Introduced by Colin Dexter, one of England's greatest writers of detective fiction, here are twenty long-unavailable stories by Dashiell Hammett...
read full description
reviews
Sep 29, 2011
Ben
rated it: 
Clearly, Hammett is a legend. 'The Maltese Falcon' and 'The Glass Key' are both great, but I would rate the title piece of this collection, a short novella of 40 pages, just as highly. It's got everything: it's painstakingly and impeccably written, it's fast, it's fun, it's furious. The only reason no-one's made a movie out of it yet is surely that it gets hidden away in these kinds of collections. It's a hoot! It's so ridiculous it verges on 'post modern', this story - the kind of thing that is
More...
Mar 07, 2009
Ryan
rated it:
Nightmare Town contains 20 stories by Dashiell Hammett that haven't seen the light of day in decades. It is definitely a nice surprise to have more stories from a writer who left us with too few works.
The stories in </I>Nightmare Town</I> are mostly what you would expect from Hammett. Seven of the stories are about his character, the Continental Op, his qunitessential detective. The Continental Op is everything a hardboiled detective should be- but not quite the Hollywood More...
The stories in </I>Nightmare Town</I> are mostly what you would expect from Hammett. Seven of the stories are about his character, the Continental Op, his qunitessential detective. The Continental Op is everything a hardboiled detective should be- but not quite the Hollywood More...
Oct 15, 2011
Riju
rated it: 
This book contains stories written during different phases of Hammett's literary career. They mostly belong to the hardboiled genre, but their distict styles make it the most 'representative' book by Hammett. You will find Continetal Op stories here, as well as those involving amateurs. You will find grim action-packed stories, ands there are a few poignant few. There is an extremely intriguing draft of "The Thin Man", which, I am sure, has been tempting numerous mystery writers to tak
More...
May 24, 2010
Julie
rated it: 
#49 - 2010.
Yep. I couldn't just try Chandler without also sampling the other great master of hard-boiled mystery fiction, Dashiell Hammett. Again, my random library selections yielded a novel and this short story selection. It also has an interesting overview of Hammett's life in the introduction. These stories contain hard boiled detectives but also, surprisingly, twist ending stories from different points of view as well. Hammett is a more varied writer than Chandler and I am alway More...
Yep. I couldn't just try Chandler without also sampling the other great master of hard-boiled mystery fiction, Dashiell Hammett. Again, my random library selections yielded a novel and this short story selection. It also has an interesting overview of Hammett's life in the introduction. These stories contain hard boiled detectives but also, surprisingly, twist ending stories from different points of view as well. Hammett is a more varied writer than Chandler and I am alway More...
May 15, 2011
Jennifer
rated it:
Another collection of short stories, some of which I've read before but some of which I hadn't, showing Hammett's wide range in writing--his slow-witted but good-hearted boxer speaks with a dictinct diction, as does his wonderfully charming highbrow aspiring poet-detective, who's in love with his terrible poetry but dismisses his brilliant detective work as nothing much. Also includes an early draft of the beginning of The Thin Man, which doesn't work very well on its own but definitely reveals
More...
Oct 24, 2011
Mark
rated it:
Here's another collection of hard-boiled noir from the Dashiell Hammett vault. You might be wondering, with three great collections of his shorter works already out - The Continental Op, The Big Knockover: Selected Stories and Short Novels and Dashiell Hammett: Crime Stories and Other Writings: Crime Stories and Other Writings - what makes this one worth checking out? After all, wouldn't there be a reason why these stories remained unavailable for so long?
Those are reasonable questions More...
Those are reasonable questions More...
Oct 22, 2010
Miss Karen Jean
rated it:
Dashiell Hammett often gets pigeon-holed as the "Noir Guy," but this book shows that he really is a writer. His short stories are fantastic, vivid tales peopled with amazing characters who are so real in their brief complexity. Honestly, the stuff that you think of as pure Hammett - Sam Spade and the Continental Op - are the least interesting of the book (not to say that they aren't also great, but just that the other stories are great and evocative).
A great way to heal from
A great way to heal from
Nov 22, 2011
Jason
rated it:
A pretty essential collection of short stories for crime fiction fans, although the essay that opens the book, giving a recap of Hammett's life and career as a real-life Pinkerton that parallels his writing, is just as interesting and adds quite a bit to the experience. The stories are fascinating as much for how they give a modern reader a window on the corruption and desperation of the times as the mysteries themselves.
Many are stand-alones, although both of Hammett's recurring char More...
Many are stand-alones, although both of Hammett's recurring char More...
Aug 24, 2008
Aaron
rated it:
Hammett is Hammett. It's tough to conceive of him churning out anything less than 100 percent platinum ... except towards the end when his craft fell off by a bit a notch and he was reduced to 24 karat gold. This is a short story collection, and seven of the stories feature the Continental Op, probably his best if not most well known creation. True, the stories are in the hard-boiled private eye vein, but those who really know the genre also know that the originators -- Hammett, Chandler, and
More...
