Mystery and Crime Chandler, Raymond: Playback V1, 05 Apr 2010

[weatherwax]

This novel puts Marlowe in the position of turning against his client. We are at the beginning of 1952 (some 18 months after the parting of Marlowe and Linda Loring in The Long Goodbye).
An unknown client hires Marlowe (via intermediaries) to follow a woman traveling under the name Eleanor King (whose real name is Betty Mayfield). Marlowe traces Mayfield to the small coastal resort town of Esmeralda in California, where he is given the runaround by practically everyone.
www.wikipedia.org

[Nathanael]

Thanks! Read it this afternoon. Found just a few minor errors:

She ate breakfast In the coffee shop
Especially in that posilion.
"Necio!" he screamed. "Fuera!" <Fuera isn't italicized>

And here's why I love Raymond Chandler:

"On the dance floor half a dozen couples were throwing themselves around with the wreckless abandon of a night watchman with arthritis."

Man, do I wish I'd written that!