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Goldfish
Librarian's note: this entry is for the story, "Goldfish." Collections of short stories by the author can be found elsewhere.
The Leander pearls were stolen nineteen years ago. The thief was caught, but the pearls were never found, and there is still a $25,000 reward for anyone who finds them. Out of the blue, a woman comes to see private detective Carmady, Philip Marlowe in later editions, with a story about a guy who knows where the pearls are hidden. Our PI agrees to talk to the man but finds him dead in bed. It seems there are quite a lot of people in Los Angeles who have heard the story, and who are out looking for the Leander pearls!
The Leander pearls were stolen nineteen years ago. The thief was caught, but the pearls were never found, and there is still a $25,000 reward for anyone who finds them. Out of the blue, a woman comes to see private detective Carmady, Philip Marlowe in later editions, with a story about a guy who knows where the pearls are hidden. Our PI agrees to talk to the man but finds him dead in bed. It seems there are quite a lot of people in Los Angeles who have heard the story, and who are out looking for the Leander pearls!
59 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1936
41 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
Raymond Chandler
449 books5,604 followersRaymond Thornton Chandler was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Great Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in 1933 in Black Mask, a popular pulp magazine. His first novel, The Big Sleep, was published in 1939. In addition to his short stories, Chandler published seven novels during his lifetime (an eighth, in progress at the time of his death, was completed by Robert B. Parker). All but Playback have been made into motion pictures, some more than once. In the year before his death, he was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America.
Chandler had an immense stylistic influence on American popular literature. He is a founder of the hardboiled school of detective fiction, along with Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain and other Black Mask writers. The protagonist of his novels, Philip Marlowe, like Hammett's Sam Spade, is considered by some to be synonymous with "private detective". Both were played in films by Humphrey Bogart, whom many consider to be the quintessential Marlowe.
The Big Sleep placed second on the Crime Writers Association poll of the 100 best crime novels; Farewell, My Lovely (1940), The Lady in the Lake (1943) and The Long Goodbye (1953) also made the list. The latter novel was praised in an anthology of American crime stories as "arguably the first book since Hammett's The Glass Key, published more than twenty years earlier, to qualify as a serious and significant mainstream novel that just happened to possess elements of mystery". Chandler was also a perceptive critic of detective fiction; his "The Simple Art of Murder" is the canonical essay in the field. In it he wrote: "Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. The detective must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor—by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world."
Parker wrote that, with Marlowe, "Chandler seems to have created the culminating American hero: wised up, hopeful, thoughtful, adventurous, sentimental, cynical and rebellious—an innocent who knows better, a Romantic who is tough enough to sustain Romanticism in a world that has seen the eternal footman hold its coat and snicker. Living at the end of the Far West, where the American dream ran out of room, no hero has ever been more congruent with his landscape. Chandler had the right hero in the right place, and engaged him in the consideration of good and evil at precisely the time when our central certainty of good no longer held."
Chandler had an immense stylistic influence on American popular literature. He is a founder of the hardboiled school of detective fiction, along with Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain and other Black Mask writers. The protagonist of his novels, Philip Marlowe, like Hammett's Sam Spade, is considered by some to be synonymous with "private detective". Both were played in films by Humphrey Bogart, whom many consider to be the quintessential Marlowe.
The Big Sleep placed second on the Crime Writers Association poll of the 100 best crime novels; Farewell, My Lovely (1940), The Lady in the Lake (1943) and The Long Goodbye (1953) also made the list. The latter novel was praised in an anthology of American crime stories as "arguably the first book since Hammett's The Glass Key, published more than twenty years earlier, to qualify as a serious and significant mainstream novel that just happened to possess elements of mystery". Chandler was also a perceptive critic of detective fiction; his "The Simple Art of Murder" is the canonical essay in the field. In it he wrote: "Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. The detective must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor—by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world."
