The Maltese Falcon

I enjoy the novels of [b:Raymond Chandler 2052 The Big Sleep Raymond Chandler http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AGA624Z5L.SL75.jpg 1222673], but for me THIS is the best hard-boiled private eye novel ever. Hammett's laconic style, his punchy dialogue and his concise and driving storytelling make this the standard to measure all others against.