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The Second Murderer: A Philip Marlowe Novel
Philip Marlowe is on the hunt for a missing heiress in L.A. —and up against a rival PI—in this smart and atmospheric mystery from acclaimed crime writer and "one-of-a-kind storyteller" Denise Mina.
The Philip Marlowe character, one of the original "hard-boiled" detectives, was the creation of Raymond Chandler in the era of pulp magazines. Posthumous sequels have been authorized by the Chandler estate, and The Second Murderer is the first to be written by a woman.
The Philip Marlowe character, one of the original "hard-boiled" detectives, was the creation of Raymond Chandler in the era of pulp magazines. Posthumous sequels have been authorized by the Chandler estate, and The Second Murderer is the first to be written by a woman.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 13, 2023
216 people are currently reading
3933 people want to read
About the author
Denise Mina
109 books2,518 followersDenise Mina was born in Glasgow in 1966. Because of her father's job as an Engineer, the family followed the north sea oil boom of the seventies around Europe
She left school at sixteen and did a number of poorly paid jobs, including working in a meat factory, as a bar maid, kitchen porter and cook.
Eventually she settled in auxiliary nursing for geriatric and terminal care patients.
At twenty one she passed exams, got into study Law at Glasgow University and went on to research a PhD thesis at Strathclyde University on the ascription of mental illness to female offenders, teaching criminology and criminal law in the mean time.
Misusing her grant she stayed at home and wrote a novel, 'Garnethill' when she was supposed to be studying instead.
She left school at sixteen and did a number of poorly paid jobs, including working in a meat factory, as a bar maid, kitchen porter and cook.
Eventually she settled in auxiliary nursing for geriatric and terminal care patients.
At twenty one she passed exams, got into study Law at Glasgow University and went on to research a PhD thesis at Strathclyde University on the ascription of mental illness to female offenders, teaching criminology and criminal law in the mean time.
Misusing her grant she stayed at home and wrote a novel, 'Garnethill' when she was supposed to be studying instead.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
April 22, 2023
4.5 rounded up
Philip Marlowe is mulling over the Pascoe Pete case and feels disquiet, it’s just too neat and tidy. A phone call takes him out of his reverie, his presence is requested at Montgomery Mansions set high in Beverly Hills. The Montgomerys are old money, a special kind of powerful mega rich that mere mortals rarely gaze upon. Mr Chadwick Montgomery Esquire is a dying man and he demands confidentiality in the case. He wants Marlowe to investigate and find his missing 22-year-old daughter Chrissie not seen for the last two weeks. Reluctantly, he agrees to do so. He has competition though, as his “nemesis“ Ann Riordan has also been hired . Will Marlowe find Chrissie first or will his competitor or maybe those with greedy eyes on her fortune??
This is a cracking read from start to finish and what a phenomenal job the hugely talented Denise Mina has done with this and absolute kudos to her! I’m all in with this novel from that phone call which makes me smile, the first of many. There’s wit and humour throughout making it a doubly entertaining read. It feels like you are reading an original Philip Marlowe so perfectly is his character, the tone and the times captured. It’s extremely well written, some of the phrases and descriptions are so original, apt and lively. The dialogue is excellent too making it a never a dull moment experience. The plot is good as is the characterisation and some of those names are just terrific again so in keeping with the context of the ‘30’s! More smiles raised! The locations selected perfectly match the action, sometimes luxurious and often seedy. At times, we take a deep dive into the strange and offbeat, there’s plenty of danger and some set ups with of course, some good twists and turns. The ending is good – hallelujah!
I have no hesitation in recommending this fun and highly entertaining novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Vintage for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Philip Marlowe is mulling over the Pascoe Pete case and feels disquiet, it’s just too neat and tidy. A phone call takes him out of his reverie, his presence is requested at Montgomery Mansions set high in Beverly Hills. The Montgomerys are old money, a special kind of powerful mega rich that mere mortals rarely gaze upon. Mr Chadwick Montgomery Esquire is a dying man and he demands confidentiality in the case. He wants Marlowe to investigate and find his missing 22-year-old daughter Chrissie not seen for the last two weeks. Reluctantly, he agrees to do so. He has competition though, as his “nemesis“ Ann Riordan has also been hired . Will Marlowe find Chrissie first or will his competitor or maybe those with greedy eyes on her fortune??
