They never came tougher than Marlowe, a cynical, world-weary, wise-cracking shamus whose honesty in a dishonest world sent him down the mean streets again and again in search of some kind of justice.

At six feet five, Moose Malloy is a big man who looks about as inconspicuous as a tarantula on a slice of angel food - and about as dangerous. His girl Velma disappeared eight years ago, and now he wants to find her trouble is, there's a trail of corpses to indicate where the small-time criminal has been looking.

Philip Marlow never was the kind of guy to walk away from trouble, and before long he's hot on Moose's trail. All he has to do is find the girl...