--- product_id: 10972930 title: "The Moving Target (Lew Archer Series)" price: "AED 73" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/10972930-the-moving-target-lew-archer-series store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # The Moving Target (Lew Archer Series) **Price:** AED 73 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Moving Target (Lew Archer Series) - **How much does it cost?** AED 73 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/10972930-the-moving-target-lew-archer-series) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The first book in Ross Macdonald's acclaimed Lew Archer series introduces the detective who redefined the role of the American private eye and gave the crime novel a psychological depth and moral complexity only hinted at before. Like many Southern California millionaires, Ralph Sampson keeps odd company. There's the sun-worshipping holy man whom Sampson once gave his very own mountain; the fading actress with sidelines in astrology and S&M. Now one of Sampson's friends may have arranged his kidnapping. As Lew Archer follows the clues from the canyon sanctuaries of the megarich to jazz joints where you get beaten up between sets, The Moving Target blends sex, greed, and family hatred into an explosively readable crime novel. Review: My Favorite American Crime Noir Novel Thus Far - "The Moving Target" by Ross Macdonald is an American Crime Noir Novel published in 1949. It is the first of the "Lew Archer" series. It is set in California on the Pacific Coast. The story is clever and interesting. The writing is particularly good. There are a LOT of very descriptive passages of scenery. I like that very much. There are some very interesting metaphors. The scenery and metaphors are what make this novel so very good to me, more so than the mystery. The mystery itself is clever. For a reader not enthralled with scenery, this may not prove as enjoyable a novel as it does to me. I have been conducting a survey of American Mystery Noir form the 1920's, 30's, 40's, and 50's. Of the novels that I have thus far read in this category, this is my favorite. American Society has evolved since 1920. Certain terminology about ethicity and gender are no longer acceptable. While I don't believe at all in censorship, and contnue to read novels as written, as a reviewer I want to enable readers to either avoid the "cringe factor" or be alert to its presence. This particular novel seems more erudite and less crass than many novels in this category. The setting for this novel is Sante Teresa, California. This is a fictional city. The reason I mention this is that Sante Teresa, California is also the setting of Sue Grafton's "Kinsey Millhone" novels. Sue Grafton's writing puts me in mind of Ross Mcdonald. Her fiction is somewhat lighter and has some comedic aspect that this novel does not have. This novel is excellent, but it is definitely Noir. In summary, I really like this novel. This is my favorite thus far of American Crime Noir from this period. I read the novel on Kindle and listened to the audiobook simultaneously. The audiobook is also excellent. However with intricate writing of scenery, I also need to reread and re listen. for me this is really worth the effort. Thank You... Review: 1949 but Still a Very Good Read - This will be my 5 th time reading this book. The first time was 40years ago. It has aged well . f you like a good gritty hard nosed detective novel this is a good read. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #148,587 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #552 in Hard-Boiled Mystery #1,192 in Private Investigator Mysteries (Books) #6,848 in Suspense Thrillers | | Customer Reviews | 4.1 out of 5 stars 1,199 Reviews | ## Images ![The Moving Target (Lew Archer Series) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61SWmYoGYJL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My Favorite American Crime Noir Novel Thus Far *by F***Y on August 12, 2020* "The Moving Target" by Ross Macdonald is an American Crime Noir Novel published in 1949. It is the first of the "Lew Archer" series. It is set in California on the Pacific Coast. The story is clever and interesting. The writing is particularly good. There are a LOT of very descriptive passages of scenery. I like that very much. There are some very interesting metaphors. The scenery and metaphors are what make this novel so very good to me, more so than the mystery. The mystery itself is clever. For a reader not enthralled with scenery, this may not prove as enjoyable a novel as it does to me. I have been conducting a survey of American Mystery Noir form the 1920's, 30's, 40's, and 50's. Of the novels that I have thus far read in this category, this is my favorite. American Society has evolved since 1920. Certain terminology about ethicity and gender are no longer acceptable. While I don't believe at all in censorship, and contnue to read novels as written, as a reviewer I want to enable readers to either avoid the "cringe factor" or be alert to its presence. This particular novel seems more erudite and less crass than many novels in this category. The setting for this novel is Sante Teresa, California. This is a fictional city. The reason I mention this is that Sante Teresa, California is also the setting of Sue Grafton's "Kinsey Millhone" novels. Sue Grafton's writing puts me in mind of Ross Mcdonald. Her fiction is somewhat lighter and has some comedic aspect that this novel does not have. This novel is excellent, but it is definitely Noir. In summary, I really like this novel. This is my favorite thus far of American Crime Noir from this period. I read the novel on Kindle and listened to the audiobook simultaneously. The audiobook is also excellent. However with intricate writing of scenery, I also need to reread and re listen. for me this is really worth the effort. Thank You... ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1949 but Still a Very Good Read *by K***R on May 18, 2023* This will be my 5 th time reading this book. The first time was 40years ago. It has aged well . f you like a good gritty hard nosed detective novel this is a good read. ### ⭐⭐⭐ All the Classic PI Elements *by S***Y on April 20, 2011* "Her voice was clear and fresh, but the sickness was there in her laugh, a little clatter of bitterness under the trill," private detective Lew Archer says of his new client. She wants him to find her rich husband, who, it seems, gave his private pilot the slip and went off on his own. Not an unusual occurrence, she explains, but the man has been known to do foolish things when he is drunk and unsupervised. He tends to give things away -- things she that will be hers when he dies. The case of the missing Ralph Sampson sets the plot in motion in "The Moving Target", the first book in Ross MacDonald's series featuring Lew Archer. Copyrighted in 1949, the book contains all of the elements of the classic tough guy, PI genre of the period. Characters include Sampson's beautiful daughter who seems to be in love with his handsome, indifferent pilot; the family attorney, an old friend of Archer's, who seems to be in love with the daughter; a shady nightclub owner; his movie actress wife, whose star has almost faded; an attractive has-been pianist; and a strange "spiritual" advisor, who lives on the mountain Sampson gave him. There are guns, fist fights, beatings, uncooperative cops, and mysterious chauffeurs. There are Archer's thoughts on life and things that shout there is more going on than first meets the eye (so to speak). All of this makes for an enjoyable read that is somewhat reminiscent of John D. MacDonald and echoes Raymond Chandler. This is not the best book in the series, but it is the place to start reading the Archer books and a good read -- even if at least one of the bad guys seems pretty evident to the reader before Archer seems to tumble to him. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/10972930-the-moving-target-lew-archer-series](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/10972930-the-moving-target-lew-archer-series) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-06-01*