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lgpiper's review
3.0
I dunnno, things get complicated and convoluted rather quickly. So, there's a huge oil spill out in the bay and the oil is washing up on shore. Archer sees a young woman, Laurel Russo, trying to save an oil soaked bird. She feels some obligation to the bird because she apparently has some sense of responsibility, in that she's related to the oil tycoon whose sloppy ways led to the oil spill. Archer tries to settle her down. He gives her a ride back to town. They stop at his place. After a bit, the young woman leaves, and a short time later, Archer realizes she's nicked a rather large bottle of sleeping pills. So, he wants to find her so as to keep her from overdosing.
Back on shore, he runs into a body floating in the waves. For some reason, the body might have some relevance. Then too, the young woman, Laurel Russo, is married to a druggist, whose mother was murdered a number of years ago. But perhaps there's a connection because the mother worked for Laurel Russo's folks for a time. We hark back to a naval disaster some 30 or so years previously, that appears to have ties into the oil tycoon's family, and also the dead guy who washed up on the beach. And so on. So much stuff over so many decades, and all interconnected in the end.
It's a pretty interesting yarn, but difficult for old folks like me to follow at times. Still, I'll likely be reading more Macdonald. [3½*]
Back on shore, he runs into a body floating in the waves. For some reason, the body might have some relevance. Then too, the young woman, Laurel Russo, is married to a druggist, whose mother was murdered a number of years ago. But perhaps there's a connection because the mother worked for Laurel Russo's folks for a time. We hark back to a naval disaster some 30 or so years previously, that appears to have ties into the oil tycoon's family, and also the dead guy who washed up on the beach. And so on. So much stuff over so many decades, and all interconnected in the end.
It's a pretty interesting yarn, but difficult for old folks like me to follow at times. Still, I'll likely be reading more Macdonald. [3½*]
shoba's review against another edition
3.0
"Why didn't they take the right preventive measures?"
"It costs money," he said. "Oilmen are gamblers, most of them, and they'd rather take a little chance than spend a lot of money. Or wait for technology to catch up." He added after a moment, "They're not the only gamblers. We're all in the game. We all drive cars, and we're all hooked on oil. The question is how we can get unhooked before we drown in the stuff."
I nodded in agreement and started to move away toward my car.
thebeardedpoet's review against another edition
2.0
Definitely not my favorite Ross Macdonald. The investigation was tedious and the conversations were repetitive. Most of the way through, I keep hoping something exciting would happen but it never came. Also the surface writing itself wasn't as eloquent or interesting as in other Ross Macdonald books. Here the style was what I would call plain.
roshk99's review against another edition
4.0
Riveting mystery with Archer his usual cynical, entertaining self
natebrantly's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed "Sleeping Beauty". It's a high-quality crime mystery novel that gave me the satisfying feeling of a complex puzzle coming together piece by piece.
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence
bundy23's review against another edition
2.0
My first and probably only trip into the world of P.I. Lew Archer was a hell of a let down. The idea’s are all there, the characters (and there are a lot of them) are pretty well fleshed out and Lew Archer himself is quite likeable but the writing is just so generic. It’s like he’s using a [a:Raymond Chandler|1377|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206535318p2/1377.jpg] metaphor generator at least 3 times a page. Even when Chandler is doing Chandler it can get tiring. It also doesn’t help that there are about 15 too many plot twists for my liking.
“Elizabeth went out, shutting the door a little harder than necessary, but not quite hard enough to upset the wary balance between her and her mother.” groan
”Its four-story facade stood in the diluted sunlight like an old woman with a powder-caked face surprised by morning.” WTF?
“Elizabeth went out, shutting the door a little harder than necessary, but not quite hard enough to upset the wary balance between her and her mother.” groan
”Its four-story facade stood in the diluted sunlight like an old woman with a powder-caked face surprised by morning.” WTF?
shanbro's review against another edition
4.0
I know Lew Archer's (and Macdonald's) jaded outlook can get tired, but I honestly enjoyed this one and didn't mind. The plot is a bit complicated with a lot of twists and turns, but I'd give this one a 4.5.
lisalotte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
3.0
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
An engrossing mystery that shows why MacDonald ranks with the best of mystery writers. Economical in its prose and layered with plot, it keeps you guessing til the final page. It was also a relief to read a PI story where the lead character isn't a wisecracking know-it-all.