Book Review: The Drowning Pool

Reviewed By: Jennifer Jordan

The Drowning Pool    
Ross MacDonald
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Classic   Hard Boiled
Series: Lew Archer # 2
1978, Vintage Crime Mystery, 244 pp

I was well motivated to consume this book, in its entirety, from the first page. It felt real. An atmosphere of mistrust crept in and foreboding quickly followed on its heels. It reflected the best, but mostly the worst, aspects of being human. All that is deep and dark in people and in families is put on display for Lew Archer. I liked him, I empathized with him, but I wouldn't want to be him.

When Maude Slocum walked into Archer's office, beautiful, troubled and reticent, events were silently set in motion that would leave some lives shattered and others ended. Archer slowly extracts the reason behind Mrs. Slocums visit. She intercepted a letter intended for her husband that infers her involvement in an affair. An affair that she denies. Somewhat. Against his better judgment, Archer takes the case and has the misfortune of being present when his client's mother-in-law is found drown. The whole house is full of suspects including Maude's spineless husband, her sexually precocious young daughter, the newly fired chauffeur and Maude, herself. And that is only the first layer to be revealed.

I experienced this book in a much more cerebral sense than I'd expected for anything with the moniker "hard-boiled". But, I experienced it even more deeply in an emotional sense. The disparity between the classes, the nefarious aspirations of corporations, the closely held secrets within families and the difference one decision can make in a life are manifested on these pages. Ross Macdonald wrote with a conscience. I wish more writer's emulated him.

Jennifer Jordan

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Jennifer Jordan