I have a lasting love of this book for several reasons. The relationship between Nick and Nora is wonderful, yes, the dialog sings, but there is a relationship there. This is a guy solving a murder with his wife. Hammett has unlimited tough-guy noir cred (try his Red Harvest) but this is one of the only books that I know of that manages captures a relationship in this way. (and if you know of some more, please message me.)

The second thing I love about this book is how Nick operates a social animal. There's remarkably little violence. NIck handles himself with poise. He's a tough guy, sure, but he's doesn't have to prove it. And most of the interactions he has, he gets the edge because he's friendly, or respected or known. This is the detective as social animal. As opposes to the solitary, duty-bound detective of much (if not all) of Hammett's other work, Nick is part of a fabric of larger society and is more effective as a detective because he is.

For those two reasons, I cite this book as something remarkable in all of detective fiction. And maybe all of literature. Seriously, how many stories do you know where husband and wife have a good and entertaining relationship.

For full disclosure, I have to say, that Nick Charles was one of the inspirations for one of my own protagonists. Edwin Windsor, from How to Succeed in Evil. He not a detective at all, nor is married, but he solves problems by being smart, rather than being strong or violent.

If you haven't, read this book.