A CLASSIC NOVEL BY THE MASTER OF HARD-BOILED CRIME, THE HIGH WINDOW IS RAYMOND CHANDLER'S THIRD STORY FEATURING LACONIC PI PHILIP MARLOWE. 'He lay crumpled on his back. Very lonely, very dead. The safe door was wide open. A metal drawer was pulled out. It was empty now. There may have been money in it once.' Los Angeles PI Philip Marlowe's on a case: his client, a dried-up husk of a woman, wants him to recover a rare gold coin called a Brasher Doubloon, missing from her late husband's collection. That's the simple part. It becomes more complicated when Marlowe finds that everyone who handles the coin suffers a run of very bad luck: they always end up dead. That's also unlucky for a private investigator, because leaving a trail of corpses around LA puts cops' noses seriously out of joint. If Marlowe doesn't wrap this one up fast, he's going to end up either in jail or in a wooden box in the ground . . . 'Chandler's books should be read and judged, not as escapist literature, but as works of art' W.H. Auden 'Chandler grips the mind from the first sentence' Daily Telegraph 'One of the greatest crime writers, who set standards others still try to attain' Sunday Times 'Chandler is an original stylist, creator of a character as immortal as Sherlock Holmes' Anthony Burgess

The renowned novel from crime fiction master Raymond Chandler, with the "quintessential urban private eye" (Los Angeles Times), Philip Marlowe • Featuring the iconic character that inspired the film Marlowe, starring Liam Neeson. A wealthy Pasadena widow with a mean streak, a missing daughter-in-law with a past, and a gold coin worth a small fortune—the elements don't quite add up until Marlowe discovers evidence of murder, rape, blackmail, and the worst kind of human exploitation. "Raymond Chandler is a star of the first magnitude." Erle Stanley Gardner "Raymond Chandler has given us a detective who is hard-boiled enough to be convincing . . . and that is no mean achievement." --The New York Times

Philip Marlowe's client, a dried-up husk of a woman, wants him to recover a rare gold coin called a Brasher Doubloon, missing from her late husband's collection. Easy. Probably too easy. Unfortunately, each time the Doubloon pops up, so does a murder. That's unlucky for a private investigator, because leaving a trail of corpses around LA gets cops' noses out of joint. If Marlowe doesn't wrap this one up fast, he's going to end up in jail - or worse, in a box in the ground. We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.

The body count in this thriller, starring Chandler's quintessential Private Eye: Philip Marlowe, is comparatively higher compared than some of his other works. One could say the bodies fall one-two-three-four as Marlowe tracks down a missing gold doubloon. Who knew one piece of metal could lead to so much trouble? As always, Chandler's prose is on his own level, however unpleasant Marlowe's cases may become. What I find fascinating in Chandler's detective novels is the extraordinary contrast in terms of character development. Trophy wives and strong-armed husbands all undergo serious emotional upheaval, death, and unforgettable changes to their lives; while our companion Phillip Marlowe, ever the frank, gruff shamus, never has any of this himself. While he may have guns pointed at him, framed for murder, or beaten up and tossed in the slammer (The Long Goodbye), Marlowe always goes back to his home to play chess, drink gin and smoke a cigarette.

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In "The High Window," Raymond Chandler crafts a compelling narrative that reinvigorates the classic hard-boiled detective genre. The plot follows private investigator Philip Marlowe as he navigates the murky waters of a missing coin case, revealing the intricate connections between wealth, deceit, and moral ambiguity in post-war Los Angeles. Chandler'Äôs signature prose is marked by vivid imagery and sharp wit, encapsulating the gritty ambiance of the city while delving into the psychological complexities of his characters. This novel stands as a key contribution to the noir tradition, reflecting the disillusionment of a society grappling with its own corruption and ethical decay. Raymond Chandler, a pivotal figure in American literature, drew on his experiences in various fields'Äîincluding oil and advertising'Äîto inform his writing. His keen observations of social dynamics and a deep understanding of human motivations shine through in his work. In "The High Window," Chandler's personal struggles and reflections on the nature of justice manifest in Marlowe'Äôs relentless pursuit of truth amidst a labyrinth of moral quandaries. Readers seeking an engrossing exploration of moral complexity and atmospheric storytelling will find "The High Window" an essential addition to their collection. Chandler'Äôs masterful blend of suspense and character depth not only entertains but provokes thought about the very essence of virtue and vice in a seemingly corrupt world.

Philip Marlowe's client, a dried-up husk of a woman, wants him to recover a rare gold coin called a Brasher Doubloon, missing from her late husband's collection. Easy. Probably too easy. Unfortunately, each time the Doubloon pops up, so does a murder. That's unlucky for a private investigator, because leaving a trail of corpses around LA gets cops' noses out of joint. If Marlowe doesn't wrap this one up fast, he's going to end up in jail - or worse, in a box in the ground.

Esther is on the run from the Nazis and witnesses the harsh reality of war.

Moins connue que celle de The Big Sleep ou de The Long Goodbye, l'enquête à laquelle se livre le célèbre détective Philip Marlowe dans The High Window (1942), n'en est pas moins riche en rebondissements et complexe dans son intrigue. A la recherche d'une pièce d'or de collection dérobée à sa riche propriétaire, Marlowe entraîne son lecteur dans le Los Angeles des années 40 entre quartiers mal famés et clubs très privés, sans se départir de son humour légendaire.

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