The Long Good-Bye

'Alcoholislikelove,'hesaid.'Thefirstkissismagic,thesecondisintimate,thethirdisroutine.Afterthatyoutakethegirl'sclothesoff.'Down-and-outdrunkTerryLennoxhasaproblem:hismillionairewifeisdeadandheneedstogetoutofLAfast.Soheturnstohisonlyfriendintheworld:PhilipMarlowe,PrivateInvestigator.He'swillingtohelpamandownonhisluck,butlater,LennoxcommitssuicideinMexicoandthingsstarttoturnnasty.MarlowefindshimselfdrawnintoasordidcrowdofadulterersandalcoholicsinLA'sIdleValley,wherethericharesufferingonebigsuntannedhangover.MarloweissureLennoxdidn'tkillhiswife,buthowmanymorestiffswillturnupbeforehegetstothetruth?'Chandlergavebirthtoadifferentkindofdetective...HisincisiveandilluminatingproserevealsCaliforniainallitssun-bleachedsordidreality'TheTimes