Sep 08, 2011
Harold
rated it:
This book is exactly what it purports to be. A bunch of short crime fiction stories that taken individually deliver a satisfying read in minimal time. The Continental Op and Sam Spade are in for many of the stories and there is even one story that cam be taken as a western. Good stuff.
Nov 08, 2010
Deb
rated it:
Nightmare Town is a collection of short stories. I'm only about a 1/3 through, but I'm hooked. I'd been meaning to read Dashiell Hammett for years, but never got around to it. Better late than never, I guess. I will be rectifying this oversight ASAP.
Oct 13, 2010
Pvw
rated it:
You can't but enjoy the juicy dialogue that the Contionental Op and his opponents fire at each other. The stories aren't always so well crafted, but the hard, instant action without too much of a build-up makes good for that.
Jun 20, 2010
Bettie
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Feb 17, 2008
Kirk
rated it:
A fun, relaxing read. Very tightly paced stories that build up to a surprise ending. In some cases, the trick conclusions are very satisfying ("The Man Who Killed Don Adams"). Others are more subtle in their characterization ("Ruffian Wife"). Always interesting how the plots turn from action to exposition at the moment the climax gives way to denouement ("Nightmare Town")---a trait of pulp, for better or worse. Of course, what will be most interesting for the class
More...
Dec 23, 2009
Christine
rated it:
The different perspectives and voices he uses show what a versatile writer he was. Includes an interesting foreword.
May 01, 2011
Chris
rated it:
A lot of the stories I enjoyed and just a few I did not. Overall, it was a pretty decent collection of short stories by Hammett. It became hilarious towards the end of the book with stories of deception.
Nov 15, 2011
Sara
rated it:
This is the only book that's been able to draw me in this semester. I couldn't quite remember what I had read of his, and was absolutely delighted to find something new. As always, the stories are great (even when you know what's going to happen) and the writing is superb. By far my favorite mystery writer.
Mar 03, 2011
Remy
rated it:
As a writer of mysteries there's much to learn from Hammett's shorter fiction from the 1920s pulp periodicals. He's the best. Okay, granted, the simplicity of some of the mysteries wouldn't fly today. And, truly, I get a bit bored with hardboiled detectives. But one has to keep in mind that the cliche hadn't formed yet, that Hammett created the cliche. He's a great writer.
Oct 30, 2007
Jeff
rated it:
This collection of short stories by Dashiell Hammett is as diverse as it is exciting. There is no central character or plot, but this package does provide Hammett’s signature fast paced adventure coupled with his illustrations of who we are as human animals. Some are better than others, but all are generally good at least. Some seem to have been written to provide action-packed pulp that would produce more of a paycheck than substance, but overall this collection is solid and is always entert
More...
Mar 08, 2011
Jim
rated it:
This collection of fast paced stories is eminently readable and thoroughly enjoyable. Hammett's dialogue is always unique, though often imitated it is never usually duplicated with success. My favorite story was "The Man Who Killed Dan Odoms." My least favorite was the one about the boxer, the title of which escapes me. Although I am certain the sweat and the blood could be tasted and smelled, I could not get into it.
Any Hammett fan, mystery fan, or lover of great tales sho More...
Any Hammett fan, mystery fan, or lover of great tales sho More...
Feb 23, 2009
Ed
rated it:
If you like Hammett, you'll like this collection of shorts and novelettes.
Jan 20, 2009
Rachel
rated it:
Hammett has a brusque, decidedly masculine tone that's different from what I usually read, but it suits the dark subject matter. The author's first-hand experience as a detective means his writing feels authentic and is full of suspenseful and impressive sleuthing. Most of the stories are pretty short, so it's good for picking up when you've got a bit of time.
Mar 12, 2007
Alex
rated it:
entertaining; all the stories have the same basic form; i.e., a twist ending with little foreshadowing and very few ways to figure out the puzzle. Unlike, say, Sherlock Holmes, you never feel as if there's an impenetrable puzzle that will be solved by a brilliant wit. Rather, you just wait until the author's revelation.
Mar 14, 2010
Mohammed
rated it:
Vintage Hammet writing in the stories of this collection.
I read it most for The 7 Continental OP stories but there were several other stories of quality that was about people that wasnt detectives.
Hammett could have written any kind of story he wanted and pulled it off.
I read it most for The 7 Continental OP stories but there were several other stories of quality that was about people that wasnt detectives.
Hammett could have written any kind of story he wanted and pulled it off.
Dec 16, 2009
Elijah
rated it:
A collection of various Hammett short stories, including some Op stories, the only Sam Spade short stories, and the memorable title story: about a drunk who fights with a cane.
Feb 19, 2011
Laura
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Nov 13, 2008
Doug
rated it:
This is my favorite of the Continental Op collections, though it's not as much fun as Red Harvest. But what is? I love 'Who Killed Bob Teal?'
Sep 21, 2009
Meghan
rated it:
This book reads like leather, cigar smoke and cheap whiskey. It was comforting and made me want to go out and rumble at the same time.
Sep 26, 2009
Miwa
rated it:
Dashiell Hammet. One of the innovators of the modern Murder mystery. For that he gets the stars. Good read too
