly perfect. In the Wikipedia article on hardboiled crime fiction, Chandler's Philip Marlowe is the first of the half dozen named private detectives. Notable hardboiled detectives include Philip Marlowe, Mike Hammer, Sam Spade, Lew Archer, Slam Bradley, and The Continental Op. It's rather curious that I haven't read any of the others, although I do have a Lew Archer book waiting for my attention.

My favorite of the four was "Goldfish". It begins with a wonderful line: I wasn't doing any work that day, just catching up on my foot - dangling. The backstory is that 20 years ago, a man robbed the mail pouch on a train. He was tracked down, arrested, and served his time. All of the loot was recovered except for two extremely large pearls. The insurance company and many operatives had been after them for years. Then Philip Marlowe enters the scene.

Pearls were also part of the story of the last one in the collection, "Red Wind". While I enjoyed the time spent reading this, I was often lost. Perhaps Chandler wrote this as the basis for the script of a hoped - for film, or maybe he fiddled with it thinking he'd eventually expand it into a novel. There were simply more characters than the length could adequately support. Even so, the ending was really quite perfect.

Recently I said I thought Nero Wolfe might be better as short stories. As much as I was glad to be back with Philip Marlowe, I think I prefer him in a novel. I think "Goldfish" made this collection, but overall I can't rate it more than 3 - stars.

Luxury houses stand tall, exuding an air of opulence and mystery. Within these walls, a mysterious woman lurks, her allure captivating yet enigmatic. Meanwhile, a bored rich man lounges, seeking excitement in a world that has become all too familiar to him.

Vicious thugs prowl the shadows, their presence a constant threat. And of course, there is a lot of money flowing through this world, fueling the desires and dreams of those who inhabit it.

This is the captivating world of Philip Marlowe, a detective who always seems to find himself in the most dangerous and unexpected situations. His adventures are a thrilling ride, filled with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

For anyone who enjoys Raymond Chandler's writing style, this is a pleasant and quick read that will transport them into a world of mystery, danger, and intrigue.

This was a compilation of short stories. However, it didn't quite meet my expectations as most of the full-length stories usually do. Nevertheless, they were still rather good. There are four stories in total: Trouble is my business, Finger man, Goldfish, and Red wind. Among them, I think I derived the most enjoyment from Goldfish. In the end, I awarded all four stories 3 stars each.

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Overall, while the short stories didn't have the same impact as the full-length ones, they still had their own charm. Each story offered a unique perspective and set of characters. Goldfish, in particular, had something that appealed to me more than the others. I'm looking forward to sharing more book reviews and discussions on my Booktube channel and across my various platforms.

A very nice collection with stories of Raymond Chandler starring Philip Marlowe.

Raymond Chandler is a renowned author, and his works have captivated readers for decades.

The character of Philip Marlowe is a classic private detective, known for his sharp wit, intelligence, and moral code.

In this collection, readers will be able to immerse themselves in the gritty and noir world of Chandler's Los Angeles.

Each story is filled with mystery, intrigue, and memorable characters.

The writing is stylish and engaging, drawing the reader in from the very first page.

Whether you are a fan of detective fiction or simply enjoy a good story, this collection is sure to satisfy.

So sit back, relax, and let Raymond Chandler and Philip Marlowe take you on a thrilling adventure.

Four stories grace the pages of this collection. "Trouble Is My Business" and "Finger Man" are both exemplary works of top-notch hardboiled pulp fiction. They draw the reader in with their gritty and intense narratives.

"Goldfish" takes a different turn, centering around pearls and goldfish. It has a bit of a Dick Tracey feel to it, which isn't a negative at all. In fact, it's a nice change in tone for Chandler, adding some variety to the collection.

The final story, "Red Wind," truly blew me away. The plot is highly intricate, with each piece of the puzzle building upon the last. There were several moments when I had to pause and go back to review what I'd read previously to keep up with the complex web of events. The hardboiled lines hit even harder in this story, adding to its overall impact. But "Red Wind" is more than just a detective story. It rises above its genre and can rightfully be considered literature. In fact, the reason I initially picked up this book was because Eric Williams, the author of "Toadstones," tweeted that Raymond Chandler's "Red Wind" is legitimately one of the greatest short stories of the 20th century, both technically and artistically. The dialog, pacing, description, and story are all perfect, and the whole thing culminates in a genuinely (and surprisingly) moving last couple of paragraphs. I couldn't have put it better myself.

Some of my favorite hardboiled lines from these stories can be found here.

This installment is truly one of the best from the series.

The dialogues are engaging and filled with the usual touch of humor that fans have come to love. The plot, as always, is delightfully twisted, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.

The story follows the detective as he pursues the case and eventually wins over the lady. However, this happiness is short-lived.

Just when it seems like everything is going well, an unexpected turn of events throws a wrench in the works.

The detective must now race against time to solve the mystery and save the day, all while dealing with the consequences of his actions.

Overall, this is a thrilling and entertaining addition to the series that will leave fans eagerly anticipating the next one.

I adored this collection with all my heart.

It truly opened my eyes and made me come to the realization that I have a stronger affinity for Chandler's short stories featuring Marlowe compared to his novels.

And you know what? I think I might even like his short stories better than Hammett's.

But really, who in their right mind needs to decide a favorite between such wonderful literary treasures?

Both Chandler and Hammett have created works that are simply captivating and unique in their own ways.

Their characters, the settings, and the overall atmosphere they build are all so enchanting.

Rather than trying to pick a favorite, we should just sit back, relax, and enjoy the masterpieces they have bestowed upon us.

Let the magic of their words transport us to different worlds and allow us to experience the thrill and excitement of their stories.

After all, that's what great literature is all about.

The atmosphere in this collection of short stories is really cool, constantly pulling you into each narrative.

However, while I believe the consistent vibe would be excellent for a novel (and I'm definitely going to read "The Big Sleep"), in a short story collection, more variety is essential.

I was really enjoying it at the beginning, but by the time I reached the last story, I had heard enough of the film noir detective sass and just wanted the story to progress.

Due to over-repetition, what initially felt like serious high-stakes stories start to seem absurd and lacking in meaning.

It's a shame because there is potential here, but the lack of variety and the excessive repetition somewhat detract from the overall experience.

Perhaps with a bit more diversity in tone, style, and plot, this collection could have been truly outstanding.

As it stands, it's an interesting read, but not without its flaws.

4 Stars.

This is a remarkable collection that consists of four novellas and novelettes, with two of each. It was first published in 1950 and features the title story, along with "The Finger Man," "Goldfish," and "Red Wind." Each of these individual works has been reviewed elsewhere, so here we'll focus on the collection as a whole.

Prepare to be immersed in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles, filled with gambling, fast women, political corruption, theft, con artists, murder, and non-stop action. This is noir and hard-boiled mystery at its finest!

Originally, the stories had other private detectives as their lead characters. However, when the collection was published, Chandler brought them all under the Philip Marlowe rubric. His stand-alone Marlowe novels had already achieved great popularity.

Interestingly, there's no evidence to suggest that Chandler's other private investigators, such as John Dalmas, Carmady, or Mallory, differed in characterization from Marlowe. It seems to be the same character with a new name. Marlowe is a thinker, not a trigger-happy gunman who acts first and thinks later. He often finds himself in the company of women of all kinds, some good and some bad, and in the company of men who can only be found in dark and smoke-filled rooms. He truly is one of my great reading discoveries! (August 2020)