Publisher's Synopsis
It's 1938, and after years of writing short crime stories, Raymond Chandler questions his abilities to write his first crime novel and seeks out the advice of Dashiell Hammett.
So begins the first of two dozen interlocking profiles over 70 years that revolve around the classic 1946 Hollywood detective movie, The Big Sleep, which features hard-boiled dialogue, steamy Los Angeles in the 1940s, and of course, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The Big Sleep is famously known for its cryptic plot and infamous plot hole: the mysterious death of the chauffeur Owen Taylor. Who Pushed Taylor off the Pier? features twenty-four characters whose encounters with the mythical Owen Taylor create layers of history, myth, or revelation. Some of the characters include: the brilliant movie director looking to score an easy payout, the movie columnist dealing with post war trauma and the young movie theater owner trying to keep his dream theater afloat. Some find solace in their journey. Some become collateral damage. Some go raving mad. Who Pushed Taylor off the Pier? reminds us how much we love the movies and how they have shaped our culture.
