Book Review: Vanha kultaraha (High Window)

Vanha kultaraha (High Window)
by Raymond Chandler
(first published 1942)
translated to Finnish by Kalevi Nyytäjä
WSOY, 1989

In the third Philip Marlowe novel Marlowe gets an assignment from wealthy old widow Murdock. A valuable gold coin has gone missing and Mrs. Murdock suspects her daughter-in-law Linda. In the Murdock's house there are also other peculiar characters: Murdock's gambling son Leslie and Mrs. Murdock's neurotic secretary Merle. Murdock meets also another private investigator Phillips and coin dealer Morningstar. During the investigation he also meets gangsters and lowlifes. Soon Marlowe has to investigate also why two men connected with the theft of coin are murdered.

Chandler's books always have witty dialogue and colourful descriptions of places and characters. For example Marlowe visiting a night club owned by gangsters: "The lobby looked like a high-budget musical. A lot of light and glitter, a lot of scenery, a lot of clothes, a lot of sound, an all-star cast, and a plot with all the originality and drive of a split fingernail."

The story is complicated with many characters who at first seem to have little to do with the main story until Marlowe connects the dots at the end. Despite being a hard boiled detective Marlowe also shows his soft side, he is described as "shop-soiled Sir Galahad".

Rating: Excellent