Publisher, Audio Partners (February 2004)

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Hard-boiled detective Sam Spade is hired to locate a client's sister by tailing the sister's companion. Spade's partner Miles Archer takes on the assignment, and quickly both Archer and the man he was shadowing are murdered. As Spade pursues the mystery of his partner's death, he is drawn into a circle of colorful characters - and they are all after a legendary statuette of a falcon that had long ago been made for King Charles of Spain. Encrusted with jewels, it is worth a fortune. Missing for centuries, it resurfaced in 1921, when it was covered in black enamel to disguise its true value.

About the Author: Dashiell Hammett is the father of both the "Noir" film genre and the "tough guy" detective fiction genre. He worked as a detective for several years, bringing a particular authenticity and grittiness to his detective fiction.

About the Performer: William Dufris is recognized internationally as one of the best audio readers in the industry. He has received numerous awards, and was voted one of The Best Voices at the End of the Century (AudioFile Magazine - Dec 1999).