This is a cracking read from start to finish and what a phenomenal job the hugely talented Denise Mina has done with this and absolute kudos to her! I’m all in with this novel from that phone call which makes me smile, the first of many. There’s wit and humour throughout making it a doubly entertaining read. It feels like you are reading an original Philip Marlowe so perfectly is his character, the tone and the times captured. It’s extremely well written, some of the phrases and descriptions are so original, apt and lively. The dialogue is excellent too making it a never a dull moment experience. The plot is good as is the characterisation and some of those names are just terrific again so in keeping with the context of the ‘30’s! More smiles raised! The locations selected perfectly match the action, sometimes luxurious and often seedy. At times, we take a deep dive into the strange and offbeat, there’s plenty of danger and some set ups with of course, some good twists and turns. The ending is good – hallelujah!
I have no hesitation in recommending this fun and highly entertaining novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Vintage for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
October 20, 2023
Whatever the merits of the decision to resurrect Philip Marlowe again, it was a bold and surprising choice to hand the task this time to Scottish crime writer Denise Mina. Marlowe is intrinsically linked to both the LA location and the tough no nonsense masculinity of the early 20th century. Masculine and Los Angeles are not words usually associated with Mina's previous work. Happily, the move pays off, with a tale in the Chandler style - a convoluted plot, oppressive heat, a rich heiress, a femme fatale and a string of wise cracks. While not quite reaching the heights of Chandler's mythic best, it's a pleasure to have Marlowe back walking the streets, and hopefully there will be more to come.
February 11, 2025
A number of authors have written novels using Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe character - Robert Parker, Benjamin Black (John Banville) and Joe Ide among others. Denise Mina is the first woman to undertake the challenge.
Not having read any of the other recreations, I can only assess this book in comparison with the originals, and of course, on its own.
The tone authentically mirrors Chandler’s jaded view of the money-and-power elite of Los Angeles, although the ethos has been updated in the way that same sex relationships and anti-semitism are addressed. As might be expected, there is a controlling patriarch, a misfit daughter, some corrupt cops, and an assortment of low lifes who keep Marlowe company when he hits the bottle, and provide him with clues at other times.
The convoluted plot is also reminiscent of Chandler, although it appears that Mina took more pains to tie up all the loose ends than Chandler famously did. Her efforts to incorporate the itinerant characters displaced by the depressed economy of the 1930s came across as forced to me, although she has clearly done her homework in researching the particulars of that group of men.
Which brings us to Chandler’s famous similes. Mina does a pretty good job with her own: ”The building had seen better days. The tiled floor was missing some teeth and masking tape was holding some other bits in place. … An elderly doorman sagged at his desk. No wonder. … The brittle day light did his face no favours. He looked like a headache in a suit”. They aren’t all winners, but then again, neither were all of Chandler’s IMO.
In short, this isn’t Chandler. The “slumming angel” was one of a kind after all. But it’s a fair attempt at bringing us something new in his distinctive style. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Finally, I found Mina’s choice of title quite apt. It refers to a side character in Macbeth who has this memorable line: I am one, my liege, Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world Have so incensed that I am reckless what I do to spite the world. . I think Chandler would have liked it.
Not having read any of the other recreations, I can only assess this book in comparison with the originals, and of course, on its own.
The tone authentically mirrors Chandler’s jaded view of the money-and-power elite of Los Angeles, although the ethos has been updated in the way that same sex relationships and anti-semitism are addressed. As might be expected, there is a controlling patriarch, a misfit daughter, some corrupt cops, and an assortment of low lifes who keep Marlowe company when he hits the bottle, and provide him with clues at other times.
The convoluted plot is also reminiscent of Chandler, although it appears that Mina took more pains to tie up all the loose ends than Chandler famously did. Her efforts to incorporate the itinerant characters displaced by the depressed economy of the 1930s came across as forced to me, although she has clearly done her homework in researching the particulars of that group of men.
Which brings us to Chandler’s famous similes. Mina does a pretty good job with her own: ”The building had seen better days. The tiled floor was missing some teeth and masking tape was holding some other bits in place. … An elderly doorman sagged at his desk. No wonder. … The brittle day light did his face no favours. He looked like a headache in a suit”. They aren’t all winners, but then again, neither were all of Chandler’s IMO.
In short, this isn’t Chandler. The “slumming angel” was one of a kind after all. But it’s a fair attempt at bringing us something new in his distinctive style. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Finally, I found Mina’s choice of title quite apt. It refers to a side character in Macbeth who has this memorable line: I am one, my liege, Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world Have so incensed that I am reckless what I do to spite the world. . I think Chandler would have liked it.
