The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

First novel in the critically acclaimed Philip Marlow series, this novel is regarded as the best work of Raymond Chandler to this date and in fact, in 2005 this book was even included in “TIME’s list of the 100 Best Novels.” The story of this magnificent novel opens up as follows:- 

 

Harassed by the wild adventures of his amorous, amoral, young, beautiful daughter, Carmen; the wealthy retired general, General Sternwood, employs the dashing quick witted private detective, Philip Marlow to sort out a blackmailing attempt on Carmen that may ruin the hard earned good reputation of the Sternwood family forever. During his meeting with the general, Philip also learns that the husband of general’s older daughter has vanished without a trace. Now this may or may not be related with the blackmailing business. 

To clean up the mess, Philip first decides to investigate the greedy blackmailer, Arthur Geigor who also happens to be the leader of an underground sex racket.

On a dark lonely night as Philip stakes out the house of Geigor, he sees Carmen Sternwood enter the house and then a little later he hears a blood-chilling scream followed by several gunshots. Before he can comprehend what is really happening, he watches two cars flee from the spot with lightening speed.

Philip runs to the house and discovers a disturbing scene. He finds Geigor in a grotesque state, apparently dead from multiple gunshot wounds and Carmen unconscious, posing nude in front of a camera from which the film has been stolen.

As a favor to the general, and to save the Sternwood family from great embarrassment, Philip rescues Carmen and takes her home, but when he returns to Geigor’s house to check out the crime scene, he is shocked to see that Geigor’s dead body has also been stolen. Fearing the worst, Philip too immediately flees from the house but it does not take cops long to call upon him to question about these morbid incidents.

Set in Los Angeles California, this dazzling hardboiled detective mystery is a fantastic tale of family bond, corruption, debauchery and the persistence of one man, Philip Marlow, to uncover the truth at any price. The complex plot of this astonishing novel is driven at a fast pace by powerful characters, clever dialogue, secret relationships, plenty of unexpected double crosses, and frequent dead bodies that keep piling up.

Contrary to the choice of the title name, this novel keeps the readers on an edge and keeps them from sleeping while they enjoy it.

My rating four out of five stars.