John Banville To Write New Philip Marlowe Novel
John Banville, who recently finished his novel Ancient Light will be writing a Philip Marlowe novel under his pen name of Benjamin Black. It would be the first novel featuring the character created by Raymond Chandler since 1991, when Robert B. Parker wrote the novel Perchance to Dream.
“This all happened very speedily, in a matter of a few weeks,” Banville said of the deal to write a Philip Marlowe character. “Some years ago my agent, Ed Victor, had come up with the idea that I might write a Philip Marlowe novel, but the terms at the time weren’t right. In the meantime the Chandler estate changed hands, and suddenly I found myself committing to what is a daunting project.
“Chandler was a wonderful writer, with what I used to think of as an inimitable style – let’s hope its a little bit imitable – and of course Marlowe is a marvelous noir protagonist, perhaps the greatest of all private eyes. I’m excited to be calling him back to tackle another case.”
Returning along with the Marlowe character is his former colleague and friend, detective Bernie Ohls. The novel will be published sometime next year.