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Return of the Maltese Falcon
Hardboiled noir that picks up where legendary author Dashiell Hammett left off, telling the story of iconic private eye Sam Spade and the quest for the priceless Maltese Falcon.
THE GREATEST PRIVATE EYE OF ALL TIME RETURNS TO FINISH THE JOB
Legendary mystery writer Dashiell Hammett only wrote one novel about detective Sam The Maltese Falcon, the most famous private eye story ever told. But the case was never really solved – the priceless golden, bejeweled bird that men and women had been dying to possess turned out to be a fake.
Now, Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Max Allan Collins (author of Road to Perdition) brings closure to this crime classic, reuniting all the surviving members of the original cast alongside femme fatales, crooked collectors, and greedy gangsters for one more thrilling, deadly chase through the streets, wharves, morgues, bars, and back alleys of 1920s San Francisco – and finally answers the question, Whatever became of the Maltese falcon…?
THE GREATEST PRIVATE EYE OF ALL TIME RETURNS TO FINISH THE JOB
Legendary mystery writer Dashiell Hammett only wrote one novel about detective Sam The Maltese Falcon, the most famous private eye story ever told. But the case was never really solved – the priceless golden, bejeweled bird that men and women had been dying to possess turned out to be a fake.
Now, Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Max Allan Collins (author of Road to Perdition) brings closure to this crime classic, reuniting all the surviving members of the original cast alongside femme fatales, crooked collectors, and greedy gangsters for one more thrilling, deadly chase through the streets, wharves, morgues, bars, and back alleys of 1920s San Francisco – and finally answers the question, Whatever became of the Maltese falcon…?
- GenresDetective
224 pages, Hardcover
Published January 6, 2026
26 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Max Allan Collins
805 books1,322 followersReceived the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 6, 2026
“The Maltese Falcon” is both a seminal novel (1929) in the private eye genre and one of the most classic movies ever made. The 1941 film, which were are all intimately familiar with (or should be), starred Humphrey Bogart in an immortal role as well as Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet. It is amazing that Sam Spade (the private eye character) only appeared in one Hammett novel (The Maltese Falcon) and a handful of short stories. The character, perhaps propelled by the silver screen success of John Huston’s version, has assumed proportions which are larger than life. Spade is perhaps more well known as a private eye than almost any other literary figure other than Sherlock Holmes, who was a product of a different era.
Collins’ “The Return of the Maltese Falcon” is a pastiche, that is, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, “[a] dramatic, literary, or musical piece openly imitating the previous works of other artists, often with satirical intent.” Collins tells us readers in an afterward that he based his novel solely on the original 1929 work and ignored the movies and other pastiches. He does admit though that he is, in doing this, like “a buzzard picking at the Falcon’s bones.”
The novel continues less than two weeks after the first one (the one that Hammett wrote) left off. Sam Spade is now in his office, savoring the fact that he put Brigid O’Shaughnessy in jail for Archer’s murder. He is satisfied that he has avenged his one-time partner, Miles Archer, though he candidly states he had no love for Archer and had been fooling around with Archer’s wife, blonde, blue-eyed and painfully pretty Iva, which made him a suspect in Archer’s murder. The match-up between Spade and Archer had never been a good match and their three-year contract was close to running out when Archer died. His name has now been razored off the door.
Effie Perine, his secretary, plays a strong role in this novel, with semi-romantic sparring between them. The story quickly switches to the Falcon as Rhea Gutman, the daughter of Casper Gutman, the infamous seeker of all things Falcon, approaches Spade and hires him to find the Falcon, once again, but this time the real one. She explains that her only inheritance is her father’s quest for that golden bejeweled bird.
What follows is a sort of trip down memory lane with Spade visiting both Brigid and Joel Cairo, soliciting their help. Along the way, Spade is hired by more than one person in their quest for the Falcon with him quietly pocketing retainers left and right, hoping that it will all sort itself out in the end. Brigid continues her femme fatale role as a “supplely shapely female” with “nearly violet eyes, half-lidded and languid under long lovely lashes.” She is still a siren’s song even in jail.
Spade, a former Continental Operative, but not Hammet’s famous unnamed Continental Op, admits that he has not been known to play things by any one’s rules but his own, and states that the assumption that he is “outright crooked misses the point.” He says he is in the detective trade and his partner was murdered so he had to do something about it. San Francisco has no shortage of suckers, he explains, and never think that he is one of them.