Parker wrote that, with Marlowe, "Chandler seems to have created the culminating American hero: wised up, hopeful, thoughtful, adventurous, sentimental, cynical and rebellious—an innocent who knows better, a Romantic who is tough enough to sustain Romanticism in a world that has seen the eternal footman hold its coat and snicker. Living at the end of the Far West, where the American dream ran out of room, no hero has ever been more congruent with his landscape. Chandler had the right hero in the right place, and engaged him in the consideration of good and evil at precisely the time when our central certainty of good no longer held."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 26, 2023
4 Stars. "Goldfish" is a novella published in a collection in 1950 under the title "Trouble is My Business." This is a review of that 45 page story. It first appeared in the pulp mystery magazine, "Black Mask," in 1936 and starred Carmady. With the popularity of the detective Phillip Marlowe novels which came out later, Chandler changed most of the short story leads, including this one, to Marlowe when re-publication occurred. It relates to a theft years earlier of two valuable jewels, the Leander pearls. During shipping, there was a robbery and murder for which Wally Sype was caught in British Columbia and sentenced to life. But the pearls were never located. This is all recounted to Marlowe by Kathy Horne, a former police woman who lost her job for marrying a petty criminal. She has a lead on the jewels and wants Marlowe to help find them for a share of the $25K insurance reward - big money in the 1930s! Then her contact, Peeler Mardo, is found dead. A horrible form of torture unknown to me had been used - read the story and think how well it would work! Do others have the same information as Horne? Of course, this is a Marlowe mystery. (July 2020)
January 10, 2019
Ένα κυνήγι χαμένων μαργαριταριών , λεφτά , πτώματα , ντέντεκτιβ , τηλεφωνήματα από όλα έχει αυτό το βιβλιαράκι :) μικρό ευχάριστο αλλά τίποτα ιδιαίτερο .... τίποτα που δεν έχω ξαναδιαβάσει.
September 3, 2018
Toto sa takmer nedalo čítať, pretože preklad sa hemžil slovami ako..fiškáľ...šklban...nadrúľať sa...n a d r ú ľ a ť s a. Slovo, ktoré sa podľa mňa naposledy použilo v roku 32 p.n.h.v.* Nadrúľať sa môže Drak, keď sa vracia, Báčik z Chochoľova, keď umrie alebo bárs i Jozef keď je Mak, ale nie niekto, koho hrá vo filme Humphrey Bogart.
Mám rada svoj rodný jazyk, so všetkými jeho, grúňmi, ogrgeňmi, ozembuchmi (s jedným som dokonca dva mesiace, chodila) a boh vie, že keby mi to zdravie dovolilo, tak sa nadrúľam do nemoty ale tu hľa pár ukážok, prečo to v marlowovskom univerze nemôže fungovať:
"I'm an occasional drinker, the kind of guy who goes out for a beer and wakes up in Singapore with a full beard nadrúľaný."
"From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she lookedlike something made up to be seen from 30 feet away. as if she was nadrúľaná."
"The French have a phrase for it. The bastards have a phrase for everything and they are always right. To saygoodbye nadrúľať sa is to die a little.”
*pred narodenim Helenky Vondráčkovej
*** hviezdičky za originál
Mám rada svoj rodný jazyk, so všetkými jeho, grúňmi, ogrgeňmi, ozembuchmi (s jedným som dokonca dva mesiace, chodila) a boh vie, že keby mi to zdravie dovolilo, tak sa nadrúľam do nemoty ale tu hľa pár ukážok, prečo to v marlowovskom univerze nemôže fungovať:
"I'm an occasional drinker, the kind of guy who goes out for a beer and wakes up
"From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked
"The French have a phrase for it. The bastards have a phrase for everything and they are always right. To say
*pred narodenim Helenky Vondráčkovej
*** hviezdičky za originál
June 16, 2024
The same pattern as usual: tough guys (and also girls!) who make their lives killing for money. Nothing spectacular or out of common, maybe excepting the place pearls are hidden.
And, again at again, too many corpses, but that's the script...
And, again at again, too many corpses, but that's the script...
February 29, 2016
This was part of the Penguin 60s series I stumbled across at a local charity shop. I have always enjoyed the classic Noir story and Chandler is amongst some of the greats. This story is also part of the "Trouble is my business" collection of short stories.
The story revolves around the hunt for some stolen pearls and their recovery and centres around someone who spends all his time with his Goldfish - hence the title.
You cannot get better than this for a race to the finish (and the treasure) while avoiding subterfuge, murder and misdirection. For a short story of only 60 pages this story demonstrates how easily Raymond Chandlers stories transferred to the big screen as to me it reads like one.
The Penguin 60s was a celebration of the classics of fiction both old and new which Penguin have showcased over the years.
The story revolves around the hunt for some stolen pearls and their recovery and centres around someone who spends all his time with his Goldfish - hence the title.
You cannot get better than this for a race to the finish (and the treasure) while avoiding subterfuge, murder and misdirection. For a short story of only 60 pages this story demonstrates how easily Raymond Chandlers stories transferred to the big screen as to me it reads like one.
The Penguin 60s was a celebration of the classics of fiction both old and new which Penguin have showcased over the years.
