So glad I re-read this novel. It’s really tight, no extra fluff, fast paced.

I’d forgotten how brutal the end is, with the falcon slipping through their fingers, and Spade working his magic to get everyone their just desserts, including the femme fatale.

I’d forgotten that the last lines are his dead partners wife coming to see him after the whole story has been published in the papers. Oof. Would it have happened this way if he’d gotten the falcon?

This novel has earned its place as a classic. But it’s strong enough to stand on its own.