The Big Sleep trailer

THE BIG SLEEP

Raymond Chandler (Oxford Bookworms)

This is a thriler with a lot of characters: Philip Marlowe, a private detective; General Sternwood , a rich and very ill oil baron; Vivian Sternwood, General Sternwood eldest daughter; Carmen Sternwood, the General's youngest daughter; Rusty Regan, an ex-bootlegger and Vivian's husband; and Eddie Mars, the corrupt leader of a gang of gamblers.


The story takes place in Los Angeles California.

I chose it because I like detective novels.

Detective Philip Marlow is hired by General Sternwood to solve two mysteries. The first one is abaout Carmen, who is blackmailed, and the second is about the disappearance of Rusty, the General's son-in-law.Marlow will discover what is behind these mysteries. Carmen is related to Rusty. She is the darkest character in the family and is involved in pornography and drugs. Carmen killed Rusty, but the reason is not very clear. Philip also discovers that Vivian is blackmailed by Mars who threatens her with making public that she killed Rusty.

The story is full of crimes and secondary characters, so it is difficult to say how it will end. Raymond Chandler uses subplots for other sagas featuring Detective Marlowe. It reminds me of Agatha Christie's and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's writing technique. It is a very light and short novels written on purpose to be an easy read. I would recommend the novel to people who are looking for something easy and entertaning to read.

Rosa María Rodríguez Rivas