close
Black Money Audiobook, by Ross Macdonald Play Audiobook Sample

Black Money Audiobook

Black Money Audiobook, by Ross Macdonald Play Audiobook Sample
FlexPass™ Price: $12.95
$9.95 for new members!
(Includes UNLIMITED podcast listening)
  • Love your audiobook or we'll exchange it
  • No credits to manage, just big savings
  • Unlimited podcast listening
Add to Cart
$9.95/m - cancel anytime - 
learn more
OR
Regular Price: $16.95 Add to Cart
Read By: Grover Gardner Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 4.83 hours at 1.5x Speed 3.63 hours at 2.0x Speed Series: The Lew Archer Series Release Date: July 2009 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781481568616

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

34

Longest Chapter Length:

25:06 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

05:59 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

12:49 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

17

Other Audiobooks Written by Ross Macdonald: > View All...

Publisher Description

When private investigator Lew Archer is hired to get the goods on the suspiciously suave Frenchman who’s run off with his client’s girlfriend, it looks like a simple case of alienated affections. Things look different when the mysterious foreigner turns out to be connected to a seven-year-old suicide and a mountain of gambling debts.

Black Money is Ross Macdonald at his finest, baring the skull beneath the suntanned skin of Southern California’s high society.

Download and start listening now!

"This is the best Ross Macdonald book I've read so far. He's a stronger writer than Hammett, as strong a writer as Chandler, but less literary. Somewhere between the grace of Chandler and the pulp brutish force of Spillane. Very dark depiction of filial relations. Highly recommended."

— Daniel (5 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “A beautiful job…rich in plot and character…The denouement is both surprising and shocking, and the whole is up to Mr. Macdonald’s extraordinarily high standards.”

    — New York Times Book Review
  • “Grover Gardner’s voice is clear and tough, a natural for the hard-boiled first-person narrative. Macdonald’s story—involving gambling debts, murder, sex, and blackmail—is as satisfyingly gritty as one expects…Gardner’s narration makes it all lively and fresh, rather than a nostalgic relic.”

    — AudioFile
  • “Master professional narrator Grover Gardner, who becomes each carefully drawn character and captures the exact mood and the many varied accents in the dialog, is outstanding here…A classy narrator in a classic of the genre. Five stars!”

    — SoundCommentary.com
  • “Lew Archer is as much of an institution as Perry Mason…It’s a thinking man’s murder mystery.”

    — Kirkus Reviews

Awards

  • A 2010 Audie Award Finalist for Best Mystery Narration
  • A Los Angeles Times Pick of the Best Mystery Series

Black Money Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.875 out of 53.875 out of 53.875 out of 53.875 out of 53.875 out of 5 (3.88)
5 Stars: 10
4 Stars: 4
3 Stars: 7
2 Stars: 3
1 Stars: 0
Narration: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 (5.00)
5 Stars: 1
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 (5.00)
5 Stars: 1
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Story Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    — PRS, 8/1/2021
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Ross MacDonald's favorite among his works and certainly among my favorites from among his works! "

    — Brian, 1/27/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Some pretty good noir-voice moments but unfortunately a bit racist in points. Not offensive in 1965? "

    — Beth, 1/22/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Macdonald writes a many-layered plot better than anyone since Wodehouse, and his detective, Lew Archer, is the perfect combination of tough guy and philosopher. "

    — Ak-75, 1/17/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Ok mystery, but kind of generic and boring. I prefer books with a bit more spice. "

    — Teddy, 1/14/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I gave this 3 stars because the surprise ending just sort of dropped off. I thought he could have tied things up much better. "

    — Mark, 12/12/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Solid and highly entertaining detective fiction, on the noir side. "

    — Stacey, 12/1/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Another great Lew Archer story. In typical Ross Macdonald style, the plot is clever and complex, so you will never figure out "whodunit" until it is revealed at the end. "

    — Valerie, 11/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Well plotted, but not one of my faves. "

    — David, 10/17/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Ross Macdonald -- maybe my favorite noir guy out there. This is my fifth Lew Archer novel and I'm absolutely loving it. "

    — Kurt, 8/21/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " First rate crime fiction. Or fiction, period. "

    — Paul, 5/15/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Part of my quick but thorough immersion in the hard-boiled detective genre. Hammett, Chandler, Ross Macdonald . . . read nine books by them and EC Bentley in nine days. This is one of the best (well, almost all Ross Macdonald's Lew Archer books are the best. "

    — David, 3/18/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Crime noir? Or crime snore? "

    — Kathy, 3/27/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " dreams of social mobility / transcendence in USA of 1950's "

    — thegift, 10/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Good. A bit not PC in places but good solid vintage detective. "

    — Ruth, 5/16/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Fantastic noir re-imagining of the Great Gatsby, updated with 60s-era hedonism and cultural fatigue. "

    — Jessica, 4/7/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Well plotted, but not one of my faves. "

    — David, 3/25/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Crime noir? Or crime snore? "

    — Kathy, 7/28/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Ross MacDonald's favorite among his works and certainly among my favorites from among his works! "

    — Brian, 6/25/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " dreams of social mobility / transcendence in USA of 1950's "

    — thegift, 6/11/2010
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Ross Macdonald -- maybe my favorite noir guy out there. This is my fifth Lew Archer novel and I'm absolutely loving it. "

    — Kurt, 12/16/2009
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " My first and Ross MacDonald novel. He has few rivals for the use of the <br/>language. "

    — Armando, 8/15/2009
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A Strict private detective procedural. <br/> <br/>No personal problems for the detective. <br/> <br/>But great stories of wounded people. <br/> <br/>Particularly of daughters who disdain their parents and run off with the worst kind of trash. <br/> <br/> "

    — Jackpl, 2/19/2009
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Overall my favorite Macdonald book. A great inspiration to me. "

    — Mark, 1/20/2008

About Ross Macdonald

Ross Macdonald (1915–1983) was the pen name of Kenneth Millar. For over twenty years he lived in Santa Barbara and wrote mystery novels about the fascinating and changing society of his native state. He is widely credited with elevating the detective novel to the level of literature with his compactly written tales of murder and despair. His works have received awards from the Mystery Writers of America and of Great Britain, and his book The Moving Target was made into the movie Harper in 1966. In 1982 he was awarded the Eye Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Private Eye Writers of America.

About Grover Gardner

Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.