If you like reading about "shamuses" and "cold hearted broads" but don't have the time to read a full length classic crime novel then this is a great option. Chandler along with Dashiell Hammett are the undisputed masters of the genre and in this one we see private detective Carmady on the trail of Leander pearls. Some people may label this as formulaic in regards to the plot but I don't mind. To me it is like baked beans on toast. It may not be a very fancy meal but it is tasty, satisfying and you know what you are getting. With Chandler you get a gritty story, a chase and a pay off. And at the end because this is so short you may find yourself returning to it in the future.