May 12, 2023
Reading this novel feels a bit like stepping into a classic Noir film without the misogyny--thanks to an excellent female author. Marlowe is a private detective in California, and a nasty and wealthy old man wants to hire him to find his missing daughter. There are bar fights, a crooked cop, a variety of interesting characters, and several deaths, but Marlowe perseveres. I had not read this author before but will definitely be looking for more of her novels. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC,
August 21, 2023
This is quite a step; a real challenge, for any modern author, to capture the world created by Raymond Chandler and the very essence of Philip Marlowe.
I love the original books, cemented and engraved into one’s psyche by countless retelling and through Hollywood’s lens.
Denise Mina is a wonderful writer quite unique in her own way, with a distinctive voice and insight into violence and the criminal world. I would never have expected her to embrace LA and leave Glasgow, even for a holiday. But to take on the persona of Marlowe PI, is not just a bold surprise but a wonderful treat. A departure that will not just enhance her reputation but build and expand Chandler’s legacy to a new audience of modern readers.
Those who follow, owe such a great deal to those who went before in this genre, and Mina has undertaken a magnificent homage to the past by producing something seamless in this canon it could have been found among Chandler’s long lost diaries.
These books are a special read. A squash and squeeze to slip into this forgotten gumshoe world. The scene is set amid a sweltering heatwave, where nothing is really what it seems and Marlowe is both an observer as well as a player.
What irritates him here is that, good as he is, he can’t help feeling he has been played but everybody should know you don’t mess with him. He is a sweetheart with a soft spot for damsels in distress, and although he always trips over them, he didn’t invent the femme fatale. Enjoy!
I love the original books, cemented and engraved into one’s psyche by countless retelling and through Hollywood’s lens.
Denise Mina is a wonderful writer quite unique in her own way, with a distinctive voice and insight into violence and the criminal world. I would never have expected her to embrace LA and leave Glasgow, even for a holiday. But to take on the persona of Marlowe PI, is not just a bold surprise but a wonderful treat. A departure that will not just enhance her reputation but build and expand Chandler’s legacy to a new audience of modern readers.
Those who follow, owe such a great deal to those who went before in this genre, and Mina has undertaken a magnificent homage to the past by producing something seamless in this canon it could have been found among Chandler’s long lost diaries.
These books are a special read. A squash and squeeze to slip into this forgotten gumshoe world. The scene is set amid a sweltering heatwave, where nothing is really what it seems and Marlowe is both an observer as well as a player.
What irritates him here is that, good as he is, he can’t help feeling he has been played but everybody should know you don’t mess with him. He is a sweetheart with a soft spot for damsels in distress, and although he always trips over them, he didn’t invent the femme fatale. Enjoy!
August 11, 2023
3.0 / 5
Probably didn’t help that I’ve not read the previous book, which would make the whole series make better sense. Unfortunately this wasn’t my book, I didn’t really click with the style and the generational references which I didn’t really understand.
The book is about PI Philip Marlowe who is called upon for his services by Chadwick Montgomery to locate his missing daughter after she walked out. Chadwick has hired Anne Riordan, Philip’s nemesis to help locate her. It all goes tits up when Philip finds a body at a hotel.
I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, felt too over the top and dramatic for my liking. Personally, it felt slow at points where it was lacking. Definitely an outlier on this one.
Probably didn’t help that I’ve not read the previous book, which would make the whole series make better sense. Unfortunately this wasn’t my book, I didn’t really click with the style and the generational references which I didn’t really understand.
The book is about PI Philip Marlowe who is called upon for his services by Chadwick Montgomery to locate his missing daughter after she walked out. Chadwick has hired Anne Riordan, Philip’s nemesis to help locate her. It all goes tits up when Philip finds a body at a hotel.
I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, felt too over the top and dramatic for my liking. Personally, it felt slow at points where it was lacking. Definitely an outlier on this one.
July 22, 2023
3.5 rounded up
When heiress Chrissie Montgomery goes missing, Philip Marlowe is hired to find her. However, the family has also hired Anne Riordan to make certain Chrissie is found. The search takes them from high society all the way down to Skid Row with dangerous bars, dirty cops, and cheap run-down motels for the unhoused. When Chrissie witnesses a murder in one of these motels, Marlowe has to work against a killer, the family, a cop on the take, and Riordan to keep Chrissie safe.
This was a pretty good read. Some of the similes fell flat as well as some of the witty banter. I think Mina portrayed the atmosphere of L.A. pretty well, especially with her depiction of Skid Row. The pacing was great as well. I also really like the cover. It has great eye appeal. It's hard to take on a classic character from a legend of the genre, and I feel this book doesn't do a disservice to Marlowe or his creator, Raymond Chandler. If you can read this without comparing this too much with Raymond Chandler's works, I think you'll enjoy it.
