Denise Mina revives Philip Marlowe in 'Die große Hitze'

Denise Mina, a Scottish author from Glasgow, becomes the first woman to revive Raymond Chandler's legendary hardboiled detective Philip Marlowe in her novel 'Die große Hitze'. The story returns to Los Angeles in the late 1930s during a heatwave, where Marlowe takes on a case to find Baby Maude's Pasco Pete, only to discover his remains. He is then hired by the wealthy Montgomery family to locate their runaway daughter Chrissie. The novel features historical figures like Jimmy the One and references Chandler's universe, including receptionist Mabel and police officer's daughter Anne Riordan. Translator and editor Else Laudan adapts Mina's work into German, preserving Chandler's distinctive sound and metaphors. The book is a crime tip for May 2026, praised for its well-researched Chandler pastiche that balances pulp and prose.