A Hot, New Chandler Novel
Raymond Chandler has such an iconic style; I didn't think it could be imitated. However, I was delighted with this effort. Although the book says Benjamin Black is the author, the real man behind the name is (award-winning) John Banville. I thought he caught the direct Chandler style with lots of one-line zingers.
It is the early 1950's in Bay City, California. A classy lady walks into his office ? the black-eyed blond ? and she has a problem. She wants Marlowe to find her former lover (Nico Peterson). With a few paltry facts, Marlowe starts the chase.
It doesn't take long for Marlowe to realize that the facts don't add up: Clare Cavendish, the black-eyed blond, is too high class a lady to be interested in Nico Peterson romantically. Nico was run over and killed two months before and the body was identified by his sister. Yet, Clare says she saw Nico in San Francisco after his so-called death.
When Marlowe goes to talk with police-friends, they are underwhelmed with the possibility that they have a murder and a missing person on their hands.
I'm not a Chandler-addict; I enjoyed this book. If someone tinkers with Jane Austen's prose, I don't take it kindly; thus, I can understand that lots of Raymond Chandler enthusiasts are not pleased with this new release. This book is actually a sequel to Chandler's book ?The Long Goodbye.?
I love Raymond Chandler's style of hard-boiled detecting with wry insights. I thought Benjamin Black captured the essence very well. 4.5 stars
