🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Dashiell Hammett
Samuel Dashiell Hammett was an American author of Hard Boiled Detective fiction. He can even be considered a pioneer in the genre as it has influenced many in the genre especially writers like Raymond Chandler. His novel “The Maltese Falcon” involving his most famous character Sam Spade has influenced the genre of Film Noir. His stories themselves were inspired from his own experiences from being a Pinkerton detective. This allowed them to carry a level of authenticity and realism that was never seen before. He is said to have brought the genre of detective fiction to the real world in all its gritty detail and writing for an audience that was not afraid to witness it.
All Book Series by Dashiell Hammett
Return of the Maltese Falcon
Latest in the series · book 2 of 2 · published 2026 Anthology · Max Allan Collins
The Barber and His Wife
Series opener · book 1 of 9 · published 1922 Pen name · Peter Collinson
The Sardonic Star of Tom Doody
Book 3 of 9 · published 1923 Pen name · Peter Collinson
Laughing Masks / When Luck's Running Good
Book 7 of 9 · published 1923 Pen name · Peter Collinson
Itchy / Itchy the Debonair
Book 8 of 9 · published 1924 Pen name · Peter Collinson
The Adventures of Sam Spade and Other Stories
Series opener · book 1 of 16 · published 1944
Dashiell Hammett: Crime Stories and Other Writings
Book 9 of 16 · published 2001
Dashiell Hammett: A Retrospective Anthology
Book 10 of 16 · published 2004 Co-authored · Jack Adrian
Return of the Thin Man
Book 13 of 16 · published 2012 Co-authored · Julie M. Rivett
The Continental Op Casebook, Vol. 1
Latest in the series · book 16 of 16 · published 2025
Selected Letters of Dashiell Hammett: 1921-1960
Series opener · book 1 of 2 · published 2002
The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century
Book 10 of 13 · published 2000
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dashiell Hammett?
Samuel Dashiell Hammett was an American author of Hard Boiled Detective fiction. He can even be considered a pioneer in the genre as it has influenced many in the genre especially writers like Raymond Chandler. His novel “The Maltese Falcon” involving his most famous character Sam Spade has influenced the genre of Film Noir.
Which Dashiell Hammett series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Peter Collinson Short Stories/Novellas series, the earliest of Dashiell Hammett's multi-book series: it opens with The Barber and His Wife (1922) and runs to 8 books across 1922–1924, ending with Itchy / Itchy the Debonair (1924).
How many books has Dashiell Hammett written?
Dashiell Hammett has 73 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1922 and 2026. 27 of them belong to 3 named series — the largest being the Peter Collinson Short Stories/Novellas series with 8 books — and 46 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Dashiell Hammett's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Dashiell Hammett's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Peter Collinson Short Stories/Novellas (1922–1924, 8 books) and Detective Sam Spade (1930–2026, 2 books).
How are Dashiell Hammett's books organised into series?
This guide splits Dashiell Hammett's 73 books into 3 named series and 46 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Peter Collinson Short Stories/Novellas (8 books, 1922–1924); Detective Sam Spade (2 books, 1930–2026); Selected Shorts (17 books, 1993–2012).