Marlowe is an unlicensed private investigator in Las Angeles, often taking cases from a crusty old investigator. He often gets help from his Dad Emmet - currently on leave from the LAPD.
Now, I must admit, I went in with pre-conceived notions as to what this Marlow would be like - his thoughts and actions, who the other players would be and what the crime might entail. And I discarded them quickly. This Marlowe isn't what I expected - but I very much liked Ide's reinvention.
Marlowe has two cases on his plate - a missing wealthy teenager and a mother desperate to find her missing child. Enter the femmes fatale. Again, happily not what I was expecting - these two will give Marlow a run for his money. Bring in Russian and Armenian gangs and the action ramps up.
I loved Marlowe's wry internal thoughts and observations. And his wishful thinking on the romance front. The dialogue is short and snappy, suiting the character and the overall tone of the book. It's often quite humorous as well. The setting of Los Angeles is portrayed in all it's glitz and grime. Marlowe and Emmet have a complicated relationship and Ide explores the father and son relationship with a keen eye.
This reader quite enjoyed this homage to Chandler and other 'classic' crime novels. Here's hoping that it's not too long of a wait for the next Marlow case. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Goodbye Coast.
Interesting. I didn't love Ide's debut, and I haven't really read any of his books since. That being said, I am quite intrigued to see his take on this character.
ReplyDeleteI went in expecting the same character in a modern setting. Yes....and no. Very different.
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