Irish Statesman: The ingredients of this mystery tale are varied and rich. Sunday Express: An extremely good detective story of the sensational type. … His knowledge of the ways of criminals and detectives, which has quite obviously not ben gained by reading the detective stories of other writers… We can think of only one story of the kind better than this second book of Mr Hammett’s and that is his first. Hammett is our favourite detective story writer. Walter Brooks, in The Outlook: We want to say right here that Mr. Recommended for its weird characters and really astonishing speed. New York Herald Tribune: More than competently narrated by a cop with a picturesque lingo. Hammett’s unequalled detective succeeds in vanquishing the curse that hangs over Gabrielle’s head and corners what is perhaps one of the most remarkable criminals in fiction. Following the girl’s amazing career by devious and unprecedented ways of his own, Mr. (Va Unzzrgg’f nagv-vagryyrpghny jbeyq, crbcyr jub ernq naq jevgr obbxf, naq jub znxr oba zbgf nobhg Wnzrf Oenapu Pnoryy, ner qrtrarengrf.)Ī destructive fate pursues Gabrielle Leggett wherever she goes: it annihilates her home, penetrates into the new thought temple where she takes refuge, brings her wedding-trip to a tragic end and drives her to the verge of insanity. Yrttrgg gheaf bhg gb or n zbafgre, n cngubybtvpnyyl wrnybhf fvfgre jub znxrf ure vasnag avrpr fubbg ure zbgure – Ruth Rendell included the scene in her anthology of the murderous mind – while ROT13: gur anzryrff qrgrpgvir’f abiryvfg sevraq vf na vafnar zheqrere. Hammett writes in longer sentences people talk to each other, rather than snarling and wisecracking some of them even seem to like each other. The plot is frenetically elaborate, but it feels more coherent than bang-bang-shoot-’em-dead. Tough-guy Hammett is less violent only half the characters are murdered, and there are a mere seven or eight murderers (including a hypnotised “mulatto” maid and a little girl).
The murderer is an effective surprise (although see reservations below), and there are clues. I could give another star, but I wrote this review between two Hammetts, both of which I hated.įor a start, it’s a fair play detective story. The Dain Curse is infinitely superior in every way to the abysmal Red Harvest.
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