'Alcohol is like love. The first kiss is magic, the second is intimate, the third is routine. After that you take the girl's clothes off...'The first time that Marlowe met Terry Lennox, the man was drunk. The second time he was even drunker than the first.Marlowe meant to ask him why he'd had to have his face reconstructed and the rest of the story of his life. He didn't ask him, but if he had it just possibly might have saved a couple of lives. Just possibly, no more.Then there was Captain Gregorius, the sort of cop who solved crimes with a night stick to the base of the spine. For Marlowe it's always the way. You're a good guy. You do someone a favour or three and then you're all of a sudden right up to your neck...