This was my first date with Raymond Chandler, at long last, and now that I've finished reading The Big Sleep, I look forward to many more. I really like detective Philip Marlowe. I enjoy his demeanour, the way he thinks, and the way he perceives people and his surroundings, but that's not why I rated this book so highly. I also enjoyed the story itself, which was atmospheric and engaging, but that's not the reason either. The reason is Raymond Chandler's masterful writing. It's a strong and confident voice from the get-go, painting a vivid picture of Los Angeles and its denizens in the 1930s. He had me snickering and smiling wryly from the first page. And, most of all, he whet my appetite for sudden turns of phrase so startlingly wonderful and well-composed that I had to stop and reread them multiple times before carrying on with the book. I'll be reading the rest of Philip Marlowe stories, with relish.