The big sleep ; [and], The high window ; [and], The lady in the lake ; [and], The long goodbye ; [and], Playback ; [and], Farewell my lovely

Rating:
Summary: When the Moose Goes on the Loose
Review: Phillip Marlowe is over on Central Avenue, searching for a barber who left his wife. He notices a big man walk into double swinging doors, almost immediately a youth is thrown through the air into the gutter. Marlow looks in, and is taken upstairs by Moose Malloy. More violence breaks out while Malloy searches for Velma. Marlowe calls the police to report the problem. The police lieutenant strongly suggests that Marlowe should look for Velma. Marlowe gathers information, and looks up Mrs. Florian, wife of the now dead owner of this bar. Mrs. Florian says that Velma is dead, and gives Marlowe a picture of Velma. Marlowe gives her his card, and reports back to Detective Lieutenant Nulty.

When Marlowe returns to his office, he gets a phone call hiring him by a stranger to act as his bodyguard. Marlowe accompanies Marriott to a deserted country spot to pay off a jewel thief. Marlowe leaves the car to make the payoff, but nobody is around. When he returns to the car he finds Marriott dead. A young woman shows up and gives Marlowe a ride to his car. Marlowe returns to the West Los Angeles police station to report another murder.

Marlowe continues to gather more facts. Marlowe has meetings and adventures in pursuit of the truth. The story effectively exposes the crookedness of Bay City politics, and the corruption of the rich and powerful. The ending seems tacked-on to meet the moral conventions of the time: nobody gets away with murder, not in fiction. The author sort of admits this in the last chapter: "we'd never have convicted her". If the trial and scandal hurt her older husband, she'd be a rich widow. If not, they could move away from this scandal and notoriety.