See buying choices for this item to see if it's one of the millions that are eligible for Amazon Prime.


Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Glass Key (Crime Masterworks)
 
 

The Glass Key (Crime Masterworks) (Paperback)

by Dashiell Hammett (Author) "Green dice rolled across the green table, struck the rim together, and bounced back ..." (more)
5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


3 used from £11.50

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Red Harvest (Crime Masterworks)

Red Harvest (Crime Masterworks)

by Dashiell Hammett
4.7 out of 5 stars (12)  £5.49
The Thin Man (Penguin Red Classics)

The Thin Man (Penguin Red Classics)

by Dashiell Hammett
4.2 out of 5 stars (14)  £5.99
The Maltese Falcon (Radio Crimes)

The Maltese Falcon (Radio Crimes)

by Dashiell Hammett
4.6 out of 5 stars (11)  £7.63
Nightmare Town

Nightmare Town

by Dashiel Hammett
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £10.95
Farewell, My Lovely (Penguin Fiction)

Farewell, My Lovely (Penguin Fiction)

by Raymond Chandler
4.6 out of 5 stars (5)  £5.99
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Orion; New edition edition (18 April 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0752851330
  • ISBN-13: 978-0752851334
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 387,385 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #18 in  Books > Fiction > 20th Century Classics > Hammett, Dashiell

Product Description

Product Description
Ned Beaumont is a tall, thin, moustache-wearing, TB-ridden, drinking, gambling, hanger-on to the political boss of a corrupt Eastern city. Nevertheless, like every Hammett hero (and like Hammett himself), he has an unbreakable, if idiosyncratic moral code. Ned's boss wants to better himself with a thoroughbred senator's daughter; but does he want it badly enough to commit murder? If he's innocent, who wants him in the frame? Beaumont must find out.

About the Author
B.1894, d.1961. After spells as newsboy, freight clerk, labourer, messenger, stevedore and advertising manager, Hammett became an operative of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. His experiences as a private detective laid the foundation for his writing career.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
Green dice rolled across the green table, struck the rim together, and bounced back. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below
political fixers

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


 

Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The first real masterpiece of detective fiction, 23 Aug 2000
By RUBEN CESAR LOPEZ GARCIA (MALAGA Espana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Why is it that whenever you ask anybody about Dashiell Hammett the first novel that comes to their minds is "The Maltese Falcon"? This novel is brilliant but "The Glass Key" is Hammett at its best and I really think this 200-page story is probably the best crime novel of the 20th century. The most wonderful thing about this little jewel is the way it resists the ultimate test of rereading: the more times you read it, the better it gets and that can be said of few novels in general and of very few crime novels in particular. To me it is a perfect mixture of realistic characterization and plot, the novel has a surprising ending in the best tradition of the Golden Age but that's only the beginning of its worth. And the title has a certain fairy tale-like quality which I simply love. If you still haven't read this novel, I envy you: you're in for a wonderful time. If you want to have a one-volume deluxe edition of Hammett's 5 novels have a look at the Library of America hardback edition, also available through Amazon. It is simply superb, especially in a time when it's getting so difficult to find good longlasting editions of crime fiction books.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The master at the peak of his powers, 21 Mar 1998
By A Customer
When you've finished reading this novel (and if you care anything about the American detective story, you will read this novel), think back. Can you recall even the slightest hint of emotion, or the smallest display of caring by one individual for another? I don't think so, and this is the essence of hard-boiled detective stories. Don't get me wrong. You know Ned Beaumont cares about those he is trying to help, and gets beat up for. He's much too tough to show it, though, and that's the key. That's why they call it tough-guy fiction. This story is straight-on, airtight, wonderfully written. In one eighteen-month period Hammett wrote The Maltese Falcon and The Glass Key. Amazing. We shall never see his like again. Highly recommended.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The inventor of the "hard-boiled detective" at his peak., 26 April 1997
By A Customer
Dashiell Hammetts creative light burned bright but for a brief 5-10 year period. In "The Glass Key," his penultimate novel, Hammett melded the world of the "hard-boiled detective"--shady underground figures, powerful men and, of course, a beautiful woman--with a theme that recurs throughout his ouvre--of basic trust between kindred souls. Often over-shadowed in the eyes of readers by the novels that preceeded and followed, "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Thin Man," "The Glass Key" is Hammett at the very top of his form. Writing as no one had before, or has since.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Feedback


The Body Shop

The Body Shop - Vitamin C Skin Boost
Protect and boost your glow with The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost.

Shop The Body Shop

 

More From Dashiell Hammett

The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon (Crime Masterworks)

B.1894, d.1961. After spells as newsboy, freight clerk, labourer... Read more
£7.99 £5.99

 

We've Got Converse

Converse
Stock up on your favourite styles with great deals on Converse shoes.

Shop Converse

 

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

Learn more about Gift Certificates

 
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates