Description
A CLASSIC OF AMERICAN NOIR • Dashiell Hammett’s chilling tale of crime, cults, and corruption, from the master who redefined detective fiction.
The Continental Op is not glamorous. He is stocky, unromantic, and relentless. But when he is drawn into the world of the wealthy Dain family, he finds himself entangled in a mystery steeped in superstition. Whispers of a family curse follow Gabrielle Dain Leggett, a young woman torn between beauty, fragility, and addiction. As the body count rises, the Op must cut through lies, cult rituals, and violence to find the truth. In a world where nothing is what it seems, even clarity comes at a cost.
First published in 1929, The Dain Curse is one of Hammett’s most unsettling works. Combining the grit of hard-boiled detection with a gothic sense of dread, it expanded the boundaries of crime fiction and paved the way for writers like Raymond Chandler. Its blend of stark realism and psychological tension remains strikingly modern. Few lines capture Hammett’s world better than the Op’s grim observation: “Everybody in this damned family’s got a curse on them.”
This Feel Classics edition makes Hammett’s noir masterpiece accessible for today’s readers. With a thoughtful introduction, explanatory notes, glossary, and a detailed chronology of his life, it is ideal for students, first-time readers, and literature enthusiasts alike.
A dark, unforgettable classic that still speaks to anyone fascinated by mystery, obsession, and the shadows of human nature.
