Playback is a novel by American-British writer Raymond Chandler featuring the private detective Philip Marlowe. It was first published in Britain in July 1958; the US edition followed in October that year. Chandler died the following year; Playback is his last completed novel. On 8 January 1947 Universal announced they had bought a story from Raymond Chandler called Playback. Joseph Sistrom was assigned to produce the film and it was intended Chandler would write the script. The novel was reworked by Chandler from the screenplay. The script, thought by some to be superior to the novel (generally considered to be the weakest of the seven Marlowe novels, perhaps because of its less complex plot and pat resolution), was published posthumously. Playback is the only Marlowe novel completed by Chandler that is set somewhere other than Los Angeles. The setting is the town of Esmeralda, a fictional name for La Jolla, …
Playback is a novel by American-British writer Raymond Chandler featuring the private detective Philip Marlowe. It was first published in Britain in July 1958; the US edition followed in October that year. Chandler died the following year; Playback is his last completed novel. On 8 January 1947 Universal announced they had bought a story from Raymond Chandler called Playback. Joseph Sistrom was assigned to produce the film and it was intended Chandler would write the script. The novel was reworked by Chandler from the screenplay. The script, thought by some to be superior to the novel (generally considered to be the weakest of the seven Marlowe novels, perhaps because of its less complex plot and pat resolution), was published posthumously. Playback is the only Marlowe novel completed by Chandler that is set somewhere other than Los Angeles. The setting is the town of Esmeralda, a fictional name for La Jolla, where Chandler lived his last few years. Poodle Springs, which Chandler did not finish, is set in Palm Springs, California.
This mystery had a rather peculiar conclusion. In the main, the story line was classic Raymond Chandler. But the end of the novel, which is also the end of the series, was peculiar. I missed one novel in the series, which I will read shortly. I have to say I am sorry to be nearing the end of my Philip Marlowe journey. :(
"If I wasn't hard, I wouldn't be alive. If I couldn't ever be gentle, I wouldn't deserve to be alive." You know, it's that kind of book. Takes no time to read and there's no time you want to stop. And then it's over.
The last completed novel by Raymond Chandler; Playback is somewhat less impressive than all the other Philip Marlowe novels. While still enjoyable it just didn’t have the same feel as some of his better known works, like The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye, Farewell, My Lovely or The Lady in the Lake. It is one book that people either enjoyed or hated but in my case I did enjoy it, as all other hardboiled novels I’ve read. The banter before Marlowe and Miss Vermilyea alone make this book worth reading.
