Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961) was an American writer who revolutionized detective fiction with his hard-boiled style and morally complex characters. Born in Maryland, he worked for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency before turning to writing in the 1920s. His experience as a private detective deeply influenced his fiction, which appeared in pulp magazines such as Black Mask.
Hammett’s major novels include Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, and The Thin Man. With the creation of iconic characters like Sam Spade and Nick Charles, he helped define the American crime novel and laid the groundwork for film noir.
He also contributed screenplays in Hollywood and was active politically during the 1930s and 1940s, which led to his blacklisting during the McCarthy era. He served in both World Wars, and his later years were marked by declining health and limited literary output. Hammett died in New York City in 1961. Today, he is celebrated not only as a master of detective fiction but also as a major figure in 20th-century American literature.
