The Way Some People Die
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 First edition | |
| Author | Ross Macdonald |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Lew Archer |
| Genre | Detective, Mystery novel |
| Publisher | Knopf |
Publication date | 1951 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
| Preceded by | The Drowning Pool |
| Followed by | The Ivory Grin |
The Way Some People Die is a detective mystery written in 1951 by American author Ross Macdonald. It is the third book featuring his private eye Lew Archer.
The book introduces the second of two cities Ross invented and was to use commonly in his work, Pacific Point, located south of Los Angeles.[1]
Plot introduction[]
Middle-aged Mrs. Samuel Lawrence gives Lew Archer 50 dollars for one day of his time to find her daughter Galatea (a.k.a. Galley) who has been missing since just before Christmas. Archer soon discovers she was married to a small-time mobster named Joe Tarantine. Starting the investigation in the most likely place, with Tarantine's brother, Mario, Lew finds the man in the hospital after a severe beating that has left him almost unrecognizable. And shortly after that, a big-time mobster offers him five thousand to find Tarantine. The investigation quickly gains a body count and Lew is constantly drawn from Los Angeles to the fictional Pacific Point, Palm Springs, San Francisco, and back again, trying to tie together details that seem as random as they are violent.
Reception[]
Anthony Boucher described it as: "The best novel in the tough tradition I've read since Farewell, My Lovely and possibly since The Maltese Falcon."[2]
Dick Lochte wrote: "I'm not sure why I prefer The Way Some People Die to The Moving Target, the first book in the series, or The Galton Case, in which Macdonald distances himself from the influence of Chandler. I just like the nastiness of the plot and the sharpness of the dialogue."[3]
References[]
- ^ "Ross Macdonald [1915-83] Page at BlackHat Mystery Bookstore". Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ Anthony Boucher, New York Times book review, August 5, 1951.
- ^ "The Thrilling Detective Web Site". Retrieved 18 May 2015.
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- 1951 American novels
- Lew Archer (series)
- Novels by Ross Macdonald
- Alfred A. Knopf books
- Novels set in Los Angeles
- Novels set in Palm Springs, California
- 1950s crime novel stubs
- Canadian novel stubs