"The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler Quiz

Answer: Doghouse Reilly

From the very beginning Marlowe is wary of this girl with the "sharp predatory teeth". Later it seems that every time he meets her he is irritated by her giggle that begins to make him feel edgy. Her habit of sucking her thumb like a baby is another aspect of her behaviour that puts him on his guard.

Answer: in the greenhouse amongst all the orchids.

One of the later scenes is set in the General's bedroom where he lies apparently on the brink of death but the first meeting takes place in the stiflingly hot atmosphere of the greenhouse. The General admits that he doesn't even like orchids but that he exists on heat "like a newborn spider, and the orchids are an excuse for the heat."

Answer: twenty-five dollars a day plus expenses

Throughout the book Marlowe has many conversations about the cost of his hire and what he is prepared to do for it. No matter what the temptation he tries to keep to the bargain he strikes with his clients when he starts. It is the only way he can try to live with himself and preserve some sense of honour.

Answer: Rusty

At Marlowe's first meeting with Mrs.Vivian Regan, the elder Sternwood daughter, the reader learns that Rusty Regan is missing and that Mrs. Regan wants to know if Marlowe has been hired by her father (the General) to find him. Marlowe refuses to tell her one way or the other. This is a part of his loyalty to his client.

Answer: a pornographic book shop

Geiger is the man who is trying to blackmail General Sternwood. Marlowe follows one of the clients from Geiger's shop and discovers exactly the sort of book that was being sold. When Geiger is killed other people try to move in on his pornography business.

Answer: "His left eye is glass."

"In his early forties,medium height, fattish....Charlie Chan moustache, thick soft neck. Soft all over."
Later when Marlowe finds Geiger's body he remarks that "His glass eye shone brightly up at me and was by far the most life-like thing about him."

Answer: He had been shot three times at close range.

Marlowe had in fact heard the shots whilst he was outside the house. He notices that none of the shots had missed its target.

Answer: Carmen Sternwood

Carmen is under the influence of drugs or drink and is sitting naked in front of a camera in a pornographic pose. The exposed plate from the camera is missing. Marlowe manages to get her back home to the Sternwood mansion.

Answer: in a car in the sea off Lido fish pier

Marlowe drives out there with Bernie Ohls, the detective from the District Attorney's department who first got him the case with the Sternwoods. Taylor's death is the one that is most difficult to account for in the whole story. It is even possible (though unlikely) that Taylor committed suicide.

Answer: Carol Lundgren - Geiger's lover

Carol Lungren is a man and was Geiger's homosexual lover.He wrongly thinks that Brody was responsible for his friend's death. In fact Taylor had shot Geiger because of what he was doing to Carmen.

Answer: The Cypress Club

Most of what goes on at the Cypress Club is illegal but the authorities make no effort to close it down. Marlowe finds that elements of the police force and the District Attorney's Office keep Eddie Mars well-informed about what is going on in "his" area.

Answer: his pipe

Mrs.Regan has won a big sum at roulette by betting constantly on red. Marlowe suspects that the attempted robbery was merely a faked routine so that Eddie Mars could recover the money he had lost. Mars has a hold over Mrs. Regan which would make her bound to cooperate.

Answer: He is a very small man.

At first Marlowe shows no respect for the little man who has been on his trail looking for his little "piece of the action". Later he revises this opinion when he learns of his attitude towards Agnes, the blonde from the book store.

Answer: He poisons his drink using cyanide.

Canino, who is Eddie Mars'chief hitman, tries to get Harry Jones to tell him where Agnes is hiding. Jones says that Agnes is his girl now and that he doesn't put his girl "in the middle for anybody". Canino poisons him without any show of feelings.

Answer: Silver-Wig

Eddie Mars' wife has gone into hiding voluntarily and is willingly following her husband's orders. She even had her hair cut off to show how much she loved him. It takes a while for Marlowe to convince her that Eddie Mars may not do the killings personally but he is the one that gives Canino his orders.