June 4, 2014
R4xDescription: The Leander pearls were stolen nineteen years ago. The thief was caught, but the pearls were never found, and there is still a $25,000 reward for anyone who finds them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jrrz
Episode 1/3: LA-based PI Carmady sets out to retrieve the valuable Leander pearls, stolen 15 years earlier. Read by Henry Goodman. Episode 2/3: PI Carmady approaches the jittery Rush Madder about the stolen pearls, but gets in over his head. Episode 3/3: LA detective PI Carmady is out in Westport hunting the stolen Leander pearls, but who is on his trail? Goldfish by Raymond Chandler Short Story in "Trouble is My Business"
June 3, 2014
From BBC Radio 4 Extra:
Adapted from the Raymond Chandler novel, PI Carmady sets out on a misson to retrieve valuable Leander pearls which were stolen 15 years ago. Read by Henry Goodman.
Adapted from the Raymond Chandler novel, PI Carmady sets out on a misson to retrieve valuable Leander pearls which were stolen 15 years ago. Read by Henry Goodman.
September 26, 2015
A penguin 60s book, a short story in Chandlers style of Philip Marlowe, but using a different private detective - Carmady. I see in the book this short story was taken from Trouble is My Business, that it is indeed Marlowe as the lead character, so I am not sure why in the Penguin 60 it has been changed.
Nicely written, probably a step down from the full Marlowe books, not the same one liners and classic dialogue, but a good read all the same.
No plot outlining, it says as much as it can in the blurb without giving too much away.
Nicely written, probably a step down from the full Marlowe books, not the same one liners and classic dialogue, but a good read all the same.
No plot outlining, it says as much as it can in the blurb without giving too much away.
May 12, 2014
I thought this book is so difficult and scarly .
When I looked at the cover of this book, I imagined that this book is so relaxing .
However, once I read this a few pages, I knew this is suspicious book.
There were many the case of murder in this book.
I couldn't expect the movement next.
I think Iwant you to read this book once.
When I looked at the cover of this book, I imagined that this book is so relaxing .
However, once I read this a few pages, I knew this is suspicious book.
There were many the case of murder in this book.
I couldn't expect the movement next.
I think Iwant you to read this book once.
November 19, 2019
Είχα καιρό να διαβάσω περιπέτεια με τον Μάρλοου. Μου έφερε νοσταλγία. Δεν ήταν από τις καλύτερες αλλά είχε μια γλύκα.
September 25, 2016
A short story about a hunt for lost pearls. It is suspenseful, but the most remarkable thing about it is that the detective is incompetent and makes a bunch of questionable decisions. The build-up and ending are decent and it kept me entertained for a short car trip. It just makes me want to read The Big Sleep though.
April 20, 2016
I don't like detective stories. This is a detective story. I did not enjoy it for it was written in rather easy English (I had to read this for my English class). The point was obvious because of the title.
January 26, 2020
This is a very well written short story about a detective trying to find valuable pearls. However, even though it is well written it wasn't really my type of book, hence the 3 stars. But, if you're a fan of detective novels you'll probably enjoy this book!
Read
December 29, 2012A great little film noire style story. Classic
February 28, 2022
*
28February2022
Read in 19June2021 as part of the collection Red Wind.
28February2022
Read in 19June2021 as part of the collection Red Wind.
March 22, 2025
[Penguin Books] (1995). SB. 58 Pages. Purchased from The British Heart Foundation.
Crazy, hardboiled fun.
Crazy, hardboiled fun.
October 7, 2015
1.Publsher: Oxford
Level: 3
2.10/2 = 40 minutus; 10/3 = 20 minutus; 10/5 = 30 minutus.
3.Hidden
Pearl
Find
Detective
Perdon
Ex-con
Goldfish
4.a.he left no holls in it - I looked
b.This sentence was about billiards.
I guessed no holls meant he finished, but he continued to play, so he seems to be suspicious. I thought the man had sharp insight because of his occupation of the detective. I felt it was interesting, so I liked this passage.
5.The kind of this book is mystery, and it is very difficult for me to read. I like stories about mystery, and also I got interested in the title of this book, so I decided to read it. However, I couldn't enjoy reading this book because it was too hard to understand the story. I felt I had not had enough knowledge to understand mystery stories in English yet.
Level: 3
2.10/2 = 40 minutus; 10/3 = 20 minutus; 10/5 = 30 minutus.
