The High Window

Raymond Chandler
Plot Summary fr Wikipedia

Private investigator Philip Marlowe is hired by wealthy widow Elizabeth Bright Murdock to recover a
missing Brasher Doubloon, a rare and valuable coin. Mrs. Murdock suspects it was stolen by her son's
estranged wife, Linda Conquest, a former singer. Returning to his office, Marlowe is followed by a
blond man in a coupe. Mrs. Murdock's son Leslie Murdock visits Marlowe and tries to learn why his
mother hired him. Murdock reveals that he owes nightclub owner Alex Morny a large sum of money.
Marlowe learns that Linda Conquest had two friends: Lois Magic and a Mr. Vannier; Magic is now
married to Morny. Marlowe visits Mrs. Morny at home and finds her with Vannier, who acts
suspiciously. Marlowe is again tailed by the blond in the coupe and confronts him. He is George Anson
Phillips, an amateurish private detective, who wants to enlist Marlowe's help on a case he cannot
handle. Marlowe agrees to meet him at his apartment later.

Marlowe visits a rare coin dealer, Mr. Morningstar, who confirms that someone tried to sell him a
Brasher Doubloon. Marlowe agrees to buy it back the next day, and after leaving overhears the dealer
trying to call Phillips. Marlowe keeps his appointment with Phillips but finds him dead. Police arrest
the drunk next door for the murder and give Marlowe an ultimatum to reveal all he knows.

Marlowe receives an unaddressed package containing the coin. He calls Mrs. Murdock but she claims
the coin has already been returned to her. Marlowe returns to the coin dealer and finds him dead. Alex
Morny's henchman invites Marlowe to visit Morny at his nightclub, where Linda Conquest is singing.
Morny demands to know why Marlowe visited his wife, but eventually realizes he is not Marlowe's
quarry. Morny offers to hire Marlowe to investigate Vannier, giving him a suspicious receipt for
dentistry chemicals that Vannier lost. Marlowe also talks to Linda and decides she is probably not
involved in the theft.

Returning to the Murdocks, Marlowe is told a story he doesn’t believe: Leslie Murdock gave the coin
to Morny to secure his debts, then changed his mind and retrieved it. Marlowe leaves, beginning to
suspect a dark secret involving Merle, the timid family secretary, and Mrs. Murdock's first husband,
Horace Bright, who died falling out of a window. The police say the drunk has confessed to the murder
of Phillips, but Marlowe discovers he is covering for his landlord and is unlikely to be the real
murderer.

Merle arrives at Marlowe's apartment having a nervous breakdown. She claims to have shot Vannier,
although her story doesn’t make sense. Marlowe visits Vannier's home, finds him dead, and discovers a
photo of a man falling from a window with a woman behind him. Morny and Magic arrive, and
Marlowe hides while Morny tricks his wife into leaving her fingerprints on the gun near the body to
incriminate her. After they leave Marlowe puts the dead man's prints on the gun instead.

Marlowe visits Mrs. Murdock and reveals what he has figured out: Horace Bright once tried to force
himself on Merle, and she either pushed him or allowed him to fall out of a window to his death.
Vannier knew and was blackmailing the family. Mrs. Murdock admits it is true and says she regrets
ever hiring Marlowe. Marlowe confronts Leslie Murdock, revealing that he knew Murdock and Vannier
had a plot to duplicate the coin using dental technology. They had Lois Magic hire Phillips to sell the
fakes, but Phillips was frightened by the assignment and mailed the coin to Marlowe. Vannier killed
Phillips and the coin dealer to cover his tracks. Leslie killed Vannier because he threatened to ruin
Leslie if their scheme ever got out. Leslie confirms the plot, but Marlowe declines to turn him in. The
police discover Vannier's role in the counterfeiting and the murders of Phillips and the coin dealer, but
they rule his death a suicide.

Marlowe tells Merle it was Mrs. Murdock who pushed her husband out of the window and then blamed
Merle for it. Marlowe drives her cross country, to the home of her parents, safely away from Mrs.
Murdock. He watches her and her family as he drives away and says, "I had a funny feeling as I saw
the house disappear, as though I had written a poem and it was very good and I had lost it and would
never remember it again".

Time to Kill 1942

No Plot Summary on Wikipedia

It’s “Shane” not Marlowe, part of a series. The film has been simplified and events are expedited, but
Leslie still killed “Ventner.” Their counterfeiting scheme is all there is. The blackmail is just “extra.”
Morny is not a gangster, and there is no Eddie, so Leslie also killed Phillips and “Morningstar.” Hench
is just a stooge, and there is no Palermo. Morny doesn’t try to frame Lois.

Merle is not in love with Leslie, and Mrs Murdock dies choking on a piece of steak. (She also doesn’t
drink.) Merle isn’t so crazy, but does go visit her parents at the end. Linda and Shane/Marlowe hit it off
and may get married after her divorce goes through.

Overall the mood isn’t nearly as scummy as Chandler’s novel.