Thank you to Novel Suspects, who gifted me a finished copy of this novel. My opinions are my own.
When heiress Chrissie Montgomery goes missing, Philip Marlowe is hired to find her. However, the family has also hired Anne Riordan to make certain Chrissie is found. The search takes them from high society all the way down to Skid Row with dangerous bars, dirty cops, and cheap run-down motels for the unhoused. When Chrissie witnesses a murder in one of these motels, Marlowe has to work against a killer, the family, a cop on the take, and Riordan to keep Chrissie safe.
This was a pretty good read. Some of the similes fell flat as well as some of the witty banter. I think Mina portrayed the atmosphere of L.A. pretty well, especially with her depiction of Skid Row. The pacing was great as well. I also really like the cover. It has great eye appeal. It's hard to take on a classic character from a legend of the genre, and I feel this book doesn't do a disservice to Marlowe or his creator, Raymond Chandler. If you can read this without comparing this too much with Raymond Chandler's works, I think you'll enjoy it.
Thank you to Novel Suspects, who gifted me a finished copy of this novel. My opinions are my own.
August 21, 2023
The title of the book comes from a quote from Richard III by the Bard himself one fellow by the name of William Shakespeare .
The story is about another gentleman by the name of Philip Marlowe, it is supposed to be a mystery but feels less of a mystery the longer you read. Chrissie Montgomery is the heiress of a vast fortune and she has decided to do a runner and Marlowe has been asked to find her. While Marlowe might initially be impressed by the Montgomery’s that does not last long.
When he finds Chrissie the story really starts and Marlowe learns more about the darkness in Los Angeles.
After Joe Idle’s version of Marlowe Mina does deliver a breath of fresh air concerning Philip Marlowe who does not belong in YA or be re-invented in modern times, he belongs in LA in earlier times where the drinks are cold and the dames hot.
Thank you Denise Mina for an excellent Marlowe story that was both entertaining and did not outlast its welcome.
Well advised to read if you like your LA noirs even if it comes from Glasgow.
The story is about another gentleman by the name of Philip Marlowe, it is supposed to be a mystery but feels less of a mystery the longer you read. Chrissie Montgomery is the heiress of a vast fortune and she has decided to do a runner and Marlowe has been asked to find her. While Marlowe might initially be impressed by the Montgomery’s that does not last long.
When he finds Chrissie the story really starts and Marlowe learns more about the darkness in Los Angeles.
After Joe Idle’s version of Marlowe Mina does deliver a breath of fresh air concerning Philip Marlowe who does not belong in YA or be re-invented in modern times, he belongs in LA in earlier times where the drinks are cold and the dames hot.
Thank you Denise Mina for an excellent Marlowe story that was both entertaining and did not outlast its welcome.
Well advised to read if you like your LA noirs even if it comes from Glasgow.
August 11, 2023
4+ Stars
Fun Marlowe read.
The story would probably be better if listened.
Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
I highly recommend it, especially to “Philip Marlowe” and “noir” fans.
Trigger warning: physical abuse used in this story, but not talked about in detail.
Fun Marlowe read.
The story would probably be better if listened.
Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
I highly recommend it, especially to “Philip Marlowe” and “noir” fans.
Trigger warning: physical abuse used in this story, but not talked about in detail.
September 18, 2023
"He looked like a headache in a suit."
"She sang a bad song badly and then a good one badly."
I could include dozens more, all perfectly Marlowe-esque, all laugh out loud fitting for this re-write of one of detective fiction's most famous characters, Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe. But here in the hands (or from the keyboard) of Denise Mina is a Marlowe who, while still drinking and being arch, offers a witty, smart update to the grimy world of L.A. and criminality. Dive bars, a mansion, a creepy rooming house, skid row, more bars....it's all here along with interesting characters whom we see through Marlowe's jaded perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and hope Mina continues what's she's started with The Second Murderer. (And I'm a sucker for a book whose title comes from a character in a Shakespeare play.)
"She sang a bad song badly and then a good one badly."
I could include dozens more, all perfectly Marlowe-esque, all laugh out loud fitting for this re-write of one of detective fiction's most famous characters, Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe. But here in the hands (or from the keyboard) of Denise Mina is a Marlowe who, while still drinking and being arch, offers a witty, smart update to the grimy world of L.A. and criminality. Dive bars, a mansion, a creepy rooming house, skid row, more bars....it's all here along with interesting characters whom we see through Marlowe's jaded perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and hope Mina continues what's she's started with The Second Murderer. (And I'm a sucker for a book whose title comes from a character in a Shakespeare play.)