3.Hidden
Pearl
Find
Detective
Perdon
Ex-con
Goldfish
4.a.he left no holls in it - I looked
b.This sentence was about billiards.
I guessed no holls meant he finished, but he continued to play, so he seems to be suspicious. I thought the man had sharp insight because of his occupation of the detective. I felt it was interesting, so I liked this passage.
5.The kind of this book is mystery, and it is very difficult for me to read. I like stories about mystery, and also I got interested in the title of this book, so I decided to read it. However, I couldn't enjoy reading this book because it was too hard to understand the story. I felt I had not had enough knowledge to understand mystery stories in English yet.
October 1, 2012
-OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY Level3
-Time 9/28:60minutes
-7words summary:Carmady-detective-alone-busy-Peeler Mardo-talk-long-journey
-Discussion questions
1,What do you think about the job detectives？
I think that it is very busy and it cannot get a lot of money if they are famous, but interesting for me because they contribute to catch some criminals.
2,Have you ever read books about detectives？
No, I have not. However, I would like to read them about detectives. I search for some books now.
I reccomend you to read this book. When you read it, you will be able to learn about detectives a little
-Time 9/28:60minutes
-7words summary:Carmady-detective-alone-busy-Peeler Mardo-talk-long-journey
-Discussion questions
1,What do you think about the job detectives？
I think that it is very busy and it cannot get a lot of money if they are famous, but interesting for me because they contribute to catch some criminals.
2,Have you ever read books about detectives？
No, I have not. However, I would like to read them about detectives. I search for some books now.
I reccomend you to read this book. When you read it, you will be able to learn about detectives a little
November 21, 2012
- OXFORD, level 3
- Time 11/13 = 20 minutes: 11/19 = 60 minutes.
- 7-word summary: Pearls - stolen - peopel - search - for - given - reward
- Discussion questions:
1. Are you interested in treasure or someting attractive?
Yeah, I'm interested in such things. Therefore I want to search such things if I have a chance to find them.
2. Have you ever done dipping for goldfish?
Maybe I have not done it, but my father used to do that for me because I wanted goldfish when I was a child.
I expected the content of this book was history of goldfish or memory of one summer festival, but it wasn't like that. I was very surprised it was kind of mystery.
- Time 11/13 = 20 minutes: 11/19 = 60 minutes.
- 7-word summary: Pearls - stolen - peopel - search - for - given - reward
- Discussion questions:
1. Are you interested in treasure or someting attractive?
Yeah, I'm interested in such things. Therefore I want to search such things if I have a chance to find them.
2. Have you ever done dipping for goldfish?
Maybe I have not done it, but my father used to do that for me because I wanted goldfish when I was a child.
I expected the content of this book was history of goldfish or memory of one summer festival, but it wasn't like that. I was very surprised it was kind of mystery.
May 21, 2013
This short read by Raymond Chandler has a different feel than some of his others. Sure, there's a dame, and a sheister, and the femme fatale, and one of my favorite characters, ever, Phillip Marlowe, private detective, regardless it is as good a read as any, and I believe the only reason that I have not read all of Chandler's novels is that I will be one sad girl when there are no more to read. However, I am ticking them off the list one-by-one.
In short, starts in L.A. and ends in Seattle. Starts with the dark beauty with the bad guy and ends with them too, but all the stuff in the middle is what helped me eat this book right up.
In short, starts in L.A. and ends in Seattle. Starts with the dark beauty with the bad guy and ends with them too, but all the stuff in the middle is what helped me eat this book right up.
September 26, 2013
If you like reading about "shamuses" and "cold hearted broads" but don't have the time to read a full length classic crime novel then this is a great option. Chandler along with Dashiell Hammett are the undisputed masters of the genre and in this one we see private detective Carmady on the trail of Leander pearls. Some people may label this as formulaic in regards to the plot but I don't mind. To me it is like baked beans on toast. It may not be a very fancy meal but it is tasty, satisfying and you know what you are getting. With Chandler you get a gritty story, a chase and a pay off. And at the end because this is so short you may find yourself returning to it in the future.
November 27, 2013
1. OXFORD, Raymond Chandler, level 3
2. 110min
3. Pearls, stolen, reward, madder, gun, goldfish, sunset
4. ・Have you ever had goldfish in your house?
Never. My mother don't like a goldfish, so I couldn't have it...
・Do you want to work as a detective? Why?
No,I don't. Because I think I can't stand keeping a secret. I
am inadequate for the job.