“The Return of the Maltese Falcon” is not the original “The Maltese Falcon,” but perhaps it is the next best thing. It offers us another chapter in that chase for the elusive treasure and the collection of odd ducks who are after it. It revisits familiar characters and breathes new life into them. And it is just plain fun to read.
Collins’ “The Return of the Maltese Falcon” is a pastiche, that is, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, “[a] dramatic, literary, or musical piece openly imitating the previous works of other artists, often with satirical intent.” Collins tells us readers in an afterward that he based his novel solely on the original 1929 work and ignored the movies and other pastiches. He does admit though that he is, in doing this, like “a buzzard picking at the Falcon’s bones.”
The novel continues less than two weeks after the first one (the one that Hammett wrote) left off. Sam Spade is now in his office, savoring the fact that he put Brigid O’Shaughnessy in jail for Archer’s murder. He is satisfied that he has avenged his one-time partner, Miles Archer, though he candidly states he had no love for Archer and had been fooling around with Archer’s wife, blonde, blue-eyed and painfully pretty Iva, which made him a suspect in Archer’s murder. The match-up between Spade and Archer had never been a good match and their three-year contract was close to running out when Archer died. His name has now been razored off the door.
Effie Perine, his secretary, plays a strong role in this novel, with semi-romantic sparring between them. The story quickly switches to the Falcon as Rhea Gutman, the daughter of Casper Gutman, the infamous seeker of all things Falcon, approaches Spade and hires him to find the Falcon, once again, but this time the real one. She explains that her only inheritance is her father’s quest for that golden bejeweled bird.
What follows is a sort of trip down memory lane with Spade visiting both Brigid and Joel Cairo, soliciting their help. Along the way, Spade is hired by more than one person in their quest for the Falcon with him quietly pocketing retainers left and right, hoping that it will all sort itself out in the end. Brigid continues her femme fatale role as a “supplely shapely female” with “nearly violet eyes, half-lidded and languid under long lovely lashes.” She is still a siren’s song even in jail.
Spade, a former Continental Operative, but not Hammet’s famous unnamed Continental Op, admits that he has not been known to play things by any one’s rules but his own, and states that the assumption that he is “outright crooked misses the point.” He says he is in the detective trade and his partner was murdered so he had to do something about it. San Francisco has no shortage of suckers, he explains, and never think that he is one of them.
“The Return of the Maltese Falcon” is not the original “The Maltese Falcon,” but perhaps it is the next best thing. It offers us another chapter in that chase for the elusive treasure and the collection of odd ducks who are after it. It revisits familiar characters and breathes new life into them. And it is just plain fun to read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Those of us who have a long history with Dashiell Hammett's classic THE MALTESE FALCON--whether through the original Black Mask serialization, or the never-out-of-print novel, or the multiple film adaptations--were intensely excited to hear that MWA Grand Master Max Allan Collins (under the publishing guidance of Hard Case Crime) would be writing a sequel to the famous original. The reason a reader like me might anxiously await such a prospect? Simply because of the care that would doubtlessly be brought forth under the auspices of these names. These are people that today's noir folks can count on.
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON starts not long after the conclusion of the original book--and, might I add, it's also a very satisfying continuation of the famous film. Rest assured, if you've never read the book, but you HAVE savored the Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre stylings of the 1941 movie, you'll be fine. MORE than fine. Actually, every page of Collins' fun, twisty sequel seems imbued with the specters of those black-and white icons, from Bogart to the devious Mary Astor to the massive Sydney Greenstreet to the weak and whining Elisha Cook Jr.
The sequel revs up quickly. It's still late 1928, and Rhea Gutman, Kaspaer (Greenstreet) Gutman's daughter, contacts Spade to finally, really track down the wily statue from the untrustworthy Russian general Kemidov, who may have swapped out the original to enrich himself. Spade is suddenly back on the case, and quickly there are several interested parties--British Museum curator Steward Blackwood, Brigid (Astor) O'Shaughnessy's sister Corrine Wonderly, and Chicago gambler lowlife Dixie Monahan--not to mention the reappearance of one Wilmer Cook. All of these players have cash in the pot, and some of them offer threats of violence to boot.
