Most Popular Books by Dashiell Hammett

The Maltese Falcon is the archetypal ‘hardboiled’ detective story, rich in intriguing characters, dark exciting action and featuring the greatest of all cool, tough private eyes, Sam Spade. Written in 1930, the novel has a timeless quality that makes it fresh and exciting for each new generation of readers. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, cloth-bound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. Sam Spade is hired by the alluring Miss Wonderley to track down her sister, who has eloped with ne-er do well Floyd Thursby. But when Spade’s partner Miles Archer is murdered while on Thursby''s trail, Spade finds himself both hunter and hunted: can he track down the mythical jewel-encrusted Falcon, a treasure worth killing for, before the Fat Man and how far can he trust the seductive Miss Wonderley? Dashiel Hammett’s noir classic is written in sharp, terse prose that gives a cinematic vividness to the characters and their milieu.

The Thin Man (1934) is a detective novel by Dashiell Hammett, made famouos by the series of movies based on it starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. The story is set in New York City during the Christmas season of 1932, in the last days of Prohibition in the United States. Nick Charles, a retired private detective, and Nora, his socialite wife, become embroiled in a mystery.

Lost Stories rescues 21 long-unavailable Dashiell Hammett stories from the first fiction he wrote to the last, each with an explanation of how the author''s life shaped his story and how the story fits in his life.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "The Glass Key" by Dashiell Hammett. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Presents five novels by Dashiell Hamilton, all published between 1929 and 1934.

"Red Harvest" by Dashiell Hammett is a hard-boiled crime novel that catapults readers into the gritty underworld of a corrupt city filled with violence, betrayal, and moral ambiguity. In this gripping tale, the nameless Continental Op is hired to investigate the mysterious case of a murder in the town of Personville, a place controlled by powerful crime families and political corruption. What begins as a straightforward investigation soon spirals into a deadly game of manipulation and survival, as the Op is thrust into a violent world where allies and enemies are often indistinguishable. As the Op digs deeper into the city’s underbelly, he uncovers a web of deceit, with everyone from politicians to gangsters vying for control. The Op, known for his cold, methodical approach, becomes embroiled in the town’s ruthless power struggle. He plays both sides against each other, creating chaos in a town already on the brink of collapse. In his pursuit of justice, the Op employs a mix of sharp wit, force, and determination, navigating through a labyrinth of lies and danger at every turn. "Red Harvest" is a fast-paced, intense novel filled with action, sharp dialogue, and moral complexity. Hammett’s bleak portrayal of a city plagued by corruption paints a dark picture of a world where loyalty is fleeting and trust is a luxury. With its intricate plot, strong characters, and relentless pace, "Red Harvest" captures the essence of the hard-boiled genre and has inspired countless adaptations in crime fiction. For fans of noir fiction, "Red Harvest" is a must-read. Hammett’s mastery of suspense and his ability to create tension in every scene make this book a thrilling and unforgettable experience. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961) was an American author and pioneer of hardboiled detective fiction. A former Pinkerton detective, Hammett brought grit and realism to the genre with his sharp prose and morally complex characters. His iconic works, including "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Thin Man", introduced legendary sleuths like Sam Spade and Nick and Nora Charles. Hammett’s influence extends beyond literature, shaping film noir and redefining crime fiction. A master of storytelling, his works continue to captivate readers with their wit, tension, and timeless style.

The three classic novels published here in one volume are rich with the crisp prose, subtle characters, and intricate plots that made Dashiell Hammett one of the most admired writers of the twentieth century. A one-time detective and a master of deft understatement, Hammett virtually invented the hard-boiled crime novel. In The Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade, a private eye with his own solitary code of ethics, tangles with a beautiful and treacherous woman whose loyalties shift at the drop of a dime. The Thin Man introduces Hammett''s wittiest creations, Nick and Nora Charles, who solve homicides in between wisecracks and martinis. And in Red Harvest, Hammett''s anonymous tough-guy detective, the Continental Op, takes on the entire town of Poisonville in a deadly war against corruption. "Dashiell Hammett is a master of the detective novel, yes, but also one hell of a writer."—Boston Globe ”Hammett was spare, hard-boiled, but he did over and over what only the best writers can ever do. He wrote scenes that seemed never to have been written before.”—Raymond Chandler ”Hammett’s prose was clean and entirely unique. His characters were as sharply and economically defined as any in American fiction.”—The New York Times ”As a novelist of realistic intrigue, Hammett was unsurpassed in his own or any time.”—Ross Macdonald ”Dashiell Hammett’s dialogues can be compared only with the best in Hemingway.”—André Gide ”Hammett is one of the best contemporary American writers.”—Gertrude Stein

er editors. Also included are revealing essays & an early version of the novel The Thin Man.

Twenty long-unavailable stories by Dashiell Hammett, the author of The Maltese Falcon and the incomparable master of detective fiction. In the title story, a man on a bender enters a small town and ends up unraveling the dark mystery at its heart. A woman confronts the brutal truth about her husband in the chilling story "Ruffian''s Wife." "His Brother''s Keeper" is a half-wit boxer''s eulogy to the brother who betrayed him. "The Second-Story Angel" recounts one of the most novel cons ever devised. In seven stories, the tough and taciturn Continental Op takes on a motley collection of the deceitful, the duped, and the dead, and once again shows his uncanny ability to get at the truth. In three stories, Sam Spade confronts the darkness in the human soul while rolling his own cigarettes. And the first study for The Thin Man sends John Guild on a murder investigation in which almost every witness may be lying. In Nightmare Town, Dashiell Hammett, America''s poet laureate of the dispossessed, shows us a world where people confront a multitude of evils. Whether they are trying to right wrongs or just trying to survive, all of them are rendered with Hammett''s signature gifts for sharp-edged characters and blunt dialogue. Hammett said that his ambition was to elevate mystery fiction to the level of art. This collection of masterful stories clearly illustrates Hammett''s success, and shows the remarkable range and variety of the fiction he produced.

