Pearls are a Nuisance

by Raymond Chandler

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140021361
• ISBN13: 9780140021363
• Release Date: January 1969
• Publisher: Penguin
• Length: 199 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Before there was Marlowe

This book collects a few of Chandler's short stories, along with the essay "The Simple Art of Murder." The essay reads well, and gives a simple, clear statement of what Chandler dislikes about the murder mystery genre. By way of example, the book offers three stories that make the points, by one of the founding authors of the noir detective story. Although I enjoy the Philip Marlowe novels, these are short stories, they star different characters (none of whom are Marlowe), and generally seem weaker than Chandler's novels. The style is all there. The first story feature people guzzling alochol like a biofueled Hummer; characters throughout seem like people that could only exist at night. Still, even when Chandler isn't at his best, he's a lot better than most others. -- wiredweird PS: All of the stories that appear here, and more, also appear in the collection titled "The Simple Art of Murder."