The story rolls out in satisfyingly nostalgic jolts of sharp prose that's mostly music to a pulp reader's ears: lean, hard-boiled, and almost perfectly objective in Hammett's way. Collins does bring his own more subjective voice to certain characterizations and segments, but all in an effort to put his own stylistic stamp on the proceedings. There's enough Hammett here to foster an easy Maltese Hangout, and there's enough of Collins to give it a more modern spin. (I'll deduct a quarter star for Collins' habit of resorting to some of Hammett's turns of phrase a BIT too often. "That wolfish grin" and those "wolfish eyes" come to mind, as well as Spade's tendency to hand-roll his cigarettes. But no matter: Each distinct character idiosyncrasy is a spark of nostalgic fire.)
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is like taking a luxurious soak in a warm bath of nostalgia--and it has the added benefit of being a cracking mystery. Collins does resort to penning a climax that features a meeting of all possible suspects in the same room by the end--and brute-forcing the solution to said mystery. But there's such great pleasure in seeing it happen among these familiar players that you come away from the book smiling warmly.
Just a great, fun read. Collins should take a rightful bow for resurrecting Hammett for a new audience.
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON starts not long after the conclusion of the original book--and, might I add, it's also a very satisfying continuation of the famous film. Rest assured, if you've never read the book, but you HAVE savored the Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre stylings of the 1941 movie, you'll be fine. MORE than fine. Actually, every page of Collins' fun, twisty sequel seems imbued with the specters of those black-and white icons, from Bogart to the devious Mary Astor to the massive Sydney Greenstreet to the weak and whining Elisha Cook Jr.
The sequel revs up quickly. It's still late 1928, and Rhea Gutman, Kaspaer (Greenstreet) Gutman's daughter, contacts Spade to finally, really track down the wily statue from the untrustworthy Russian general Kemidov, who may have swapped out the original to enrich himself. Spade is suddenly back on the case, and quickly there are several interested parties--British Museum curator Steward Blackwood, Brigid (Astor) O'Shaughnessy's sister Corrine Wonderly, and Chicago gambler lowlife Dixie Monahan--not to mention the reappearance of one Wilmer Cook. All of these players have cash in the pot, and some of them offer threats of violence to boot.
The story rolls out in satisfyingly nostalgic jolts of sharp prose that's mostly music to a pulp reader's ears: lean, hard-boiled, and almost perfectly objective in Hammett's way. Collins does bring his own more subjective voice to certain characterizations and segments, but all in an effort to put his own stylistic stamp on the proceedings. There's enough Hammett here to foster an easy Maltese Hangout, and there's enough of Collins to give it a more modern spin. (I'll deduct a quarter star for Collins' habit of resorting to some of Hammett's turns of phrase a BIT too often. "That wolfish grin" and those "wolfish eyes" come to mind, as well as Spade's tendency to hand-roll his cigarettes. But no matter: Each distinct character idiosyncrasy is a spark of nostalgic fire.)
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is like taking a luxurious soak in a warm bath of nostalgia--and it has the added benefit of being a cracking mystery. Collins does resort to penning a climax that features a meeting of all possible suspects in the same room by the end--and brute-forcing the solution to said mystery. But there's such great pleasure in seeing it happen among these familiar players that you come away from the book smiling warmly.
Just a great, fun read. Collins should take a rightful bow for resurrecting Hammett for a new audience.
January 11, 2026
It is hard to believe that the 1941 film The Maltese Falcon was based on the only novel that legendary mystery writer Dashiell Hammett penned featuring Detective Sam Spade. That story left some big questions unanswered, and now Max Allan Collins is returning to that world in an attempt to wrap things up.
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is set in San Francisco in 1928. Collins has recreated this setting and the characters brilliantly, allowing readers to step directly into the action that would have immediately followed the original story. I defy you not to have images of Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Ward Bond and others swimming through your imagination as you are sent back into this classic noir mystery that was never truly solved.
The statue that everyone was pursuing, and dying over, in THE MALTESE FALCON was never found. Sure, there may have been facsimiles shown of the golden prize that was hidden beneath black tarnish to keep its value concealed. But where was the genuine article? Spade’s new client is Rhea Gutman, a young woman claiming to be the daughter of Casper Gutman, who lost his life in the initial pursuit of the Maltese falcon.
