The Black-Eyed Blonde: A Philip Marlowe Novel Author: | Language: English | ISBN:
B00H4EGU90 | Format: EPUB
The Black-Eyed Blonde: A Philip Marlowe Novel Description
Raymond Chandler's incomparable private eye is back, pulled by a seductive young heiress into the most difficult and dangerous case of his career. "It was one of those summer Tuesday afternoons when you begin to wonder if the earth has stopped revolving. The telephone on my desk had the look of something that knows it's being watched. Traffic trickled by in the street below, and there were a few pedestrians, too, men in hats going nowhere."
So begins The Black-Eyed Blonde, a new novel featuring Philip Marlowe - yes, that Philip Marlowe. Channeling Raymond Chandler, Benjamin Black has brought Marlowe back to life for a new adventure on the mean streets of Bay City, California.
It is the early 1950s, Marlowe is as restless and lonely as ever, and business is a little slow. Then a new client is shown in: young, beautiful, and expensively dressed, she wants Marlowe to find her former lover, a man named Nico Peterson.
Marlowe sets off on his search, but almost immediately discovers that Peterson's disappearance is merely the first in a series of bewildering events. Soon he is tangling with one of Bay City's richest families and developing a singular appreciation for how far they will go to protect their fortune.
Only Benjamin Black, a modern master of the genre, could write a new Philip Marlowe novel that has all the panache and charm of the originals while delivering a story that is as sharp and fresh as today's best crime fiction.
- Audible Audio Edition
- Listening Length: 7 hours and 53 minutes
- Program Type: Audiobook
- Version: Unabridged
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Audible.com Release Date: March 4, 2014
- Whispersync for Voice: Ready
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00H4EGU90
It’s difficult to imagine being handed the task of writing a Philip Marlowe novel. Raymond Chandler, the original author is now such an icon of classic crime/noir fiction that it would just be too daunting for most authors to attempt. On the other hand, what an honor to be asked to do so! Benjamin Black (pseudonym of Man Booker Prize-winning novelist John Banville) was an excellent choice in my opinion as he captures much of what we readers look for in a Marlowe novel.
Set in early 1950’s LA, of course, the plot surrounds a case presented to PI Philip Marlowe by the titular black-eyed blonde, Claire Cavendish. It seems she wants him to find her former lover. Almost immediately, Marlowe discovers the guy had previously been killed in a hit-and-run but that Ms. Cavendish has since seen him walking the streets of San Francisco. From there events take off in all directions and it isn’t long before Marlowe finds himself entwined among the rich and famous, movie stars, the underworld, and of course, the femme fatale.
The author totally captures the atmosphere of a Chandler novel, the mood of the city, the action of brutal fights, dead bodies, and an exquisite investigation. He also captures the essence of the character of Marlowe, himself, truly a testament to the skills of this author. That being said, this is not an exact replica of a Raymond Chandler Philip Marlowe novel. While Black does come close to the style and all of those memorable lines that Chandler seemed to come up with so effortlessly, I think he wisely steered clear of overdoing that for fear it would result in a sense of fakery. There are still plenty of one liners and amazingly descriptive phrases, very much like Chandler’s style, but thankfully, the story is not plastered with them.
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