Red Harvest

Samuel Dashiell Hammett was born on May 27, 1894, in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. He was an American author known for his significant contributions to crime fiction, particularly within the noir genre. Hammett grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, in a working-class family. He left school early and worked a series of jobs, but his life took a pivotal turn in 1915 when he joined the Pinkerton National Detective Agency (see “Historical Context” below). His experiences as a detective exposed him to the dark underbelly of society, introducing him to criminals, corrupt officials, and the dangers of law enforcement. 

During World War I, Hammett served in the US Army, but his military career was cut short when he contracted tuberculosis. His health issues persisted throughout his life and impacted his ability to work consistently. While recovering, he began to write. His first short stories were published in pulp magazines like Black Mask, where he developed his voice and narrative style. Hammett’s first novel, Red Harvest (1929) set the tone for Hammett's writing: dark, morally ambiguous, and relentlessly realistic. His next novel, The Dain Curse (1929), also featured the same unnamed

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