It is less than two weeks since Spade’s somewhat corrupt partner, Miles Archer, was killed. He is now going solo in his practice with just his able secretary, Effie Perine, to support him. It is a pleasure to walk alongside Spade as he begins his journey by speaking with his friends on the force and eventually meeting with two prominent figures from THE MALTESE FALCON who are now behind bars: Brigid O’Shaughnessy and Joel Cairo, the latter of whom claims that he has a “man” who would pay handsomely for the Maltese falcon once it’s been procured.
Spade expertly works everyone he meets for the information he needs. But he also must validate the location of General Kemidov, a mysterious Russian man who may be in possession of the statue. The entire time, Spade is being dogged by the local police chief and the district attorney, who are extremely vested in the case. This makes his continued pursuit more difficult to conceal.
Every turn Spade makes puts another figure in front of him who desperately wants the Maltese falcon --- from Chicago gangster Dixie Monahan to Brigid’s sister, Corinne Wonderly, to a museum curator from London claiming to be the true title holder of the statue. Spade collects fees from each of them but has no idea who he can trust and finds himself in dangerous situations more than a few times in this novel.
Of course, Spade’s suspicions are well founded. This is the beauty of the story as Max Allan Collins introduces plot twists and unique characters who drive the story to an explosive finale featuring all interested parties willing to do whatever it takes to nab the elusive prize.
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is a work of wonder, and I enjoyed every second of it. Collins has not just inhabited Hammett’s world but breathed new life into it and made it distinctly his own.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is set in San Francisco in 1928. Collins has recreated this setting and the characters brilliantly, allowing readers to step directly into the action that would have immediately followed the original story. I defy you not to have images of Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Ward Bond and others swimming through your imagination as you are sent back into this classic noir mystery that was never truly solved.
The statue that everyone was pursuing, and dying over, in THE MALTESE FALCON was never found. Sure, there may have been facsimiles shown of the golden prize that was hidden beneath black tarnish to keep its value concealed. But where was the genuine article? Spade’s new client is Rhea Gutman, a young woman claiming to be the daughter of Casper Gutman, who lost his life in the initial pursuit of the Maltese falcon.
It is less than two weeks since Spade’s somewhat corrupt partner, Miles Archer, was killed. He is now going solo in his practice with just his able secretary, Effie Perine, to support him. It is a pleasure to walk alongside Spade as he begins his journey by speaking with his friends on the force and eventually meeting with two prominent figures from THE MALTESE FALCON who are now behind bars: Brigid O’Shaughnessy and Joel Cairo, the latter of whom claims that he has a “man” who would pay handsomely for the Maltese falcon once it’s been procured.
Spade expertly works everyone he meets for the information he needs. But he also must validate the location of General Kemidov, a mysterious Russian man who may be in possession of the statue. The entire time, Spade is being dogged by the local police chief and the district attorney, who are extremely vested in the case. This makes his continued pursuit more difficult to conceal.
Every turn Spade makes puts another figure in front of him who desperately wants the Maltese falcon --- from Chicago gangster Dixie Monahan to Brigid’s sister, Corinne Wonderly, to a museum curator from London claiming to be the true title holder of the statue. Spade collects fees from each of them but has no idea who he can trust and finds himself in dangerous situations more than a few times in this novel.
Of course, Spade’s suspicions are well founded. This is the beauty of the story as Max Allan Collins introduces plot twists and unique characters who drive the story to an explosive finale featuring all interested parties willing to do whatever it takes to nab the elusive prize.
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is a work of wonder, and I enjoyed every second of it. Collins has not just inhabited Hammett’s world but breathed new life into it and made it distinctly his own.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
January 11, 2026
It is hard to believe that the 1941 film The Maltese Falcon was based on the only novel that legendary mystery writer Dashiell Hammett penned featuring Detective Sam Spade. That story left some big questions unanswered, and now Max Allan Collins is returning to that world in an attempt to wrap things up.
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is set in San Francisco in 1928. Collins has recreated this setting and the characters brilliantly, allowing readers to step directly into the action that would have immediately followed the original story. I defy you not to have images of Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Ward Bond and others swimming through your imagination as you are sent back into this classic noir mystery that was never truly solved.
