Red Harvest

Starred review from September 26, 2011
An unnamed detective arrives in Personville (nicknamed “Poisonville” by its residents) too late to help his client, who lies shot dead in an alley. It doesn’t take the detective long to figure out that this murder is the least of Poisonville’s problems, and he decides to stay and clean up the nasty company town on his own. Despite this somewhat confusing story line, Richard Ferrone provides lucid and compelling narration and perfectly captures Hammett’s tough guy wit. His rendition of gangster Max “Whisper” Thaler is among the many highlights: he provides a voice that is clear but hoarse and totally lives up to the character’s name. Ferrone also gives Whisper’s girlfriend a classic bad dame voice that all but invites trouble, and provides corrupt police chief Noonan with a jovial Irish brogue that masks evil intentions. Although the tale is hopelessly convoluted and overpopulated, listeners will have great fun rooting for the unnamed detective to get out of town alive. A Vintage paperback.

Starred review from February 15, 2005
Valentine's Day marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of "The Maltese Falcon", the best hard-boiled P.I. story and one of the great American novels, period. In recognition, Vintage is rereleasing it along with Hammett's Continental Op novel "Red Harvest" and his final novel, "The Thin Man", all featuring gorgeous noir covers. The publisher is also bringing out a new volume of selections from the author's works, called simply "Vintage Hammett "(ISBN 1-4000-7962-4).

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.