Dashiell Hammett Livres

L’agence Continental envoie son détective pour mener l’enquête chez les Leggett dont les diamants ont disparu. Seul témoin : leur fille Gabrielle, jeune femme instable aux fréquentations douteuses... Si Gabrielle est la principale suspecte, le détective découvre que son père a lui aussi beaucoup de secrets ; depuis des années, les morts violentes se succèdent autour des Leggett. La jeune Gabrielle, accro à la morphine, adepte des sectes, est-elle victime d’une malédiction familiale? Dans le San Francisco des années 20, ce qui n’était qu’une simple enquête sur un vol de bijoux devient une course contre la folie.

L’agent de la Continental Detective Agency est envoyé sur la petite île de Couffignal pour une mission de pure routine : surveiller les cadeaux lors d’un mariage huppé. Pourtant lorsque la nuit tombe, il se retrouve pris dans une incroyable explosion de violence… La jeune Audrey, la fille unique et adorée du riche Harvey Gatewood, a été enlevée. Il fait appel au détective pour la retrouver quel qu’en soit le prix. Mais ce dernier comprend vite qu’il ne faut pas se fier aux apparences… Tulip, roman autobiographique inachevé, complete ces deux enquetes du privé qui préfere l’action a la réflexion.

In a few years of extraordinary creative energy, Dashiell Hammett invented the modern American crime novel. In the words of Raymond Chandler, ldquoHammett gave murder back to the kind of people that commit it for reasons, not just to provide a corpse. . . . He put these people down on paper as they were, and he made them talk and think in the language they customarily used for these purposes.rdquo Beginning as a prolific contributor to the pulp magazines of the 1920s, he succeeded during his brief career in making his kind of crime fiction a crucial part of the fabric of American writing: a genre that did not evade reality but rather embodied the grittiness and harshness of modern urban life.The five novels that Hammett published between 1929 and 1934, collected here in one Library of America volume, have become part of modern American culture, creating archetypal characters and establishing the ground rules and characteristic tone for a whole tradition of hardboiled writing. Drawing on his own experiences as a Pinkerton detective, Hammett gave a harshly realistic edge to novels that were at the same time infused with a spirit of romantic adventure. His lean and deliberately simplified prose won admiration from such contemporaries as Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, and William Faulkner.Each novel is distinct in mood and structure. Red Harvest (1929) epitomizes the violence and momentum of his Black Mask stories about the anonymous detective the Continental Op. In this raucous and nightmarish evocation of political corruption and gang warfare in a western mining town (modeled on Butte, Montana) nicknamed ldquoPoisonville,rdquo the Op takes Machiavellian pleasure in pitting one faction against another to bring about their mutual destruction. The Op returns in The Dain Curse (1929) to preside over a more ornately melodramatic tale involving jewel theft, drugs, and a mysterious religious cult.With The Maltese Falcon (1930) and its protagonist Sam Spade, Hammett achieved his most enduring popular success. A tightly constructed quest story with an unforgettable cast of eccentric adventurers, it is at the same time shot through with a sense of disillusionment and the arbitrariness of personal destiny.The Glass Key (1931), an exploration of city politics at their most scurrilous, traces intricate patterns of loyalty and betrayal in scenes charged with drama. His last novel, The Thin Man (1934), is a ruefully comic tale distinct from the rest of his work. Paying homage to the traditional mystery form, it is best remembered for its protagonists Nick and Nora Charles, the sophisticated inebriates who would enjoy a long afterlife in the movies

This edition features the Continental Op's most thrilling adventures, showcasing the gritty and suspenseful storytelling of Dashiell Hammett. Newly restored, these crime stories capture the essence of early detective fiction as they originally appeared in "Black Mask," highlighting the clever plots and complex characters that define Hammett's work. Fans of classic noir will appreciate the authenticity and charm of these iconic tales.

This omnibus edition includes four linked stories - 'The House in Turk Street', 'The Girl with the Silver Eyes', 'The Big Knockover' and '$106,000 Blood Money - featuring the Continental Op, Hammett's anonymous tough-guy detective.

Three novels involving private detectives and shady characters tackle homicide, treachery, and corruption. In the Maltese falcon, after the death of his partner, San Francisco private eye, Sam Spade is dragged into a quest for a priceless statuette. In the Thin man, Nick Charles searches for a wealthy inventor who is the prime suspect in a New York City murder case. In the Red harvest, when Continental Op arrives in the western town of Personville and finds that his client has been murdered, he decides to investigate local gangland activities

'An acknowledged literary landmark' Robert Graves

Contains five novels: Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key and The Thin Man

The collection of letters reveals the multifaceted life of the famed writer, showcasing his dry fatalism and the balance between his literary persona and personal struggles. Readers gain insight into his roles as a devoted father, intellectual, and romantic, while also grappling with his flaws, including alcoholism. The letters echo Hammett's distinctive voice, rich with wry observations and reflections on his experiences, making it a compelling exploration of his character and a unique slice of American literary history.