September 7, 2023
This was, sadly, a disappointment as I quite enjoyed last year's Marlowe reimagining 'The Goodbye Coast' by Joe Ide. The 'Second Murderer' is nowhere near as good, Marlowe is presented as no more than a vague outline and the mystery was confusing and hardly compelling. Some chapters appeared to be padded out where nothing much happens and this slowed the overall pace of the novel. The only character to show any spark was Anne Riordan, but Mina under utilizes her to the detriment of the story. The characters were mostly repugnant and shallow and I wasn't invested in any of their fates. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this and wont be returning if it becomes a series. There are better, more accessible Marlowe updates such as the aforementioned book by Ide. Not recommended.
September 6, 2023
So I really love Denise Mina’s writing and characters. When I saw this on my Libby app, I knew Phillip Marlowe wasn’t my typical read or preferred genre but I felt if anyone could redo it well, it would be Mina. And so it goes. It’s a well deserved 4*….IF you like this theme and 1940’s eta.
I was however able to appreciate the audiobook, theme, and narrator. I rate it 3 * for my personal taste and interest, and can appreciate the series and vibe. I won’t read another of its a series as it’s just not my interest.
I was however able to appreciate the audiobook, theme, and narrator. I rate it 3 * for my personal taste and interest, and can appreciate the series and vibe. I won’t read another of its a series as it’s just not my interest.
August 11, 2023
Mina is such a great writer - I could read a whole series of her featuring Marlowe.
August 17, 2023
This was politically correct. Philip Marlowe is not politically correct. Crime noir fiction is the exact opposite of politically correct. The PC got tiresome and undermined the story.
September 24, 2023
I have become a fan of Denise Mina’s books, I’ve only read a few now, including this one. Philip Marlowe is trying to find a missing heiress in L.A., as is a rival P.I., and her father who hired Marlowe is not a good man. This has a Noir feel to it and I liked that aspect very much. I listened to the audio which contributed to the setting, and is probably best read this way. Overall this was a great read, and I definitely recommend it. I have not read the original Philip Marlowe books but am curious after reading Mina’s version.
Thank you to Novel Suspects and Mulholland Books for the finished copy to review.
Thank you to Novel Suspects and Mulholland Books for the finished copy to review.
October 16, 2025
If you asked me last week if I liked a hard-boiled detective book, I would have said ‘no way!’ I read this for my mystery book club. To my surprise I enjoyed this book a lot. Written recently by a lovely Scottish lady commissioned by the Raymond Chandler estate, the main character is Philip Marlowe. I found the plot a little difficult to follow, but the way this is written. No adverbs, clever similes and metaphors. A love letter to a bygone era of 1930s LA. Every sentence kept me engaged.
Note: I started reading this and after about a page in where the main character was having some “mood-straightener” that I wanted to hear this as well. I ended up reading and listening which added to the fun of the words.
Note: I started reading this and after about a page in where the main character was having some “mood-straightener” that I wanted to hear this as well. I ended up reading and listening which added to the fun of the words.
September 4, 2024
3.5/5
I enjoy watching old Noir movies- this novel did a good job of capturing the spirit of the noir genre.
I enjoy watching old Noir movies- this novel did a good job of capturing the spirit of the noir genre.
June 11, 2024
A weak Raymond Chandler impersonation, which gets weaker the further you get through the book. The prose has none of the wit and verve of Chandler, and Marlowe isn't the shop-soiled Knight of his books, but a rather anonymous figure more befitting a Ross MacDonald novel. Yet, unlike MacDonald the compensations of complexity and beauty are also missing. Here Denise Mina leaves you with a rather flat novel about not much. A huge disappointment.
December 18, 2024
Phillip Marlowe comes to life yet again! Makes me want to read the original series by Raymond Chandler. Descriptive noir that really brings the seedy, hardscrabble side of 1930's Los Angeles to life. I was reminded of all the old movies I love to watch. I hope this author continues to write more hard boiled detective novels.
August 30, 2023
Joe Ide’s book was much better
December 9, 2023
3.5 stars.
I’m still very slowly making my way through “The Big Sleep”, and I think Denise Mina skilfully captured the feel of Philip Marlowe, with his sardonic intelligence and keen observation skills.
