The Thin Man

A quick, fun read from Dashiell Hammett, featuring retired (early, he's only 41!) former private detective Nick Charles and his wife Nora, who are passing through New York and get roped into a murder investigation.

A former client is the suspect, the scientist inventor Wynant (consider odd at best, mad more likely) in the murder of his assistant and former lover, and his lawyer is the go between trying to convince Nick to investigate. This seems likely to get in the way of Nick's drinking and socialising, but even his wife is keen to see him work. Added to the mix are Wynant's compulsive liar ex-wife with her new husband, her grown up children (by Wynant) all with a mixture of games to add to the confusion.

As well as his history with the local thugs, the police are keen to work with rather than against Nick, and so he works between all these people to try and get to the bottom of things - despite never taking the case...

There are plenty of twists and turns int this short (189 page) novel which doesn't unravel much until the 4th or 5th page from the end. It is written in an engaging style, almost fully as dialogue with very little description - although this gets a bit strained when Nick returns from somewhere and has to explain everything to Nora just to get the information to the reader. Published in 1933 it also contains plenty of period expressions and slang that weren't immediately understood, but the meanings of which became apparent quickly enough.

I probably enjoyed this more than the other Hammett books I have read to date, but I am aware there is plenty more to come as I have only read one of his big four.

High 4 stars from me.