The Underground Man

When Lew Archer witnesses the abduction of a boy he is drawn into a tortuously complex case of murder and blackmail hidden amongst the wealthiest families of small town California.

I rarely like a Noir book for the plot but I enjoyed the way this twisted tale unfurled which, like the forest fire it’s set against, it rapidly breaks out in all directions and tries to consume all. Although, it does this in sedately fashion; one of the key joys is the pacing, the steady unfurling of what could easily be a torrid soap opera of a plot. Affairs and loveless marriages, blackmail, murder and rape, mental illness are all slowly unearthed but Lew's humane pragmatism grounds it all whilst ramping up the tension. It is a tale with a strong theme as show more one generations sins hit the next and then next and then?

It's hard to pick out a negative part, it is what it is after all and has aged well. This book does sit towards the end of a series but that didn't negatively impact the tale and I am intrigued to try an early one and see how the character starts out. show less

One of Ross Macdonald's best, right up there with The Galton Case and The Chill (and my all-time favorite, The Wycherly Woman). I knocked half a star off my rating only because a few befuddled observations about "these kids today" were awkwardly inserted into the narrative at certain key points. Still, they're mercifully brief and were the expression of a sincere concern on Macdonald's part: convinced that young people were growing increasingly disaffected, he worried about the world they were inheriting from his generation. More than ever, the Archer of The Underground Man is an extension of/mouthpiece for the author himself. There's not much physical action, but the book is loaded with the kind of mystery and psychological tension show more that only Macdonald could produce.

Against the nerve-jangling backdrop of a wildfire that's spreading rapidly through the hills above Santa Teresa (Macdonald's fictionalized version of Santa Barbara), Archer searches for a missing boy who may have witnessed a murder. The private detective finds himself moved by the plight of the boy and his frantic young mother, and commits to a deeper personal investment in the case than is customary for him. Weary and cynical in middle age, Archer nonetheless views the novel's characters and their motivations from a heightened emotional perspective, which makes this a special book. Troubled families and the fascinating convolutions of their histories are a central part of The Underground Man, just as they're a central part of all Macdonald's novels, but what's really noteworthy this time around is the maturity that allows Archer to empathize with the other characters despite their flaws. Compare this Lew Archer to the more brusque iteration in The Ivory Grin or The Barbarous Coast to see just how far he (and Macdonald) had come. show less

“Half-way down the stairs I paused and leaned on the handrail and told myself that I was descending into trouble: a pretty young woman with a likeable boy and a wandering husband. A hot wind was blowing in my face.”

Throw in a raging wildfire, and Lew Archer definitely has his hands full in this one! And then the bodies start stacking up! It's a good story, with lots of characters, and their sexual partners, to keep track of! Marin County, where I live, pops into the story in chapter 24! Specifically, the city of Sausalito. Kind of fun for me!

Great last line: "We passed the steaming remnants of the fire and drove on south through the rain."

I picked this book because of an article in the New Yorker (March 3, 2025) titled "The Classic show more Mystery That Prefigured the Los Angeles Wildfires". Those are the fires that ravaged the L.A. area this past January. Weird, huh? Anway, that article inspired me to pick up this book, and this book has inspired me to read the whole Lew Archer series! Thanks New Yorker! show less

Another compelling and extremely well-written entry in Ross Macdonald's Lew Archer series of detective novels. This one, in concert with Macdonald's ongoing theme, revolves around an old family secret that comes back to haunt those lucky enough to have survived the events of the secret. Macdonald is simply one of the best writers of this sort of fiction, a writer with poetry and heartbreak and melancholy in his soul who conveys those attributes without undue cynicism and with an unobtrusive but magical way with words. This is one of his best.

This is my favorite Macdonald book I've read thus far! Read in one day because I couldn't put it down. Such great descriptive prose!

"She opened the wardrobe closet for my inspection. It was stuffed with coats and dresses like a small army of girls crushed flat for storage and smelling of sachet. The chest of drawers was full of sweaters and other garments, like shed or unused skins."

Just when Ross Macdonald looked like he might be too tied to an academic/intellectual-classical-Greek theme for each of his mysteries, he moves away and produces this story of family intrigue. Regardless of the story line, his writing is a pleasure to read. It is among the best mysteries he produced.

This is a Lew Archer mystery that for me is one of the best books in the series. Archer's involvement in the story is as much personal as business and there are two themes from the series that are brought out very well.
The book begins with Archer out in his front yard throwing peanuts to some blue jays. A small boy comes out of the house next door and joins him. He is Ronald Broadhurst who becomes a central figure in the story. This beginning is a perfect set up for the rest of the story. His parents have just separated and after Ronny's father picks him up to visit his grandmother he disappears and Archer is hired to find him.
In the course of his search for Ronny Archer meets Sue Crandall and Jerry Kilpatrick. They are two young people show more who are alienated from their parents and the rest of the world. This is a theme that appears often in MacDonald's books. Parents and their children talking past each other without communicating living in different worlds. The parents all think they have good relationships with their children but the children are really just objects in the parent's world. The children feel alone and unloved and act out these feelings to the confusion of the parents.
Sue and Jerry take Ronald away on a boat which Jerry is taking care of. Archer follows their trail which ends up with Sue standing on the side of the Golden Gate Bridge deciding whether or not to jump.
Stanley Broadhurst is found buried behind his mother's house having started a disastrous fire during the course of his murder. Further digging finds that his father, who was murdered 15 years ago is buried beneath him. All of the murders are traced back to one of Archer's favorite villains. A seemingly nice old lady who has lived a life motivated by fear and hate. I don't think this requires a spoiler alert since there are several suspects for this role.
This book was very well written and is one of my favorite Lew Archer novels to date. There is a real depth to the characters and Archer's interaction with them. MacDonald is an excellent writer who writes detective stories that are good literature. show less