If you’ve only seen The Thin Man movies, you may be surprised to learn that much of the famed Nick & Nora chemistry is taken directly from the book.

No slight against Powell & Loy, because they certainly brought the relationship to life on screen, but reading this novel you’ll discover that the same spirited (pun intended), loving relationship is portrayed with exquisite detail in Hammett’s prose.

An absolute crime classic, and well worth reading for being so unlike the often-formulaic novels that were its contemporaries. The Thin Man stands alone.

My girlfriend wants us to be Nick and Nora for Halloween, but I can’t possibly drink that much.