The Maltese Falcon (Crime Masterworks) (Paperback)

Perhaps the single most extraordinary thing about the novel is its radical departure from the norm. In the 1920s and early 1930s, detective novels were not really considered "literary;" they were light entertainment, and they generally came in two varieties: pure pulp, which was more akin to action-adventure, and "the master detective" as created by such authors as Agatha Christie. In one fell swoop, however, Hammett not only fused these two ideas but also endowed his novel with tremendous literary style--more than enough to catch the eye of "serious" critics and more than enough to stand the test of time.

THE MALTESE FALCON is not a long novel, but Hammett packs a lot into it. The plot, which generally concerns the theft of a priceless, jewel-encrusted statue, walks a fine line between pulp mythology and modern pragmatism, never veering too far in either direction to seem impossible; the prose is lean and clean and packed with detail conveyed both simply and sharply; the characters stand out in a sort of high relief on the page. It is all memorable stuff.

It is difficult to discuss THE MALTESE FALCON without reference to the famous 1941 film version starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor. The film has been both a blessing and a curse, so famous that it has drawn thousands of readers to the novel, but so widely seen that it can become difficult to read the novel without seeing it through the lens of the film. But while the film presents the plot and much of Hammett's dialogue intact, readers will find the novel has somewhat different strengths--not the least of which is Hammett's prose itself. An essential of 20th Century American literature; strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

If I was asked to recommend only one mystery novel, THE MALTESE FALCON would be my first choice.

Dashiell Hammett was an extraordinary writer. His short stories and novels gave birth to the concept of the `hard-boiled detective'. Another great writer, Raymond Chandler wrote that Hammett "did over and over again what only the best writers can ever do at all. He wrote scenes that seemed never to have been written before." Maltese Falcon is Hammett at the top of his game. It is a must read for those who haven't read it, or only seen the Humphrey Bogart movie. For a fan of Hammett it is certainly worth reading again.

"Everybody's looking for something. Some of them want to use you. Some of them want to get used by you. Some of them want to abuse you. Some of them want to be abused by you."

The plot of Maltese Falcon is well-known and the above bit of lyrics seems to sum up its essence. A strange, alluring woman, Brigid O'Shaughnessy, walks into the door of Archer & Spade, two San Francisco detectives. Miles Archer, a man wit an eye for the ladies, particularly those willing to pay top dollar for his services agrees to take on an assignment. He is killed that night and it is left to his surviving partner, Sam Spade, to put the matter to rest. In no time at all Spade is embroiled with a cast of characters that includes O'Shaughnessy, Joel Cairo, Kasper Gutman, and Wilmer Cook. They are all embarked on a quest, a murderous quest as it turns out, for "the Maltese Falcon" a jewel-encrusted falcon lost from view since the Middle Ages and worth more money than one can imagine.

Hammett draws each character with a vivid eye for detail and for sharp prose that comes at you like bullets from Spade's revolver. Spade has seen it all. He spots O'Shaughnessy as a sharpie from the get go but seems to fall for her despite himself. Cairo is both unctuous, effeminate and Gutman (the fat man as Spade calls him) is smooth talking and the brains behind the search for the falcon. Wilmer Cook is a vicious thug but Spade, being the hard-boiled detective quickly spots him for the minor-leaguer that he is. As the story nears its end the loose strings sort themselves out and the smoke clears. Spade is forced to make a choice but in the world created by Hammett people like Spade have a certain code. It doesn't matter that they aren't sophisticated, Ivy-League educated, parlor-room detectives. It doesn't matter that they speak the way a street-cop pounding a beat would speak and don't always observe the niceties of the Queen's English. There are rules that must be followed and tough choices must be made.

It seems impossible to review this book without reference to the movie. The John Huston directed movie was and remains a classic. It was a terrific adaptation. There are some interesting differences worth noting. Hammett was far more direct in acknowledging the illicit relationship between Sam Spade and Iva Archer, Miles' widow. Spade's cavalier love them and leave them attitude was also more in evidence in the book. He was also direct, quite blunt in fact, in pointing out the `orientation' or `preference' of Joel Cairo. The way Hammett paints the relationship between Cairo (Peter Lorre) and the gun-slinging Wilmer Cook was fascinating.

If you like Dashiell Hammett you don't need to tell you that it is worth reading again. If you are new to Hammett, this book is a terrific place to start. I do not think you will be disappointed.