He’s engaged by a wealthy man to retrieve his daughter. The daughter is very wealthy, or will be at her father’s death, and Marlowe quickly locates her boarding house in the city, and the woman herself, working in an art gallery. When he tails her to a murder scene, he realizes that there more to this job than just returning her to her rich father.
Marlowe also quickly realizes that the rich dad also hired Anne Riordon, a good detective and head of her own female-staffed investigation company. Marlowe and Anne have feelings for each other, but that doesn't stop Anne from working the case well, as whoever returns the daughter first gets a bonus.
There is a lot of ugliness unearthed by Marlowe’s investigation, and frankly there’s too much Marlowe in this story and too little Anne, who struck me as a much more interesting character than him.
I’m still very slowly making my way through “The Big Sleep”, and I think Denise Mina skilfully captured the feel of Philip Marlowe, with his sardonic intelligence and keen observation skills.
He’s engaged by a wealthy man to retrieve his daughter. The daughter is very wealthy, or will be at her father’s death, and Marlowe quickly locates her boarding house in the city, and the woman herself, working in an art gallery. When he tails her to a murder scene, he realizes that there more to this job than just returning her to her rich father.
Marlowe also quickly realizes that the rich dad also hired Anne Riordon, a good detective and head of her own female-staffed investigation company. Marlowe and Anne have feelings for each other, but that doesn't stop Anne from working the case well, as whoever returns the daughter first gets a bonus.
There is a lot of ugliness unearthed by Marlowe’s investigation, and frankly there’s too much Marlowe in this story and too little Anne, who struck me as a much more interesting character than him.
July 20, 2023
As a fan of Mina’s, “Conviction”, this book is not so similar to that style. I think the reader is best served by understanding this is a different style of writing, story, and is inspired by the writer, Raymond Chandler. You want to go into this book having an idea of what you are going to experience.
I would say anyone who appreciates a classic crime mystery, period piece, this book is on Point.
The book does not disappoint; as I read, with a tone of smokiness, bourbon, and the harshness life can be regardless of status; I was intrigued and engaged as the mystery took twists and turns, resulting in death, loss, love, betrayal, deceit, rough realism, and the cost of the choices one makes. The descriptiveness of situations, allows for the reader to feel they are part of each scene.
Mina does an excellent job continuing on Raymond Chandler’s legacy and breathing life into the smoky, blue collar detective, Phillip Marlowe.
Thank you for the opportunity to receive an advanced copy and allowing for my review.
I would say anyone who appreciates a classic crime mystery, period piece, this book is on Point.
The book does not disappoint; as I read, with a tone of smokiness, bourbon, and the harshness life can be regardless of status; I was intrigued and engaged as the mystery took twists and turns, resulting in death, loss, love, betrayal, deceit, rough realism, and the cost of the choices one makes. The descriptiveness of situations, allows for the reader to feel they are part of each scene.
Mina does an excellent job continuing on Raymond Chandler’s legacy and breathing life into the smoky, blue collar detective, Phillip Marlowe.
Thank you for the opportunity to receive an advanced copy and allowing for my review.
August 13, 2023
It's a brave author that takes a beloved character and creates a new story for them - and that's exactly what Denise Mina has done here with Raymond Chandler's famous private detective, Philip Marlowe.
Marlowe is mulling over a case that he's closed that doesn't feel right when he gets a summons to the sprawling Montgomery estate set high above Beverly Hills. The young heiress to the family fortune, Chrissie Montgomery, is missing and Marlowe is asked to find her. However, her elderly and dying father isn't taking any chances - he's hired another private detective who Marlowe knows well in order to set the rivals against each other in finding his daughter. As Marlowe gets nearer to the truth, a murder is committed and Marlowe has to consider whether Chrissie really is safest returning to her family.
It's been a long time since I read a Raymond Chandler book, but this felt authentic and credible - Mina's Marlowe is a hard-drinking, deep-thinking kind of guy with a sound (if idiosyncratic) moral code. He inhabits the seedier side of Los Angeles, visiting Skid Row and some dodgy bars in pursuit of his aims. He knows everybody, yet trusts few - and is quite happy to use underhand methods to get what he wants. He has a yearning for beautiful women, yet an inability to have a relationship. Sounds quite Chandler-esque to me!
I enjoyed the mystery in this book - it cleverly wound together a lot of threads and the solution was believable and in the spirit of the originals. Chandler's books don't have cosy, happy endings - there is the sense of justice being done, but also that life is messy and imperfect.
