In 1939 the American detective novel was in its early developmental stage. A few writers, notably Rex Stout, S.S. van Dyne, and Ellery Queen, were attempting to graft the Sherlock Holmes model to the American landscape, and one brilliant innovator, Dashiell Hammett, had completed three novels in a new sub-genre, the tough guy detective –

and

(both 1929) and

(1930). A substantial number of short stories in the new mode were coming out of the pulp magazines, especially

, some of them written by ex-oil company executive Raymond Chandler, who wanted to become known as a crime novelist. That year, Chandler produced one of the most important and innovative novels in the American crime lexicon,

With its intricate plot,…

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Citation: Dougherty, David C.. "The Big Sleep". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 05 June 2019 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1461, accessed 23 November 2024.]

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