Average Bufph Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Dashiell Hammett
2011-02-09
From one of the great pioneers of detective stories, a classic tale reissued with a new introduction by Laura Lippmann
Ned Beaumont is a gambler and a professional troubleshooter for his friend Paul Madvig, a cheerfully corrupt political power broker who aspires to greater things. Madvig has his eyes set on none other than the daughter of Senator Ralph Bancroft Henry, the heiress to a dynasty of political purebreds. When the senator’s son turns up dead, Madvig becomes the prime suspect. But if he is innocent, then which of his dozens of enemies is doing an awfully good job of framing him?
Dashiell Hammett’s tour de force of crime fiction combines a bulletproof plot, authentically corrupt characters, and writing of telegraphic crispness.
Hammett's 'The Glass Key' is a riveting plunge into the murky waters of political corruption and personal betrayal. The narrative grips you with its raw intensity, a stark contrast to the polished dialogue of 'The Thin Man.' The characters are as flawed as they are fascinating, each one a piece in a complex puzzle of power and morality. The prose is taut, every word a beat in the heart of the story. It's a noir masterpiece that leaves you pondering the shades of gray in human nature.
