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Finished The Marble Orchard by William F Nolan, which I picked up after Moejoe's recommendation. It was a clever blend of fiction and non-fiction: Raymond Chandler is the narrator and the hero of the book himself, and along with his pals Dashiell Hammett and Erle Stanley Gardner, becomes an amateur detective himself for a while. It's not like reading a Marlowe book and was not intended to be, but it does have the atmosphere of the era and is a very enjoyable noir read. At the same time, most biographical information and descriptions about existing persons, places and events are accurate. This had the effect of putting me in non-fiction mode in the beginning of the book, but then I stopped trying to tell the real from the fictional and just enjoyed the book. I'd love to read the other two of the series if I ever find them.
I'm now reading Christopher Brookmyre's Pandaemonium (brilliant as ever), and listening to Kathryn Stockett's The Help while I work. I said before that I'm not a big fan of audiobooks but they get me through boring bits of work, so sometimes I do choose to listen instead of read. This particular audiobook is beautifully performed, and I think it adds considerably to the book.
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