The Little Sister

This book comes between The Lady in the Lake, and The Long Good-bye. In it you can see Chandler moving to a more rounded depiction of Marlowe. All of Chandler's books are bleak, none have what you'd call a happy ending, but this one sent a shiver down my spine at the end. Marlowe considers that he has failed, murders have happened around him that he has been powerless to stop, and in the end...more

This book comes between The Lady in the Lake, and The Long Good-bye. In it you can see Chandler moving to a more rounded depiction of Marlowe. All of Chandler's books are bleak, none have what you'd call a happy ending, but this one sent a shiver down my spine at the end. Marlowe considers that he has failed, murders have happened around him that he has been powerless to stop, and in the end an amublance driver cleaning up the last remnants of a blood-spattered tail has the last word: "Looks like somebody lost his dream." It could just as easily have been said about Marlowe as the man who sits, glassy eyed, cradling the woman he has just killed in his arms. Having said all that, this book is a bit patchy. It starts out in a smarmy, wise-cracking style that seems a little labored after the sublime Lady in the Lake, but about half-way through Chandler hits his stride, the darkness starts to close in. Not his best, but very good indeed, with some poignant moments and observations.   hide