The Wycherly Woman

I enjoy Ross Macdonald. I have probably read all the Archer books over the last twenty years. They fit a certain mood. I cannot explain why I like him so much, mostly that melancholy mood that he creates, I think. Archer is a good man, but not too good. The other characters in the books are almost all screw-ups who make their own trouble or are victimized by the trouble created by others. The world they inhabit is vacuous and headed no where good. Although written long before American decline gained the unstoppable momentum of the current moment, these novels seem to anticipate that decline and chronicle it as well. Sad American stories of how money cures almost nothing, despite our lust for it, and how what might actually make us happy is all the more elusive because we do not value it sufficiently until it is too late. The Wycherly Woman is not the best of the lot but not the weakest either. Time with it is far better spent then 98% of the other "mysteries" out there.

College senior Phoebe Wycherly has gone missing and her wealthy father, California oilman Homer Wycherly is desperate to find her. So, he hires veteran PI Lew Archer to track her down. Most of the narrative unfolds in northern California, many miles away from Archer's home base in Los Angeles. Reading The Wycherly Woman is a real joy because the plot, though complex, is smoothly laid out with each chapter logically leading to the next. Also contributing to this novel's enjoyment quotient is the smart and plentiful dialogue Macdonald provides his characters. As Archer steadfastly pursues the facts behind Phoebe's disappearance, the suspense builds and builds. This has the effect of making The Wycherly Woman one of Ross Macdonald's most engaging mysteries. I do, however, have to deduct one star from the rating. The plot device on which the solution to the mystery rests, is based on one character assuming the identity of another with the use of a rather transparent form of disguise. Though one could believe that some might be fooled by this, Macdonald has structured the plot such that Archer himself is also taken in. And that goes against everything we know about the ace detective's ultra acute powers of observation, especially when it comes to "reading" people. A flawed yet extremely well written example of hardboiled detective fiction.

This was my third Ross MacDonald/Lew Archer mystery and probably my last. As with all detective series type novels, they are starting to lose their luster. As a stand-alone mystery novel it is top-notch in both story and charactarization, although the plot wandered a bit. I don't have the deep insight provided by the previous reviewer, but I can say that if you like Chandler style LA Noir, this one is as good as it gets.

This is only the second book I have read by MacDonald but it certainly won't be the last. The plot and characterizations were both very strong. From what I have read so far, MacDonald compares very favorably with Hammett and Chandler. The thing that I probably like best about MacDonald is that his detective, Lew Archer, seems more like a real person than most of the detectives in this genre. He is tough, but he also shows some sensitivity and human emotion.

This novel includes everything MacDonald is best known for: far-flung sagas of wealthy families, gritty portrayals of California's marginal sectors, memorable characters, moral dilemmas, and a twist-filled plot leading to an irresistable climax. Worth a try even if you don't like mysteries or detective novels