A private investigator named Sam Spade is hired to retrieve a valuable statue called the Maltese Falcon from his partner's former client. However, upon receiving the statue, Spade discovers it may be stolen and decides to keep it for himself. He becomes embroiled in a complex web of deceit and betrayal involving various characters including a beautiful woman named Brigid O'Shaughnessy who claims to be innocent but is actually involved in the theft.
By Dashiell Hammett · First published 1930 · Genre: Mystery, Noir, Crime · 20 chapters