5. At first, I thought that this book is about a goldfish but this story is mystery. It was too far removed from my image of this story. Most characters have a gun. Detective VS Bad guys… I was surprised to read it. However this is very interesting. I learned the working of detective.
2. 110min
3. Pearls, stolen, reward, madder, gun, goldfish, sunset
4. ・Have you ever had goldfish in your house?
Never. My mother don't like a goldfish, so I couldn't have it...
・Do you want to work as a detective? Why?
No,I don't. Because I think I can't stand keeping a secret. I
am inadequate for the job.
5. At first, I thought that this book is about a goldfish but this story is mystery. It was too far removed from my image of this story. Most characters have a gun. Detective VS Bad guys… I was surprised to read it. However this is very interesting. I learned the working of detective.
March 28, 2014
I'm not usually a crime fan, limiting myself to Deon Meyer and Yrsa Sigurdardóttir, but a well-spun yarn like this tends to convince me that I'm missing out. Carefully crafted, although simple given its limited length, it entices the reader to keep turning the pages up to the end. No wonder Chandler's books made such good films.
Raymond Chandler wil-wil my oortuig dat daar meer aan die misdaadverhaalskat is as Deon Meyer en Yrsa Sigurdardóttir. Knap, opwindende, kort-en-kragtige storie - g'n wonder soveel flieks is op sy werk gebaseer nie.
Raymond Chandler wil-wil my oortuig dat daar meer aan die misdaadverhaalskat is as Deon Meyer en Yrsa Sigurdardóttir. Knap, opwindende, kort-en-kragtige storie - g'n wonder soveel flieks is op sy werk gebaseer nie.
October 8, 2014
1.Oxford level3
2.10/8=160min
3. Detective try find pearls stolen 15years ago
4.I blew smoke at the ceiling
This phrase often appeared in this book. I like this phrase's sound.
5. This story is really complicated, so I couldn't understand this story clearly. After reading this book, I searched summary of this story, but I didn't understand. But some web sights said this book's author uses unique phrases, it's interesting but it's difficult for beginners. So when my English skill become better, I'd like to read this book again.
2.10/8=160min
3. Detective try find pearls stolen 15years ago
4.I blew smoke at the ceiling
This phrase often appeared in this book. I like this phrase's sound.
5. This story is really complicated, so I couldn't understand this story clearly. After reading this book, I searched summary of this story, but I didn't understand. But some web sights said this book's author uses unique phrases, it's interesting but it's difficult for beginners. So when my English skill become better, I'd like to read this book again.
May 8, 2010
Classic Marlowe short stories. The volume contains three separate stories, each of them built in the traditional Marlowe way. I'm not a fan and personally I find reading Marlowe books a bit tiring. There's no big mystery in them and following the plot feels like watching a movie, no major thinking required. The short stories here are no exception - the good thing is that they're compressed, but otherwise, they're the same as other Marlowe books I've read.
October 8, 2013
Absolutely exquisite. Chandler (I believe) did not want this story published after a while due to its "cannibalisation" for use in his novels (I won't say which one for spoiler reasons). However, I have read all of his work and Goldfish is well worth publication in its own right. With it Chandler does more in a short story than most authors can (I'm looking at you Patterson!) in full novels!
July 22, 2013
1. OXFORD level 3
2. about 90minutes
3. Pearls, Stolen, Detective, Goldfish, Reward, Search, Given
4. Have you ever had goldfish in your house?
No, I never have them. When I went to festival, I thought they were cute.
When my sister got the goldfish once after festival, the goldfish were dead soon. I thought the lives are very short, limited.
2. about 90minutes
3. Pearls, Stolen, Detective, Goldfish, Reward, Search, Given
4. Have you ever had goldfish in your house?
No, I never have them. When I went to festival, I thought they were cute.
When my sister got the goldfish once after festival, the goldfish were dead soon. I thought the lives are very short, limited.
April 2, 2015
2 apr 15, i've read a few from chandler...started this one last night. onward and upward. ooga booga.
2 apr 15, finished this one. good story. not too long and not too short. next.
curious...that the description has a different name for the detective...carmady? marlowe in the story i've read. a mystery. ooga booga
2 apr 15, finished this one. good story. not too long and not too short. next.
curious...that the description has a different name for the detective...carmady? marlowe in the story i've read. a mystery. ooga booga
March 1, 2013
I can think of no-one who can out class Chandler when it comes to style. This miniature master piece is not only incredibly stylish, but brainy, well paced and inventive. For a short story, or really any story, it doesn't get any better than this.
November 25, 2015
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews