Dashiell Hammett is one of those authors I’ve heard about, and always meant to read. According to wikipedia he is rated as one of the best mystery authors… well based on this book I’m not convinced of that. But maybe I need to try a different one?
Red Harvest is the story of the “continental op”, a private detective who arrives in town too late to prevent the murder of a client. And ends up by having almost the whole town murder each other. Well, maybe not quite but almost.
It is convoluted and all over the place with this mystery leading to another and one unpleasant individual trying to corrupt or outwit another unpleasant individual. But then again that’s sort of what it is supposed to be, so I guess it achieves its aims.
And although it isn’t a book I think I’d ever say I loved, I would read more by Hammett, if only out of curiosity.