The Long Goodbye cover

The Long Goodbye

Philip Marlowe • Book 6

by Raymond Chandler

Narrated by Scott Brick

4.21 ABR Score (47.7K ratings)
★ 4.19 Goodreads (47.3K) ★ 4.5 Audible (399)
13h 25m Released 2021 Mystery

Why Listen to This Audiobook?

Everyone cites this as Chandler's best, but nobody warns you it'll leave you genuinely sad.

  • Great if you want: literary crime fiction where friendship matters more than the mystery
  • Listening experience: slow, melancholic burn — more meditation on loyalty than thriller
  • Narration: Brick's controlled baritone suits Marlowe's weary, watchful cynicism
  • Skip if: you want Chandler's snappier, faster-moving Marlowe books

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About This Audiobook

Private investigator Philip Marlowe finds himself entangled in a web of corruption and betrayal when he agrees to help Terry Lennox, a down-on-his-luck war veteran whose wealthy wife has turned up murdered. What begins as a simple favor between friends spirals into a complex investigation that pulls Marlowe deep into the dark underbelly of 1950s Los Angeles, where money can't buy happiness but it can certainly buy silence. As bodies pile up and the police pressure mounts, Marlowe must navigate a treacherous landscape of deceitful socialites, violent gangsters, and moral ambiguity to uncover the truth.

Scott Brick's masterful narration captures the essence of Chandler's hard-boiled detective fiction with remarkable precision. His gravelly, world-weary delivery perfectly embodies Marlowe's cynical yet principled character, while his skillful handling of dialogue brings the seedy cast of suspects to vivid life. Brick's pacing allows listeners to savor Chandler's legendary prose and razor-sharp wit, transforming the author's atmospheric descriptions of sun-soaked California into an immersive noir experience. The audio format enhances the story's conversational tone and internal monologue, making this classic mystery feel immediate and compelling.