Dashiell Hammett books in order
American writer
- Lived
- 1894–1961
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 19
- Series
- 1
Dashiell Hammett published 13 novels, 1 novella, 4 short story collections and 1 other book, beginning with Red Harvest (1927). The series is Series based on characters created by Hammett (3 books, starting with The Thin Man). 4 feature Continental Op. The best-known is The Maltese Falcon (1929).
Updated September 2026
Series based on characters created by Hammett books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Thin Man (1934) · 2 The Adventures of Sam Spade (1944) · 3 The Fat Man (1946)
- 1.
The Thin Man (1934)
- 2.
The Adventures of Sam Spade (1944)
- 3.
The Fat Man (1946)
Where to start with Dashiell Hammett
Start here
The Maltese Falcon
Dashiell Hammett's most-read book.
Shortest way in
Red Harvest
One of the most-read, at about 225 pages.
Standalone novels in order
The Gutting of Couffignal (1925)
The Maltese Falcon (1929)
The Glass Key (1931)
Blood Money (1943)
The Novels of Dashiell Hammett (1965)
Vintage Hammett (2005)
Secret Agent X-9 (2015), with Leslie Charteris
Novellas in order
Woman in the Dark (1988)
Short story collections in order
Creeps by Night (1931)
Nightmare Town (1948)
The Continental Op (1974)
Lost Stories (The Ace Performer Collection Series) (2005)
Film and TV adaptations
- Roadhouse Nights (1930)Film · from Red Harvest
- Yojimbo (1961)Film · from Red Harvest
- A Fistful of Dollars (1964)Film · from Red Harvest
- The Maltese Falcon (1931)Film · from The Maltese Falcon
- Satan Met a Lady (1936)Film · from The Maltese Falcon
- The Maltese Falcon (1941)Film · from The Maltese Falcon
- The Glass Key (1935)Film · from The Glass Key
- The Glass Key (1942)Film · from The Glass Key
- The Gang (1986)Film · from The Glass Key
- The Thin Man (1934)Film · from The Thin Man
- Secret Agent X-9 (1937)Film · from Secret Agent X-9
- Secret Agent X-9 (1945)Film · from Secret Agent X-9
About Dashiell Hammett
Samuel Dashiell Hammett was an American writer of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He was also a screenwriter and political activist. Among the characters he created are Sam Spade, Nick and Nora Charles, The Continental Op and the comic strip character Secret Agent X-9.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Dashiell Hammett FAQ
- How many books has Dashiell Hammett written?
- Dashiell Hammett published 13 novels, 1 novella, 4 short story collections and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Dashiell Hammett's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Series based on characters created by Hammett with The Thin Man. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Dashiell Hammett's last book?
- Nightmare Town (1948).
- What is Dashiell Hammett's most famous book?
- The Maltese Falcon (1929) is Dashiell Hammett's most widely read book.
- Are Dashiell Hammett's books connected?
- 3 books belong to 1 series (Series based on characters created by Hammett); the other 16 books stand alone.
- Which Dashiell Hammett books have been adapted?
- 5 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Red Harvest (as Roadhouse Nights, film, 1930), The Maltese Falcon (film, 1931), The Glass Key (film, 1935) and The Thin Man (film, 1934).
Authors like Dashiell Hammett
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.