A selection from the letters of Dashiell Hammett, the American writer of crime fiction. Here is Hammett the family man, distant but devoted; Hammett the student of politics, scanning the headlines from a Marxist perspective; and Hammett the lover of Lillian Hellman, delighting in her style, humour, accomplishments, but maintaining his independence. Celebrity, soldier, activist, survivor--these letters show how Hammett was each of these in turn, but was always, above all, a writer.

"This first unabridged appearance of two Nick and Nora Charles ''novellas'' by Hammett should be an occasion for delight, and it is." — The Wall Street Journal Dashiell Hammett was a crime writer who elevated the genre to true literature, and The Thin Man was Hammett''s last—and most successful—novel. Following the enormous success of The Thin Man movie in 1934, Hammett was commissioned to write stories for additional films. He wrote two full-length novellas, for the films that became After the Thin Man and Another Thin Man. Bringing back his classic characters, retired private investigator Nick Charles and his former debutante wife Nora, who return home to find Nora''s family gardener murdered, pulling the couple back into another deadly game of cat and mouse. Hammett has written two fully satisfying Thin Man stories, with classic, barbed Hammett dialogue and fully developed characters. Written in the style of a screenplay treatment, The Return of the Thin Man is a hugely entertaining read that brings back two classic characters from one of the greatest mystery writers who ever lived. This book is destined to become essential reading for Hammett''s millions of fans and a new generation of mystery readers the world over. "Read Return of the Thin Man and rediscover why Dashiell Hammett was the peerless master of crime fiction in all its dark and bloody glory." — New York Journal of Books "A volume no fan of Hammett''s, of Nick and Nora Charles, of The Thin Man series should even think of doing without." — The Huffington Post

In "The Adventures of Sam Spade and Other Stories," Dashiell Hammett further cements his status as a pioneer of hard-boiled detective fiction. This collection not only showcases the exploits of the iconic private investigator Sam Spade but also delves into the underbelly of 1920s America, revealing a world rife with corruption, seduction, and moral ambiguity. Hammett''s sharp prose and gritty realism are hallmarks of his literary style, employing clever dialogue and intricate plots that reflect the societal tensions of his time, making this collection a defining text in the emergence of modern crime fiction. Dashiell Hammett, a former Pinkerton detective, brings a rare authenticity to his storytelling, blending his personal experiences with a nuanced understanding of human nature and crime. His background undoubtedly influenced his portrayal of Spade''s morally complex character, allowing readers to glimpse the disillusionment of an era grappling with rapid change and the erosion of traditional values. Hammett''s masterful craftsmanship reflects not just his skill as a writer but also the disenchanted worldview that permeated the post-World War I landscape. For readers who appreciate richly layered narratives filled with suspense and psychological insight, "The Adventures of Sam Spade and Other Stories" is a seminal work that offers both entertainment and profound commentary on the human condition. This collection is essential for those interested in the evolution of detective fiction and for anyone captivated by the dark, compelling world Hammett so expertly constructs.

When a beautiful woman walks into Sam Spade''s office with a story about a missing sister, the cynical private eye expects a routine case. But within hours, his partner is dead, and Spade is entangled in a lethal web of greed, betrayal, and murder. At the center of it all is a mysterious, jewel-encrusted statuette of a falcon—a "black bird" that men have killed for throughout history. Pursued by a trio of eccentric, ruthless criminals, Spade must navigate the fog-filled streets of San Francisco, where trust is a luxury he can''t afford. In a world where everyone has an angle, he must stay one step ahead of the police and the killers alike. Dashiell Hammett''s masterpiece is the definitive hard-boiled detective novel. With its razor-sharp dialogue and unflinching realism, it birthed the legend of the private eye and remains a cornerstone of 20th-century American literature. Enter the shadows. Find the bird. Discover the cold, hard truth.

This collection features two of Dashiell Hammett’s best-known short stories “The Big Knockover,” and “$106,000 Blood Money” together, as they were meant to be read. In these connected stories, the Continental Op faces down an unprecedented influx of criminals into his native San Francisco, as the horde plans to collect a big payday by robbing two banks simultaneously, and then must hunt down the mastermind responsible for this elaborate crime spree. “The Big Knockover” witnesses the return of Dashiell Hammett’s hard-boiled detective character known only as The Continental Op. One of the earliest characters in the world of detective fiction, The Op paved the way for similar private eyes like Hammett’s own Sam Spade and Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. The Op, however, had a personality all his own—uncompassionate, gruff, and stocky—and was never the prototypical heroic protagonist. He was, however the perfect fit for the genre in the early days of the hardboiled detective genre. HarperCollins brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperCollins short-stories collection to build your digital library.

"Arson Plus" is the story that introduced the world to the Continental Op, the nameless detective whom Dashiell Hammett described as "a little man going forward day after day through mud and blood and death and deceit--as callous and brutal and cynical as necessary" (William F. Nolan, Dashiell Hammett: A Casebook). Born in the pages of Black Mask in 1923, the Continental Op is ageless, a hardworking hero as much for our time as he is for his own. Rediscover the early stories of the original hardboiled detective in the first volume of the Collected Case Files of the Continental Op, featuring "Arson Plus," "Slippery Fingers," and "Crooked Souls."