I really loved the way that Mina used the settings within the novel so vividly to create an almost cinematic feeling - I could picture the luxury of the Montgomery estate with its tunnel of jacaranda trees as easily as I could imagine the squalor of the Brody Hotel. Characters are also described in filmic detail - a bead of sweat rolling down a face, bloodshot eyes, a cheap suit that doesn't fit. I liked being able to see the detail of Marlowe's world.
The heat described in the novel brings a lot of the tension - there is a restless, hazy, claustrophobic feeling as Marlowe navigates his version of LA. Indeed, the heat adds to the sense that brutality is never far away as tempers fray and characters sweat.
I'd recommend this to fans of Chandler's original books, but also think this brings Marlowe to a new audience - I suspect that Mina's Marlowe is more acceptable to a modern reader than the originals which probably reflect the time in which they were written. Indeed, Mina's Marlowe seems to swerve a lot of the criticism aimed at older texts - racism, sexism, homophobia - but without diluting the impact of the hyper-masculine Marlowe and his tough world. If detective novels are your thing, this is an entertaining, often drily-humorous and lively addition to the Philip Marlowe series.
Marlowe is mulling over a case that he's closed that doesn't feel right when he gets a summons to the sprawling Montgomery estate set high above Beverly Hills. The young heiress to the family fortune, Chrissie Montgomery, is missing and Marlowe is asked to find her. However, her elderly and dying father isn't taking any chances - he's hired another private detective who Marlowe knows well in order to set the rivals against each other in finding his daughter. As Marlowe gets nearer to the truth, a murder is committed and Marlowe has to consider whether Chrissie really is safest returning to her family.
It's been a long time since I read a Raymond Chandler book, but this felt authentic and credible - Mina's Marlowe is a hard-drinking, deep-thinking kind of guy with a sound (if idiosyncratic) moral code. He inhabits the seedier side of Los Angeles, visiting Skid Row and some dodgy bars in pursuit of his aims. He knows everybody, yet trusts few - and is quite happy to use underhand methods to get what he wants. He has a yearning for beautiful women, yet an inability to have a relationship. Sounds quite Chandler-esque to me!
I enjoyed the mystery in this book - it cleverly wound together a lot of threads and the solution was believable and in the spirit of the originals. Chandler's books don't have cosy, happy endings - there is the sense of justice being done, but also that life is messy and imperfect.
I really loved the way that Mina used the settings within the novel so vividly to create an almost cinematic feeling - I could picture the luxury of the Montgomery estate with its tunnel of jacaranda trees as easily as I could imagine the squalor of the Brody Hotel. Characters are also described in filmic detail - a bead of sweat rolling down a face, bloodshot eyes, a cheap suit that doesn't fit. I liked being able to see the detail of Marlowe's world.
The heat described in the novel brings a lot of the tension - there is a restless, hazy, claustrophobic feeling as Marlowe navigates his version of LA. Indeed, the heat adds to the sense that brutality is never far away as tempers fray and characters sweat.
I'd recommend this to fans of Chandler's original books, but also think this brings Marlowe to a new audience - I suspect that Mina's Marlowe is more acceptable to a modern reader than the originals which probably reflect the time in which they were written. Indeed, Mina's Marlowe seems to swerve a lot of the criticism aimed at older texts - racism, sexism, homophobia - but without diluting the impact of the hyper-masculine Marlowe and his tough world. If detective novels are your thing, this is an entertaining, often drily-humorous and lively addition to the Philip Marlowe series.
October 5, 2023
Have you read this? Please comment and let me know what you think.
I really, truly have no idea what to say here. Normally, I’d start with my usual “The Good” and “The Bad,” but this book defies that binary.
Consider: The author captures the spirit of Philip Marlowe. It feels like we’re reading a book with Marlowe as the main character, and I love that. He talks like Marlowe, relates to other characters like Marlowe, moves through life like Marlowe. Beautiful, right? That’s what we’re here for. The city breathes with the detective.
But… and it’s a big “but”… The author is clearly not American. The spelling and punctuation are all British, which took me right out of the story. Since when does Philip Marlowe pull up to a kerb? Why use Scottish slang? I had to look up two words that were specific Scots slang. This author’s editor should have said something to her about buildings in America beginning with the first floor, not ground (first!), then first (second!). Small things like this snowball into a general sense that the story is taking place in some sort of alternate Los Angeles. In Scotland.
Finally: The plot is inconsistent. Some wonderful foreshadowing and setups fizzle out in the end. One of the main characters seems to switch personalities entirely in a way I didn’t understand.
I feel like I missed something. Either that, or this was simply a beautiful piece of writing that was merely “okay.”
Four stars, rounded up from 3.5.
