CRIME DOES NO PAY-THE BIG KNOCKOVER AND OTHER STORIES- DASHIELL HAMMETT

A Minute Book Review

Dashiel Hammett, along with Raymond Chandler, reinvented the detective genre in the 1930’s and 1940’s. They moved the genre away from the amateurish and simple parlor detectives that had previously dominated the genre to hard-boiled action characters who knew what was what and didn’t mind taking a beating to get the bad guys. And along the way they produced some very memorable literary characters as well. Nick Charles, Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe are well known exemplars of the action detective. However, on the way to creating these literary works of art Hammett did journeyman’s work at the detective genre in various pulp detective magazines. The Dain Curse seems to be at the tale end of that period.

The unnamed universal Continental Operative who is the central character of the story (and others, as well) is the prototype for Hammett's later named detectives. He has all the characteristics that mark a noir detective-tough, resourceful, undaunted, and incorruptible with a sense of honor to friend and foe alike that sets him apart from earlier detectives. However the plot line here is not as strong as in his latter work. Oh sure, there is murder and other crimes and plenty of sub-plots on the way to the solution and some less than savory although otherwise bourgeois characters to muddle up the Op’s well laid plans. However, unless you are fairly familiar with 1920’s ‘lost generation’ hijinks there is less sympathy here for victims and villains alike than the later work. Religious cults, drugs, ennui, etc. have lost their cutting edge as material for dramatic tension. Still anytime you can get your hands on a Hammett book-do it.

Although the stories are mainly set in San Francisco the Op branches out to other locales in the stories but he keeps those same virtues. If you want mainly well-thought out stories that are also well-written this is for you. Additionally, and this may be as good a reason to read this book is the Introduction provided by Hammett’s long time companion the playwright Lillian Hellman.