Move over Raymond Chandler, Benjamin Black is the new master of the crime-noir novel. If you are a Chandler fan, you are likely to think Philip Marlowe has come back from the grave. Black takes over where Chandler left off with this true-to-form mystery featuring the famous gumshoe. A lot of the appeal of this genre is the setting and tone. This book vividly conjures the mean streets of Bay City, California in the early 1950s. Deft handling by Black brings to life Marlowe’s “gimlet eye for the ladies and the delicately ominous foreshadowing” (Tampa Bay Times) hard-boiled crime fans have come to love. One of the classic characteristics of Marlowe is his “world-weary bemusement,” which Black skillfully incorporates into this serious murder investigation involving a beautiful blonde and her missing shady lover. I listened to this book in audio format (7 hours, 53 minutes), which is well delivered by Dennis Boutsikaris in his sensual, smoky voice. Hang up your fedora, pour yourself a stiff drink, and hear sultry jazz in the background as you settle in for an enjoyable trip down memory lane. (304 pages.)
