Black Money (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

Rating:
Summary: THE GREAT GATSBY CALIFORNIA STYLE
Review: As a mystery author with my first novel in initial release, I want to state here that Ross Macdonald's Lew Archer series ruined my life. It showed me how powerful mystery writing can be and led me to my writing aspirations in this literary field. BLACK MONEY is among my favorite Macdonald books. It's an updated version of THE GREAT GATSBY, moved to the southern California coast. Archer is hired to investigate a young man who arrives in an affluent coastal city presenting himself as an aristocratic Frenchman. He wins the heart of the most desirable maiden in town, and people are suspicious about this aristocrat's background. Archer investigates and uncovers to sorry truth about several different people. BLACK MONEY is an American crime fiction classic.

Rating:
Summary: THE GREAT GATSBY CALIFORNIA STYLE
Review: As a mystery author with my first novel in initial release, I want to state here that Ross Macdonald's Lew Archer series ruined my life. It showed me how powerful mystery writing can be and led me to my writing aspirations in this literary field. BLACK MONEY is among my favorite Macdonald books. It's an updated version of THE GREAT GATSBY, moved to the southern California coast. Archer is hired to investigate a young man who arrives in an affluent coastal city presenting himself as an aristocratic Frenchman. He wins the heart of the most desirable maiden in town, and people are suspicious about this aristocrat's background. Archer investigates and uncovers to sorry truth about several different people. BLACK MONEY is an American crime fiction classic.

Rating:
Summary: Yeee Haaa
Review: Hammet, Chandler, McBain, Pronzini, Block and Parker are all masters of the American detective novel. The first two created the form, the last four continue to carry it out with both continued freshness and comfortable familiarity. The most perfect form, however, is the series of Lew Archer stories and novels written by the late Ross MacDonald. Like Chandler an immigant, he caught the smell and the feel of Southern California better than a native. He also crystalized the inner calmness and unwavering honor of the classic private eye, without awkwardness and sentiment. Perhaps the greatest tribute that could be given to MacDonald the writer is that he only wrote one story, but wrote it so well that each time was a new experience. This story is just that, a fresh look at the classic life and conflict in a Southern California that never existed but is real and beloved to everyone who admires and appreciates this very American form of literature.

Rating:
Summary: Memorable
Review: Just re-read Black Money... perhaps it is MacDonald at his zenith, a bit before great fame found him, but after he had fully developed his stride. Some of his later books seem too contrived. In Black Money, not all the youth are innocents corrupted by curdled California elders... the Martel character in particular is refreshingly different from MacDonald's usual suspects. That many of the middle-aged American characters end up dead (or worse) certainly rings the bell for me. Very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Memorable
Review: Just re-read Black Money... perhaps it is MacDonald at his zenith, a bit before great fame found him, but after he had fully developed his stride. Some of his later books seem too contrived. In Black Money, not all the youth are innocents corrupted by curdled California elders... the Martel character in particular is refreshingly different from MacDonald's usual suspects. That many of the middle-aged American characters end up dead (or worse) certainly rings the bell for me. Very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Yeee Haaa
Review: This is a pretty good book. I had never heard of this dude but was refered to him by other Raymond Chandler fans. Pleasent surprise.