Lunchtime read: The High Window

The plot starts to thicken and the shady characters start to multiply as Marlowe tries to get nearer to the truth. The first murder occurs and after that the guns are out as the temperature rises.

Highlights from chapters seven to thirteen

* Having established links with a fellow private detective who wants to share information Marlowe heads off to see the coin dealer who admits that he was offered it at $800 but will sell at $1,000 making some profit on the transaction

* Afterwards he heads for his meeting with the fellow detective but discovers him dead in his bathroom and heads to the building manager and gets him involved with the discovery of the body

* The killer has swapped his gun with that of the neighbour in the apartment across the hall and as a result there is a fight and then the police take away the man who seems to be an innocent victim

* Marlowe leaves the police and heads back to his office where a package turns up containing the coin he is after so he phones the client who grumpily informs him that she had also had the coin returned and wants to terminate his services

Where have the two coins come from? Will Marlowe give up the case? More tomorrow…