The statue that everyone was pursuing, and dying over, in THE MALTESE FALCON was never found. Sure, there may have been facsimiles shown of the golden prize that was hidden beneath black tarnish to keep its value concealed. But where was the genuine article? Spade’s new client is Rhea Gutman, a young woman claiming to be the daughter of Casper Gutman, who lost his life in the initial pursuit of the Maltese falcon.
It is less than two weeks since Spade’s somewhat corrupt partner, Miles Archer, was killed. He is now going solo in his practice with just his able secretary, Effie Perine, to support him. It is a pleasure to walk alongside Spade as he begins his journey by speaking with his friends on the force and eventually meeting with two prominent figures from THE MALTESE FALCON who are now behind bars: Brigid O’Shaughnessy and Joel Cairo, the latter of whom claims that he has a “man” who would pay handsomely for the Maltese falcon once it’s been procured.
Spade expertly works everyone he meets for the information he needs. But he also must validate the location of General Kemidov, a mysterious Russian man who may be in possession of the statue. The entire time, Spade is being dogged by the local police chief and the district attorney, who are extremely vested in the case. This makes his continued pursuit more difficult to conceal.
Every turn Spade makes puts another figure in front of him who desperately wants the Maltese falcon --- from Chicago gangster Dixie Monahan to Brigid’s sister, Corinne Wonderly, to a museum curator from London claiming to be the true title holder of the statue. Spade collects fees from each of them but has no idea who he can trust and finds himself in dangerous situations more than a few times in this novel.
Of course, Spade’s suspicions are well founded. This is the beauty of the story as Max Allan Collins introduces plot twists and unique characters who drive the story to an explosive finale featuring all interested parties willing to do whatever it takes to nab the elusive prize.
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is a work of wonder, and I enjoyed every second of it. Collins has not just inhabited Hammett’s world but breathed new life into it and made it distinctly his own.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is set in San Francisco in 1928. Collins has recreated this setting and the characters brilliantly, allowing readers to step directly into the action that would have immediately followed the original story. I defy you not to have images of Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Ward Bond and others swimming through your imagination as you are sent back into this classic noir mystery that was never truly solved.
The statue that everyone was pursuing, and dying over, in THE MALTESE FALCON was never found. Sure, there may have been facsimiles shown of the golden prize that was hidden beneath black tarnish to keep its value concealed. But where was the genuine article? Spade’s new client is Rhea Gutman, a young woman claiming to be the daughter of Casper Gutman, who lost his life in the initial pursuit of the Maltese falcon.
It is less than two weeks since Spade’s somewhat corrupt partner, Miles Archer, was killed. He is now going solo in his practice with just his able secretary, Effie Perine, to support him. It is a pleasure to walk alongside Spade as he begins his journey by speaking with his friends on the force and eventually meeting with two prominent figures from THE MALTESE FALCON who are now behind bars: Brigid O’Shaughnessy and Joel Cairo, the latter of whom claims that he has a “man” who would pay handsomely for the Maltese falcon once it’s been procured.
Spade expertly works everyone he meets for the information he needs. But he also must validate the location of General Kemidov, a mysterious Russian man who may be in possession of the statue. The entire time, Spade is being dogged by the local police chief and the district attorney, who are extremely vested in the case. This makes his continued pursuit more difficult to conceal.
Every turn Spade makes puts another figure in front of him who desperately wants the Maltese falcon --- from Chicago gangster Dixie Monahan to Brigid’s sister, Corinne Wonderly, to a museum curator from London claiming to be the true title holder of the statue. Spade collects fees from each of them but has no idea who he can trust and finds himself in dangerous situations more than a few times in this novel.
Of course, Spade’s suspicions are well founded. This is the beauty of the story as Max Allan Collins introduces plot twists and unique characters who drive the story to an explosive finale featuring all interested parties willing to do whatever it takes to nab the elusive prize.
RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is a work of wonder, and I enjoyed every second of it. Collins has not just inhabited Hammett’s world but breathed new life into it and made it distinctly his own.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Review of advance copy
It is hard to believe that the classic 1941 film “The Maltese Falcon” starring Humphery Bogart was based on the only novel legendary mystery writer Dashiell Hammett wrote featuring detective Sam Spade. That story left some big questions unanswered and now in 2026 author Max Allan Collins is returning to that world in an attempt to wrap things up.
