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If you enjoyed The Maltese Falcon and are craving another good book, or just want more information about Dashiell Hammett, the making of The Maltese Falcon, or film noir movies in general, give one of these titles a try.  All of these books are available through your local library.

Fiction

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

The Big Sleep follows Philip Marlowe into an underworld of booze, violence, pornography, and sex, as he searches for the blackmailer of a millionaire's daughter.

The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler

Marlowe befriends a down-on-his-luck war veteran. When the veteran's very wealthy wife ends up dead, and the veteran is found to have committed suicide, Marlowe finds himself being pursued by cops and gangsters alike.

Spade and Archer by Joe Gores

When Sam Spade gets drawn into the Maltese Falcon case, we know what to expect: straight talk, hard questions, no favors, and no way for anyone to get underneath the protective shell he wears like a second skin. What we don’t know is how Spade became who he is. Spade & Archer completes the picture.

The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett

Paul Madvig was a corrupt man, seeking something better, but did he want it badly enough to commit murder? If not, then who was framing him?

An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P. D. James

Left alone by her partner's suicide, Cordelia Gray struggles to manage the private detective agency they once shared.

A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin

Bud Corliss's wealthy new girlfriend begins to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of her twin sister.

The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain

The wife of a roadside restaurant owner has an affair with the hired handyman. She talks him into helping her kill her husband 'accidentally' for the insurance money, but it backfires.

Double Indemnity by James Cain

A small-time insurance agent falls in love with the wife of a wealthy client and helps her plot the accidental death of her husband.

Over My Dead Body by Rex Stout

When a fencing student ends up skewered through the heart, a Balkan beauty claiming to be Nero Wolfe's daughter is accused of the crime, and Wolfe and Archie are thrust into a tangle of international intrigue.

The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson

Lou Ford is the deputy sheriff of a small town in Texas. The worst thing most people can say about him is that he's a little slow and a little boring. But, then, most people don't know about the sickness that almost got Lou put away when he was younger. The sickness that is about to surface again.

The Grifters by Jim Thompson

Roy Dillon, the con man. Lilly Dillon, his mother. Moira Lantry, his mistress. Carol Roberg, his nurse--and victim. Together, these four make up a quadrangle of greed and perverse love in Jim Thompson's mesmerizing novel of corruption.

Non-Fiction

Triumph of the Thriller: how cops, crooks, and cannibals captured popular fiction by Patrick Anderson

This book introduces readers to the enormously popular thriller genre and explains why the thriller genera has come to dominate bestseller lists in recent years:

Hardboiled Mystery Writers: Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Ross McDonald: a literary reference by Mathew J. Bruccoli and Richard Layman

This book focuses on the three major authors of the "whodunit" genera through letters, reviews, photographs, and more.

Hardboiled Hollywood by Max Decharne

This book investigates some of the real-life events and murders that served as prime inspirations for some of Hollywood's finest crime films.

Selected Letters of Dashiell Hammett 1921-1960 edited by Julie M. Rivett

This collection of letters to friends, family, lovers, and colleagues reveals the man behind the legendary crime writer.

Dashiell Hammett: a daughter remembers by Jo Hammett

This candid memoir by Dashiell Hammett's daughter reveals details of her father and is filled with previously unpublished photographs from family albums.

Talking About Detective Fiction by P. D. James

P. D. James, a highly admired writer of detective fiction in his own right, explores the writers that satisfied the human appetite for mystery and mayhem.

Dashiell Hammett, a life by Diane Johnson

This book is an authorized biography that chronicles vision and creativity of this enigmatic, popular, and legendary American writer.

Rogue Males: conversations and confrontations about the writing life by Craig McDonald

Hailed as an expert on the history of crime fiction, Craig McDonald returns with this collection of no-holds-barred interviews with sixteen authors that have help shape and define narrative fiction and songwriting.

Rough Guide to Crime Fiction by Rough Guides

This book takes the reader on a guided tour of the mean streets and blind corners that make up the world’s most popular literary genre.

Film Noir: an encyclopedic reference to the American style by Alain Silver, Elizabeth Ward, James Ursini, and Robert Porfirio

This is a fabulous reference for hard-core film noir fans. Over 300 titles from the genre are analyzed, and detailed technical information about each title is provided.

Hammett’s Moral Vision: the most influential in-depth analysis of Dashiell Hammett’s novels Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Maltese Falcon by George J. Thompson

This book is a detailed analysis of Dashiell Hammett's career, his novels, and the changes that occurred over time.

Discovering the Maltese Falcon and Sam Spade by Vince Emery Productions

This book is a treasury of previously unpublished documents and photos from institutional and private archives.  It delves deeply into the book and movie, Hammett's detective career and the sources and notes Hammett relied on to write The Maltese Falcon.