reading (The Maltese Falcon)

[eor]

I finished "The Maltese Falcon" today. It's the first Hammett I've read. Having been exposed to film noir and various spoofs I was surprised by some aspects of the book. It seems film noir detectives have a habit of being first person, heavy on the voiceover. I was surprised to find this book written in a standard third person. The descriptions emphasis cloths, bodies, and facial expressions, that surprised me as well. Based on my experience with films of the genre, I expected more emphasis on atmosphere.

I won't give away the bits of plot that surprised me, because they might surprise you too. I'm not quite sure I get why Spade played out the endgame the way he did, could he have played it differently?

41. Dashiell Hammett "The Maltese Falcon"