Set in San Francisco 1928 RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON brings us back to the settings and hard-boiled storytelling that has made Sam Spade and the elusive statue at the center of this case. Collins has not only recreated this setting and the immortalized characters brilliantly but allows readers to step directly into the action that would have immediately followed the original story. I defy you to not have images of Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Ward Bond, and others swimming through your imagination as you are sent back into this classic noir mystery that was never truly solved.
The primary mystery that I allude to is the fact that the statue everyone was pursuing, and dying over, in the original novel --- the Maltese falcon --- was never actually found. Sure, there may have been facsimiles shown of the golden prize that was hidden beneath black tarnish to keep its’ value hidden, but where was the genuine article? This is the mystery that Private Detective Sam Spade is put immediately back on to, initially under the direction of his new client Rhea Gutman, a young woman claiming to be the daughter of Caspar Gutman, one of those who lost their life in the initial pursuit of the statue.
It is less than two weeks since Spade’s somewhat corrupt partner, Miles Archer, was killed and he is now going it solo in his practice with just his able secretary, Effie Perine, to support him. Christmas season is upon us, but the only present Spade wants under the tree is the real Maltese falcon whose value could be in the millions. It is a pleasure to walk alongside Spade as he begins his journey by speaking with his friends on the force and eventually getting time to meet with two prominent figures from the first story who are now behind bars --- Brigid O’Shaugnessy and Joel Cairo.
Spade not only expertly works everyone he meets for information he needs but also needs to validate the location of the mysterious Russian man named General Kemidov which Rhea Gutman put him on to as a principle figure that may be in possession of the Maltese falcon. He does not get much to work with from the incarcerated pair he meets with, although Joel Cairo does claim to have a ‘man’ that would pay handsomely for the falcon once procured. The entire time, Spade is being dogged by the local police chief as well as the D.A., who are extremely vested in this case, making his continued pursuit of the falcon more difficult to conceal.
Every turn Spade makes puts another figure in front of him that equally wants the Maltese falcon from Chicago gangster Dixie Monahan to Brigid’s sister Corinne Wonderly, to a museum curator from London claiming to be the true title holder of the missing statue. Spade collects fees from each of them to aid in his initial case but has no idea who he can trust and finds himself in dangerous situations more than a few times in this novel.
Of course, Spade’s suspicions are well founded, and this is the beauty of the story as Max Allan Collins introduces plot twists and unique characters who all drive this story to an explosive finale featuring all interested parties willing to do whatever it takes to possess the elusive prize. RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is a work of wonder, and I enjoyed every second of it. Collins has not just inhabited Hammett’s world but breathed new life into it and made it distinctly his own in the process.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
Set in San Francisco 1928 RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON brings us back to the settings and hard-boiled storytelling that has made Sam Spade and the elusive statue at the center of this case. Collins has not only recreated this setting and the immortalized characters brilliantly but allows readers to step directly into the action that would have immediately followed the original story. I defy you to not have images of Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Ward Bond, and others swimming through your imagination as you are sent back into this classic noir mystery that was never truly solved.
The primary mystery that I allude to is the fact that the statue everyone was pursuing, and dying over, in the original novel --- the Maltese falcon --- was never actually found. Sure, there may have been facsimiles shown of the golden prize that was hidden beneath black tarnish to keep its’ value hidden, but where was the genuine article? This is the mystery that Private Detective Sam Spade is put immediately back on to, initially under the direction of his new client Rhea Gutman, a young woman claiming to be the daughter of Caspar Gutman, one of those who lost their life in the initial pursuit of the statue.
It is less than two weeks since Spade’s somewhat corrupt partner, Miles Archer, was killed and he is now going it solo in his practice with just his able secretary, Effie Perine, to support him. Christmas season is upon us, but the only present Spade wants under the tree is the real Maltese falcon whose value could be in the millions. It is a pleasure to walk alongside Spade as he begins his journey by speaking with his friends on the force and eventually getting time to meet with two prominent figures from the first story who are now behind bars --- Brigid O’Shaugnessy and Joel Cairo.
