First published 1939
Paralyzed millionaire General Sternwood hires cynical detective Philip Marlowe to handle a blackmail case involving his wild, unstable daughters. Marlowe soon finds himself caught up in a deadly game, uncovering a tangled web of lies, deceit, and murder that stretches from the Sternwood mansion to the seedy underbelly of 1930s Los Angeles. As he digs deeper, Marlowe must navigate a world of ruthless gangsters, femmes fatales, and family secrets, all while trying to stay one step ahead of a killer.
Genres: fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: detective-story, femme-fatale, noir-protagonist
Setting: California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles (Calif.)
Period: 1930s
268 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Penguin