Category: Mystery

Lifespan: (May 27, 1894 - January 10, 1961)

Interesting & Unique Facts: Hammett was born in southern Maryland. In his youth, Hammett worked for Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Hammett had a troubled youth and turned to drinking, advertising, and eventually, writing. His work at the detective agency provided him the inspiration for his writings.

Hammett died in New York City's Lenox Hill Hospital of lung cancer, diagnosed just two months prior. As a veteran of two World Wars, he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Author's work in order (with publication dates):

The Continental Op Series

• The Red Harvest (1929)
• The Dain Curse (1929)
• $106,000 Blood Money [also published as: Blood Money and The Big Knock-Over] (1943)
• The Continental Op [Short Stories edited by Ellery Queen] (1945)
• The Return of the Continental Op [Short Stories] (1945)
• The Continental Op [Short Stories edited by Steve Marcus]

Non-Series

• The Maltese Falcon (1930)
• The Glass Key (1930)
• The Thin Man (1934)
• The Adventures of Sam Spade and Other Stories [also published as: A Man Called Spade and They Can Only Hang You Once] [Short Stories] (1944)
• Hammett Homicides [Short Stories] (1946)
• Dead Yellow Women [Short Stories] (1946)
• Nightmare Town [Short Stories] (1948)
• The Creeping Siamese [Short Stories] (1950)
• Woman in the Dark [Short Stories] (1951)
• A Man Named Thin and Other Stories [Short Stories] (1962)
• The Big Knockover: Selected Stories and Short Novels [also published as: The Hammett Story Omnibus] [Short Stories] (1966)
• Dashiell Hammett: Crime Stories and Other Writings [Short Stories edited by Steve Marcus] (2001)
• Lost Stories [Short Stories] (2005)
  

Hammett on PBS's American Masters