I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.
-Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."
-Phillip K. Dick

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett

Genre: Noir/Crime/Detective/Classic/Mystery

Red Harvest is the first book of a short series written by Dashiell Hammett called The Continental Op series. It's about a detective whose name I can't recall ever being mentioned within the course of this novel, perhaps it was mentioned just so infrequently that I didn't capture it. He's from San Fransisco and for some reason wants to stir up some mischief in a town called Personville, which keeps being called Poisonville. He finds himself in the middle of a crime he's sure he didn't commit...I'll let you read to find out what happens.


Goodreads Summary:
The Continental Op first heard Personville called Poisonville by Hickey Dewey. But since Dewey also called a shirt a shoit, he didn't think anything of it. Until he went there and his client, the only honest man in Poisonville, was murdered. Then the Op decided to stay to punish the guilty. And that meant taking on the entire town...
 

For this being the first Noir novel I've read it wasn't too bad; however, I felt like it was lacking something to make it capture me.  I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters, but the story was an alright read. Dinah was an okay character, though too stereotypical. I do admit though that I got lost a few times in the dialogue, but later found myself back into the story a couple pages later. The ending seems flat to me, like it needs a little something more. It's an okay read if you're looking to start reading some Crime Detective books, it's a classic after all.

Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.

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