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The Maltese Falcon
- Author
- Dashiell Hammett
- Narrator
- various
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 6 January 2026
- Run Time
- 3 hours 18 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Blackstone Publishing presents a faithful, full-cast dramatization of The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett’s intense and immersive hard-boiled detective classic that redefined the genre.
“Don’t be too sure I’m as crooked as I’m supposed to be. That kind of reputation might be good business.”—Samuel Spade, private investigator
Brilliant detective Sam Spade is the quintessential private eye, with his own code of ethics. When a standard stakeout goes wrong and Spade’s partner is killed, he finds himself drawn into the hunt for a fantastic treasure of dubious origin—a golden bird encrusted with jewels. But he’s not the only one on the trail of the falcon. Hot on his heels are Joel Cairo, a perfumed grifter; an oversized adventurer named Gutman; and Spade’s new client Brigid O’Shaughnessy, a beautiful but treacherous woman whose loyalties shift at the drop of a hat.
With vividly drawn characters and memorable dialogue, this full-cast dramatization by the award-winning Hollywood Theater of the Ear brings to life all the excitement and suspense of Hammett’s original in the playhouse of the mind.
Critics Review
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“Hammett’s prose [is] clean and entirely unique. His characters [are] as sharply and economically defined as any in American fiction.”
New York Times
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“The Maltese Falcon is not only probably the best detective story we have ever read, it is an exceedingly well-written novel.”
Times Literary Supplement (London)
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“Dashiell Hammett…is a master of the detective novel, yes, but also one hell of a writer.”
Boston Globe
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“As edge-of-one’s-seat captivating today as it was eighty years ago, Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon is a classic that hard-boiled mystery buffs everywhere are sure to enjoy.”
Midwest Book Review
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“The classic noir story is given new life with this full-cast adaptation.”
Publishers Weekly
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“They’re all here—Sam Spade, the streetwise detective; the gorgeous but dangerous dame; the squirrelly guy; and the fat man—all chasing an elusive statue of a mythical bird across the most American of literary landscapes, fog-bound San Francisco in the 1920s. Few novels have been more “noir”—or more influential. With fine talents like Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh, and Edward Herrmann, Blackstone Audio and the Hollywood Theater of the Ear have created a taut, well-paced audio production, drawn directly from the novel, first serialized in Black Mask magazine in 1929. All of Hammett’s signature descriptions and stylish dialogue are at the forefront. Sexy, darkly comic, and broodingly moral, The Maltese Falcon is like a jolt of bourbon—it wakes you up and keeps you listening.”
AudioFile
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“Wow! Whether or not you’ve read Hammett’s classic noir detective novel or seen the 1941 movie, you will be entranced by this magnificent adaptation, which is a solid reminder of the power of audio…In this mystery rich in characters, the actors show an impeccable understanding of their roles…Voices and sounds combine with a dramatically fashioned script to create a stellar listening experience with a you-are-there feel. Those who have never experienced the pleasures of radio theater are in for a tremendous treat, as are all who experience this amazing production.”
Booklist (starred review)
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Dashiell Hammett
- Narrator
- various
- Duration
- 3 hours 18 minutes
- Release Date
- 6 January 2026
- ISBN
- 9798228650671
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Crime and mystery: hard-boiled crime, noir fiction, Thriller / suspense fiction, Crime and mystery: police procedural, Crime and mystery fiction
Synopsis
Blackstone Publishing presents a faithful, full-cast dramatization of The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett’s intense and immersive hard-boiled detective classic that redefined the genre.“Don’t be too sure I’m as crooked as I’m supposed to be. That kind of reputation might be good business.”—Samuel Spade, private investigator Brilliant detective Sam Spade is the quintessential private eye, with his own code of ethics. When a standard stakeout goes wrong and Spade’s partner is killed, he finds himself drawn into the hunt for a fantastic treasure of dubious origin—a golden bird encrusted with jewels. But he’s not the only one on the trail of the falcon. Hot on his heels are Joel Cairo, a perfumed grifter; an oversized adventurer named Gutman; and Spade’s new client Brigid O’Shaughnessy, a beautiful but treacherous woman whose loyalties shift at the drop of a hat. With vividly drawn characters and memorable dialogue, this full-cast dramatization by the award-winning Hollywood Theater of the Ear brings to life all the excitement and suspense of Hammett’s original in the playhouse of the mind.
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