S I T E   M E N U :
The latest Hammett news!
A short biography of
 Dashiell Hammett,
 followed by Frequently
 Asked Questions
“The Complete Works
 of Dashiell Hammett”
A chronology of
 Hammett’s fiction
The Continental Op:
 Hammett’s first hard-
 boiled detective (1923)
The short story collections
Blood Money (1927)

 Red Harvest (1929)

 The Dain Curse (1929)

 The Maltese Falcon (1930)

 The Glass Key (1931)

 The Thin Man (1934)

 The novels in one volume
Woman in the Dark:
 Hammett’s lost novel?
The Maltese Falcon on film

 Hammett’s army days
A photo tour of “Sam Spade’s
 apartment.” (2003)
Dashiell Hammett Place:
 another former Hammett
 residence (2004)

The Flood Building:
 Hammett’s Pinkerton
 Detective office (2004)
The Maltese Falcon’s
 75th anniversary (2005)
Interview with Hammett
 scholar Dr. George J.
 “Rhino” Thompson (2007)
The Dashiell Hammett Suite,
 Hotel Union Square (2008)
The Maltese Falcon prequel:
Spade & Archer (2009)
Interview with
 Hammett biographer
 William F. Nolan (2013)
Books about Hammett
E-mail the
 Dashiell Hammett website
Links to other websites
mikehumbert.com
 homepage
Special thanks to:
 Robert Mailer Anderson
 Bill Arney
 Vince Emery
 Don Herron
 Richard Layman
 Jo Marshall
 Eddie Muller
 Julie Rivett
 and so many others
for their many
contributions to this site.
Entire website ©2003-2014
 By Mike Humbert

WOMAN IN THE DARK:

HAMMETT’S LOST NOVEL?

Image submitted by Stephen Parmelee

Is Woman in the Dark "Hammett's Lost Novel?"  No, not really.  But that’s how it was touted in 1988 when this 76-page story saw hardcover release, featuring a new introduction by Robert B. Parker.  This story was originally serialized in Liberty magazine in 1933, and had only been reprinted once in a 1951 softcover collection, edited by Ellery Queen.

Admittedly, this is one of Hammett's weaker efforts.  The plot concerns Luise Fischer, who is desperate to escape an abusive relationship where she is a virtual prisoner.  She flees, and turns to a man named Brazil, an ex-con who has served time for killing a man.  Violence follows, and the two become fugitives.

Fay Wray, King Kong’s ex, played the lead in the 1934 movie version, which only the most hardcore movie buff has even heard of.  

SAMPLES OF VARIOUS EDITIONS