Guilt-Edged Blonde by Ross Macdonald

Originally published January 1954 in Manhunt; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

M

(L, V, D)

Coarse Language {PG}

Violence {M}

Drug Use {PG}

Representations

Gender:

Two female characters. Implication that women can trade on attractiveness for personal gain. Plot driven by maternal concern. Bechdel fail despite mutual presence in a scene.

Sex:

Heterosexuality only, suggestion of sex used as currency.

Race & Ethnicity:

The only mention of people of colour: "A gang of Negro boys at loose ends went by in the street, hooting and whistling purposelessly." Characters unmarked, presumed white USAian.

Disability, Physical Diversity and Health:

No mention.

Awards

None found.

Notes

I was pleased to find this story in the collection, since I'd read a bit about Ross Macdonald's Archer stories and was looking forward to reading them, but this one was a bit disappointing. Still a pleasant change as the first detective-solving-a-crime story since 'Who Said I Was Dead?', which this collection helped solidify for me are what I prefer in crime fiction.