Today, we will be reviewing the classic hardboiled detective novel The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler. Keep reading to find out what we thought of this novel if you should add it to your to-read list!
The Long Goodbye Summary
Outside a club in Los Angeles, Philip Marlowe meets Terry Lennox, who is drunk and they become friends. Terry has scars on one side of his face and turns to Philip because he is in need of a friend. The two bond over gimlets at a bar until one day, Terry needs a favor from Philip.
Late one night, Terry shows up at Philip’s place and says he is in trouble and needs a ride to the airport across the border in Mexico. Philip tells Terry to not tell him any details and gives him a ride. The next day, Philip is questioned by the police and arrested for not cooperating.
When Philip finally gets out, he learns that Terry committed suicide and wrote a suicide letter. But Philip doesn’t believe that Terry killed his wife and committed suicide. He is confronted by many people to not pursue the case. Philip receives another job to find where writer Roger Wade is.
Philip learns that this case may be connected to Terry. It is up to Philip to keep Roger Wade alive and figure out why he has been drinking excessively. Before it is too late for everyone involved.
Is The Long Goodbye an Autobiography?
The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Love are considered Chandler’s best works by critics and most fans. But Chandler himself considers this book his best work and there are a few reasons for that.
This novel is sort of an autobiography by Chandler as two of the characters in the books represent him. Terry Lennox was inspired by Marlowe’s own experience of Hollywood and serving in the war. The scars on Terry’s face are supposed to symbolize the emotional scars Chandler suffered during the war.
The other character that represents Chandler is Roger Wade. The obvious comparison being that both are writers and struggling with writing new books. Both Terry and Roger are alcoholics and that was also true for Chandler.
When Chandler was writing this novel, his wife was dying. Her illness and death strongly affected Chandler, leading him to drinking excessively and contemplating suicide. This is a great reminder that we never truly know what an author is going through when writing a novel.
My Thoughts On The Long Goodbye
While I was reading this novel, I was surprised by the slow start. Normally, hardboiled fiction novels dive headfirst into action but that wasn’t the case for this novel. Looking back and knowing that Chandler considered this novel his autobiography, it makes a lot of sense now.
I enjoyed this novel a lot, even though it feels like two different novels. The novel focuses on Terry at first but when it switches to Roger, the novel sort’ of forgets about Terry. Considering what Marlowe goes through, it doesn’t feel like the best move. Instead of pursuing the case, Marlowe waits until the case catches up with him.
Again, now that I know that Chandler wanted to flesh out Roger more and pour himself into the character, it makes sense. But the pacing of the novel does feel off.
The murders themselves are interesting but nobody except for the protagonist could have put the clues together. There is little actual evidence to go on to solve the mystery. Still, I enjoyed the creativity of the novel and all the characters Chandler introduces.
Conclusion
I enjoyed this novel a lot even with its flaws but I do not recommend this as your first hardboiled fiction novel. It will mislead you into a slower pace and a lot less blood and murder then a usual hardboiled fiction novel.
And I don’t think this is Chandler’s magnum opus. But it is a great autobiography as we get to understand the author behind the novel a little more. He shows his flaws and insecurities throughout the novel, making this his favorite novel that he has written.