I really, truly have no idea what to say here. Normally, I’d start with my usual “The Good” and “The Bad,” but this book defies that binary.
Consider: The author captures the spirit of Philip Marlowe. It feels like we’re reading a book with Marlowe as the main character, and I love that. He talks like Marlowe, relates to other characters like Marlowe, moves through life like Marlowe. Beautiful, right? That’s what we’re here for. The city breathes with the detective.
But… and it’s a big “but”… The author is clearly not American. The spelling and punctuation are all British, which took me right out of the story. Since when does Philip Marlowe pull up to a kerb? Why use Scottish slang? I had to look up two words that were specific Scots slang. This author’s editor should have said something to her about buildings in America beginning with the first floor, not ground (first!), then first (second!). Small things like this snowball into a general sense that the story is taking place in some sort of alternate Los Angeles. In Scotland.
Finally: The plot is inconsistent. Some wonderful foreshadowing and setups fizzle out in the end. One of the main characters seems to switch personalities entirely in a way I didn’t understand.
I feel like I missed something. Either that, or this was simply a beautiful piece of writing that was merely “okay.”
Four stars, rounded up from 3.5.
August 6, 2023
It’s been a while since I read any of Raymond Chandler’s novels featuring Philip Marlowe. Denise Mina in her book, The Second Murderer, brings Marlowe to life once again. Along with the hard nosed, down on his luck P.I., Mina also brings life back to the mean streets of L. A. where Marlowe was at home. Be it in the crumbling ruins of the ghettos or the lavish homes of the sickeningly rich, Marlowe navigates through the lives of the down trodden or the uber rich trying to flesh out who is telling him the truth or stringing him along. In Marlowe’s L. A., its easy to tell the wealthy from the poor, but not the good from the bad. Trying to help young wealthy heiresses out of a jamb is something Marlowe can’t pass up, even when they don’t want be helped. Marlowe finds out that loving something or someone is no guaranty that you will come out ahead in life. Love doesn’t conquer all it just hurts more when you fall. This book was provided for review by NovelSuspectsInsiders.
October 24, 2023
I was having a great time with this evocative Philip Marlowe tale right up until I learned who dunnit and, more importantly, why. The conclusion(s) didn't make sense to me. I had to read the final chapters twice and even then I found the summation confusing and inadequate. And it wasn't just the murdering part. Much of the action remained unexplained, which is annoying as all can be, in general. In a murder mystery, it's fatal.
July 20, 2023
Intense and intriguing, this is Phillip Marlowe at his best!
November 4, 2023
I thought this would be a fun Halloween mystery read. This book was terrible
January 8, 2024
Disappointing on several levels
September 30, 2023
I seem to be a sucker for "Philip Marlowe" novels authorized by the Raymond Chandler estate. This started a long time ago with Poodle Springs and Perchance to Dream from Robert B. Parker. (The first being a sorta-collaboration between Chandler and Parker, the second being entirely Parker.) Since then, I've bought and read The Black-Eyed Blonde by John Banville; Only to Sleep by Lawrence Osborne; The Goodbye Coast by Joe Ide. And now this.
I'd read a couple books by Denise Mina in past years, and I thought they were OK. But a Marlowe novel written by a Scottish lady? Would that work, or would that be like (I dunno…) Mickey Spillane writing a sequel to Pride and Prejudice?
Reader, I thought it worked great. Ms. Mina has a feel for Chandler's prose, her take on Marlowe's character is spot on, her descriptions of late-1930s Los Angeles are evocative. If anything, she turns the Chandlerisms up to 11, starting on page one, where Marlowe is mulling the too-tidy solution to the last case he worked: "There was something wrong, something bad in it, like a mouthful of soup with a stray hair that brushes your lip on the way in and then disappears."
But soon enough Marlowe gets a new job, via a mysterious phone call from a husky-voiced woman summoning him to the Montgomery Mansion. ("She left a small pause that might have meant yes, or no, or come over here and kiss me right now.") Chrissie Montgomery, the only heir to the vast Montgomery fortune, has gone missing, walking voluntarily into the mean streets of LA. Could Marlowe track her down?
Well, of course he can. But nothing is ever simple. Along the way, everyone consumes copious amounts of alcohol and nicotine. Some sexual practices ranging from the unconventional to the perverse. There are, of course, murders that need to be solved, cops to be avoided, dames to be rescued.
Fun stuff: Marlowe visits the famed Bradbury Building and the Angels Flight funicular. And a character from Farewell, My Lovely, Ann Riordan, re-enters Marlowe's life and plays an important role here.
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