Spade not only expertly works everyone he meets for information he needs but also needs to validate the location of the mysterious Russian man named General Kemidov which Rhea Gutman put him on to as a principle figure that may be in possession of the Maltese falcon. He does not get much to work with from the incarcerated pair he meets with, although Joel Cairo does claim to have a ‘man’ that would pay handsomely for the falcon once procured. The entire time, Spade is being dogged by the local police chief as well as the D.A., who are extremely vested in this case, making his continued pursuit of the falcon more difficult to conceal.
Every turn Spade makes puts another figure in front of him that equally wants the Maltese falcon from Chicago gangster Dixie Monahan to Brigid’s sister Corinne Wonderly, to a museum curator from London claiming to be the true title holder of the missing statue. Spade collects fees from each of them to aid in his initial case but has no idea who he can trust and finds himself in dangerous situations more than a few times in this novel.
Of course, Spade’s suspicions are well founded, and this is the beauty of the story as Max Allan Collins introduces plot twists and unique characters who all drive this story to an explosive finale featuring all interested parties willing to do whatever it takes to possess the elusive prize. RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON is a work of wonder, and I enjoyed every second of it. Collins has not just inhabited Hammett’s world but breathed new life into it and made it distinctly his own in the process.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
July 21, 2025
Great fun.
I admit I have never read the original "Maltese Falcon" all the way through but enough to know Dashiell Hammett's style. I guess Max Allan Collins was channeling this style faithfully.
Old characters reappear, new ones introduced, and the hunt for the REAL Maltese Falcon is on. There are lots of fights. Sam Spade is bashed over the head repeatedly, enough to give an ordinary person brain damage. But Sam just hops up and gets on with his day.
I don't know why but the author is peculiarly preoccupied with eyebrows. Turn randomly to any page and you'll get a description of someone's eyebrows going through convolutions: "The gambler raised his eyebrows and set them back down." and "Her finely plucked eyebrows went up." and "The man's eyebrows were bushy little echoes of his mustache."
Mustaches go through elaborate convolutions too: "A sneer lifted half of Dundy's grey mustache." And my favorite quote of the whole book: "Dundy's mouth twitched and the mustache went along for the ride."
Eyebrows and mustaches aside, this was a fast-paced page-turner with a satisfying ending.
And a gorgeous cover. Thank you Hard Case Crime for the ARC.
I admit I have never read the original "Maltese Falcon" all the way through but enough to know Dashiell Hammett's style. I guess Max Allan Collins was channeling this style faithfully.
Old characters reappear, new ones introduced, and the hunt for the REAL Maltese Falcon is on. There are lots of fights. Sam Spade is bashed over the head repeatedly, enough to give an ordinary person brain damage. But Sam just hops up and gets on with his day.
I don't know why but the author is peculiarly preoccupied with eyebrows. Turn randomly to any page and you'll get a description of someone's eyebrows going through convolutions: "The gambler raised his eyebrows and set them back down." and "Her finely plucked eyebrows went up." and "The man's eyebrows were bushy little echoes of his mustache."
Mustaches go through elaborate convolutions too: "A sneer lifted half of Dundy's grey mustache." And my favorite quote of the whole book: "Dundy's mouth twitched and the mustache went along for the ride."
Eyebrows and mustaches aside, this was a fast-paced page-turner with a satisfying ending.
And a gorgeous cover. Thank you Hard Case Crime for the ARC.
December 10, 2025
Whether a book like this is a good idea in the first place or not, It's better for having been written by Max Allan Collins. I think Collins does manage to hit the right tone and atmosphere, there's a repetitiveness to some of the prose but that does give the whole endeavor a classic, pulp feel. I actually really enjoyed Collins' afterword describing his approach to the whole project. It's such a quick read too. Absolutely worth a look for Hammet/Spade fans.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A superb continuation of the original Maltese Falcon, with a mystery and search worth discovering. Max Allan Collins is a master of the hard boiled detective and effortlessly writes Hammett’s Spade and San Francisco.
The dialogue and prose are tough, terse and vivid in all the ways you want from a Sam Spade investigation.
The dialogue and prose are tough, terse and vivid in all the ways you want from a Sam Spade investigation.
December 28, 2025
I won an advance copy of this book from my local library. It was fun to revisit Sam Spade and company picking up where The Maltese Falcon ended. I enjoyed it.
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