The Maltese Falcon is the archetypal 'hardboiled' detective story, rich in exotic characters, dark exciting action and featuring of 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. Sam Spade is hired by the fragrant 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 ...
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The Maltese Falcon is the archetypal 'hardboiled' detective story, rich in exotic characters, dark exciting action and featuring of 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. Sam Spade is hired by the fragrant 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 sexy Miss Wonderley? Dashiel Hammett's noir classic is written in sharp terse prose that gives a cinematic vividness to the characters and the milieu.
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Had not previously read this Classic, and it truly was hardboiled! Not to my usual taste but was an introduction to the genre and 1930's attitudes, and I did enjoy being off my usual beaten path!
Marilynne B
Oct 3, 2013
The Maltese Falcon
It arrived as promised in excellent condition. I know the story and have not read the this copy. MJB
michael s
May 2, 2013
Maltese Falcon
Anyone wanting to read the definitive private detective novel,this is the book for you.Even if you have seen Humphry Bogart as Sam Spade in the movie or not,this story is a great tale of greed ,murder,and "The stuff dreams are made of". San Francisco in the 40's, with some of the greatest dialog ever written,will keep you glued to the page.
Heather P
Jan 11, 2013
Purchased for my daughter as she needed it for her AP English class, wanted her to have her own copy. Fast shipment and service, thanks!!
dekesolomon
Oct 18, 2009
An oldie but a goodie, still one of the best.
Read 'The Maltese Falcon.' Watch the Bogart movie. Read the book again. One thing that should strike you is the fact that there is scarcely one spare word in either creation. Working with Hammett's book in one hand, John Huston must have slapped his screenplay together in about 30 minutes.
Hammett's 'Falcon' is tight as a drumhead. The characters are not drawn but chiseled. The action is as fast as any speeding bullet. Every word of dialog sparks blue and crackles with electricity while it speeds things along. Nothing is wasted. 'The Maltese Falcon' is lean and mean, 100 percent nonfat.
Chandler's Marlowe is more cerebral. Every once in a while he even notices what somebody is wearing. In recent memory, only Gus Hasford's Dowdy Lewis is so hard, so fast, so smooth, and cracks so wise. Hammett's Spade, by contrast, doesn't horse around. He just walks into the room and goes for the throat.
Philosophical issues are fun to ponder. It's nice to be able to think about big issues when, every once in a while, one gets the chance. That's the stuff that typically wins prizes in literary circles, and that's as things should be. Even so, anybody can write a good, hard-boiled dick deserves (and gets) my respect.
Dashiell Hammett gave us Sam Spade, and there are none better anywhere. Read 'The Maltese Falcon.' You will never be sorry.
