Lew Archer

Lew Archer is a fictional character created by Ross Macdonald. He is a private eye working in Southern California. Initially, he was similar, to the point of being derivative, to Philip Marlowe. However, he eventually broke from that mould, though some similarity remains. His major difference is he is much more sensitive and empathic then the tough Marlowe. He also serves a different function to Marlowe. Raymond Chandler's books were studies of Marlowe's character and code of honor. Macdonald on the other hand used Archer as a lens to explore the relationships of the other characters in the books.

Books

Novels:

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• The Moving Target (1949)
• The Drowning Pool (1950)
• The Way Some People Die (1951)
• The Ivory Grin (1952; AKA Marked for Murder)
• Find a Victim (1954)
• The Barbarous Coast (1956)
• The Doomsters (1958)
• The Galton Case (1959)
• The Ferguson Affair (1960)
• The Wycherly Woman (1961)
• The Zebra-Striped Hearse (1962)
• The Chill (1964)
• The Far Side of the Dollar (1965)
• Black Money (1966)
• The Instant Enemy (1968)
• The Goodbye Look (1969)
• The Underground Man (1971)
• Sleeping Beauty (1973)
• The Blue Hammer (1976)

Short stories:

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• "Find the Woman" (June 1946, EQMM)
• "The Bearded Lady" (American Magazine, October 1948)
• "The Imaginary Blonde" (February 1953, Manhunt; AKA Gone Girl)
• "The Guilty Ones" (May 1953, Manhunt; AKA The Sinister Habit)
• "The Beat-Up Sister" (October 1953, Manhunt; AKA The Suicide)
• "Guilt-Edged Blonde" ( January 1954, Manhunt)
• "Wild Goose Chase" (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July 1954)
• "Midnight Blue" (October 1960, Ed McBain's Mystery Magazine)
• "The Sleeping Dog" (April 1965, Argosy)

in three collections: My Name is Archer, Lew Archer, Private Investigator, and Strangers in Town

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