Mystery and Crime Chandler, Raymond: Playback, v1, 17 March 2010.

Patricia · 03-17-2010, 12:34 AM

Raymond Chandler [1888–1959]
Playback [1958]

From Wikipedia:
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.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playback_%28novel%29

GA Russell · 03-17-2010, 05:13 PM

Caveat emptor. This was published shortly before Chandler's death.

I assume he just accepted payment to allow his name to be used. There is no way that Chandler wrote this. Not only is the style different and mediocre, but Marlowe jumps into bed with a woman at the very beginning. No way Chandler would have written that.

Maybe someone here knows the details of how this got to be published under Chandler's name.

Patricia · 03-17-2010, 06:47 PM

According to Wikipedia it started as a screenplay and was reworked into a novel. Certainly, it's not as good as the others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playback_%28novel%29

GA Russell · 03-17-2010, 06:52 PM

Thanks for that link, Patricia.

crich70 · 08-05-2010, 09:00 PM

As I recall Chandler is believed to have started it before his death and later another author finished it for him.

Pulpmeister · 09-10-2012, 09:40 AM

Bump.

Chandler wrote the book, and was still well and truly alive when it was published in 1958. In one of his letters to Helga Greene he comments on its success in the UK.

The one he started after that, but never completed, was "Poodle Springs."

Playback is not good Chandler, but that's no surprise. He had been an alcoholic much of his adult life, but had managed it fairly well; after the death of his wife Cissy he attempted suicide. From then on he slid into clinical depression and long bouts of drinking, during which he managed to write Playback. Its amazing it was written at all, and its easy to understand why it isn't good Chandler.

03-17-2010, 12:34 AM	#1
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	Chandler, Raymond: Playback, v1, 17 March 2010. Raymond Chandler [1888–1959] Playback [1958] From Wikipedia: 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. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playback_%28novel%29

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Mystery and Crime Chandler, Raymond: Playback V1, 05 Apr 2010	weatherwax	ePub Books (offline)	1	07-29-2010 08:18 AM
Mystery and Crime Chandler, Raymond, The Little Sister, v1, 19 March 2010.	Patricia	Kindle Books (offline)	0	03-19-2010 12:21 AM
Mystery and Crime Chandler, Raymond: Playback, LIT v1, 17 March 2010.	Patricia	Other Books (offline)	0	03-17-2010 12:33 AM
Mystery and Crime Chandler, Raymond: Playback, v1, 17 March 2010.	Patricia	IMP Books (offline)	0	03-17-2010 12:31 AM
Mystery and Crime Chandler, Raymond: Playback, v1, 17 March 2010.	Patricia	BBeB/LRF Books (offline)	0	03-17-2010 12:30 AM

03-17-2010, 05:13 PM	#2
GA Russell Argos win Grey Cup! Posts: 7,670 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Caveat emptor. This was published shortly before Chandler's death. I assume he just accepted payment to allow his name to be used. There is no way that Chandler wrote this. Not only is the style different and mediocre, but Marlowe jumps into bed with a woman at the very beginning. No way Chandler would have written that. Maybe someone here knows the details of how this got to be published under Chandler's name.

03-17-2010, 06:47 PM	#3
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	According to Wikipedia it started as a screenplay and was reworked into a novel. Certainly, it's not as good as the others. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playback_%28novel%29

03-17-2010, 06:52 PM	#4
GA Russell Argos win Grey Cup! Posts: 7,670 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Thanks for that link, Patricia.

08-05-2010, 09:00 PM	#5
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	As I recall Chandler is believed to have started it before his death and later another author finished it for him.

09-10-2012, 09:40 AM	#6
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,779 Karma: 29144810 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	Bump. Chandler wrote the book, and was still well and truly alive when it was published in 1958. In one of his letters to Helga Greene he comments on its success in the UK. The one he started after that, but never completed, was "Poodle Springs." Playback is not good Chandler, but that's no surprise. He had been an alcoholic much of his adult life, but had managed it fairly well; after the death of his wife Cissy he attempted suicide. From then on he slid into clinical depression and long bouts of drinking, during which he managed to write Playback. Its amazing it was written at all, and its easy to understand why it isn't good Chandler.

Advert

Advert