The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett audiobook

The Maltese Falcon

From the novel by Dashiell Hammett
Dramatized for audio by Yuri Rasovsky
Read by a full cast

Blackstone Publishing

Audio Theater

Format : Library CD (In Stock)
  • Available on 03/07/2026

    ISBN: 9798228650633

  • Available on 03/07/2026

    ISBN: 9798228650626

  • Available on 03/07/2026

    ISBN: 9798228650640

Runtime: 3.30 Hours
Category: Fiction/Mystery & Detective
Audience: Adult
Language: English

Summary

Summary

Winner of the Audie Award for Best Audiobook Adaptation

Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award

A 2009 AudioFile Best Audiobook of the Year for Mystery

A 2009 Grammy Award Nominee for Best Spoken Word Album for Adults

A Booklist Top 10 Crime Fiction Audiobook

A Booklist Editors’ Choice, March 2009

Blackstone Publishing presents a faithful, full-cast dramatization of The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett’s intense and immersive hard-boiled detective classic that redefined the genre.

“Don’t be too sure I’m as crooked as I’m supposed to be. That kind of reputation might be good business.”—Samuel Spade, private investigator 

Brilliant detective Sam Spade is the quintessential private eye, with his own code of ethics. When a standard stakeout goes wrong and Spade’s partner is killed, he finds himself drawn into the hunt for a fantastic treasure of dubious origin—a golden bird encrusted with jewels. But he’s not the only one on the trail of the falcon. Hot on his heels are Joel Cairo, a perfumed grifter; an oversized adventurer named Gutman; and Spade’s new client Brigid O’Shaughnessy, a beautiful but treacherous woman whose loyalties shift at the drop of a hat. 

With vividly drawn characters and memorable dialogue, this full-cast dramatization by the award-winning Hollywood Theater of the Ear brings to life all the excitement and suspense of Hammett’s original in the playhouse of the mind.

Editorial Reviews

Editorial Reviews

“Hammett’s prose [is] clean and entirely unique. His characters [are] as sharply and economically defined as any in American fiction.” New York Times
The Maltese Falcon is not only probably the best detective story we have ever read, it is an exceedingly well-written novel.” Times Literary Supplement (London)
“Dashiell Hammett…is a master of the detective novel, yes, but also one hell of a writer.” Boston Globe
“As edge-of-one’s-seat captivating today as it was eighty years ago, Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon is a classic that hard-boiled mystery buffs everywhere are sure to enjoy.” Midwest Book Review
“The classic noir story is given new life with this full-cast adaptation.” Publishers Weekly
“They’re all here—Sam Spade, the streetwise detective; the gorgeous but dangerous dame; the squirrelly guy; and the fat man—all chasing an elusive statue of a mythical bird across the most American of literary landscapes, fog-bound San Francisco in the 1920s. Few novels have been more “noir”—or more influential. With fine talents like Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh, and Edward Herrmann, Blackstone Audio and the Hollywood Theater of the Ear have created a taut, well-paced audio production, drawn directly from the novel, first serialized in Black Mask magazine in 1929. All of Hammett’s signature descriptions and stylish dialogue are at the forefront. Sexy, darkly comic, and broodingly moral, The Maltese Falcon is like a jolt of bourbon—it wakes you up and keeps you listening.” AudioFile
“Wow! Whether or not you’ve read Hammett’s classic noir detective novel or seen the 1941 movie, you will be entranced by this magnificent adaptation, which is a solid reminder of the power of audio…In this mystery rich in characters, the actors show an impeccable understanding of their roles…Voices and sounds combine with a dramatically fashioned script to create a stellar listening experience with a you-are-there feel. Those who have never experienced the pleasures of radio theater are in for a tremendous treat, as are all who experience this amazing production.” Booklist (starred review)

Reviews

Reviews

Author

Author Bio: Dashiell Hammett

Author Bio: Dashiell Hammett

Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961) was an American author of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He is widely regarded as one of the finest mystery writers of all time. In addition to The Maltese Falcon, his pioneering novels include Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Glass Key, and the #1 New York Times bestseller The Thin Man.

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Details

Details

Available Formats : CD, Library CD, MP3 CD
Category: Fiction/Mystery & Detective
Runtime: 3.30
Audience: Adult
Language: English