The Maltese Falcon: The Best Covers, Ranked / Dwyer Murphy In: Crime Reads May 25, 2018

Every year, as Memorial Day weekend rolls around, the holiday barbecues, ball games, and premature beach visits obscure another momentous historical event: the birth of Dashiell Hammett. Born Samuel Dashiell Hammett (Dashiell came from the French surname, De Chiel) in 1894, Hammett seemed to live many lives: soldier, detective, Pinkerton strike buster, story writer, progressive, activist, political prisoner, man about town, recluse, and of course the role we best remember him for: the canonical, legendary author of some of crime fiction’s most beloved, admired, and influential novels. Arguably, Hammett did more than any author to define the style and feeling of a good detective novel. The movies helped,  but Hammett’s prose and his PIs’ attitudes left a truly indelible mark.
Take The Maltese Falcon. Just the title conjures up a stylized world of sharp dealers, San Francisco hills, double crossers and double-breasted suits. Many a filmmaker, illustrator, and book designer have taken their shot at capturing that Maltese feeling. Nothing quite compares to the man’s words, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a few minutes to appreciate the effort.
Come with us, won’t you, on a journey around the world in tattered, well-read copies of The Maltese Falcon. To commemorate Hammett’s birth, we’ve gathered up and (very, very scientifically) ranked the top 42 covers of The Maltese Falcon from around the world. Have we missed some? Surely. Treated others unfairly? Why not. In Hammett-world, quick decisive action is key. No regrets, until you’re alone in your apartment / office with a glass of something smoky and a memory that refuses to die…
(There are no doubt mistakes below, especially on foreign editions. Send word if you spot them. And for more expert takes on rare books and cover art, refer to the work of CrimeReads contributors Rebecca Romney and J. Kingston Pierce.)

42. Spain (2016). When in doubt, hone in on the falcon. Any falcon.


41. USA (2012). Sam Spade in croupier dress.


40. Brazil (1982). Those icy stare-downs. Noir to the bone.
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