Maltese Falcon Book Summary

Dashiell hammett wrote this story originally as a serial in the magazine black mask.

Maltese falcon book summary. Plot summary of the maltese falcon the maltese falcon itself is a statue of a bird covered in valuable jewels. Spade opens the package and finds the figurine falcon. Along with the maltese falcon hammett s the glass key marked the beginning of a literary golden age of crime fiction. From wikipedia the free encyclopedia the maltese falcon is a 1930 detective novel by american writer dashiell hammett originally serialized in the magazine black mask beginning with the september 1929 issue.

When gutman summons him back to his hotel suite spade learns that the falcon is an ancient ornament made in malta encrusted with precious gems and later in its bloody history covered with black. It is a detective novel set in 1928 in san francisco featuring protagonist sam spade who also appears in three other lesser known short stories. Humphrey bogart played sam spade in the most. The maltese falcon by dashiell hammet was originally published serially in the magazine black mask in five parts between 1929 and 1930.

One of the most famous detective novels to come out of this period was raymond chandler s the big sleep a novel directly influenced by hammett s fiction. Dashiell hammett was a major influence on the establishment of hard boiled detective fiction and through film adaptations of his stories film noir. It was eventually published as a novel in 1930. She asks the detectives to follow a man named floyd thursby who she claims has run off with her younger sister corinne.

He drops a package on the floor and then dies of gunshot wounds. In san francisco during the late 1920s the beautiful miss wonderly arrives at samuel spade and miles archer s detective agency. Soon afterwards an injured man identified as captain jacobi of la paloma shows up at the office. Those who know about the statue will.

It s been painted black to hide its true worth. It turns out she s a knockout with money. These works helped establish the form style and character types that would endure through decades of detective novels. When spade awakens he returns to his office and tells the story of the maltese falcon to effie.