"The Malted Falcon (A Chet Gecko Mystery)" by Bruce Hale

128 pages


Wisecracking fourth-grade detective Chet Gecko and his trusty partner, Natalie Attired, have to restore the peace at Emerson Hickey Elementary yet again. This time, the stakes are high: a winning ticket for the Malted Falcon--the most yummy, scrumptious, gut-busting dessert ever--has gone missing, and it's up to Chet and Natalie to find it.


This is the first Chet Gecko book I've read, and I loved it! I picked this one up because it's the children's companion to my Library's Big Read selection, The Maltese Falcon, this year. I think it was the perfect choice, not only because it's (loosely) based on Dashiell Hammett's classic. The characters are likable, the pictures are fun, and it just cracked me up. It's really silly--don't read this book if you don't like puns!--but it worked for me. 

The Maltese Falcon

by Dashiell Hammett 217p.

This was the first noir I had read, but it seemed like a definitive noir detective story. There were interesting characters and descriptions. It had a very straightforward style that made it easy to read with only a few dated kind of words. It did not end how I thought it would end.

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

217 pages, 1957

A damsel in distress, a detective, a few bad guys and some treasure -- sounds like the makings of a mystery to me.

The Maltese Falcon is a fun, fast and easy read, a great selection for this year's Big Read. I love a good mystery and this one keeps you guessing right up to the end. (Alright, if you've seen the movie then maybe you're not guessing up until the end) but Hammett still does a good job of leading you one direction and then another.

As much as I love Bogart in the movie, after reading the book I don't think that's who I would have cast in the lead, but I have yet to come up with an alternative.

The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon
by Dashiell Hammett
217 pages

Sam Spade is a private detective in San Francisco during the 1910's or 1920's.  The action starts when "Miss Wonderly" hires Spade's partner to tail somebody.  As the story unfolds, Miss Wonderly's story continues to change, and people are killed.  A treasure is at stake, and Spade must navigate the treacherous dealings of all involved. 

This is widely considered a classic.  It was different from most books I've read because the narrator stuck strictly to the facts.  The narrator only described setting and told you what people said.  The narrator did not give any special insight into any of the character's thoughts and feelings.  This leaves a lot to the imagination, but it can also be frustrating.  You are always left guessing as to what is really going on in the characters' hearts and minds.

The Maltese Falcon

By: Dashell Hammett, 217 pp.

I just completed reading The Maltese Falcon. I figured if it is going to be our Big Read for next spring, I had better get head start on it. I am getting ready to watch the movie as well. I did like the novel, however, it was almost the same plot as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" movie or even as similar as any of the Dick Tracey's.
Sam Spade and Miles Archer are our detectives who own the agency. Miles gets himself killed on a case of hunting for a bird statue and Sam decides to find out who killed his partner and why, along with the reason why this bird is being looked for by so many criminals.
Sam runs into several mastermind criminals along the way while trying to get to this bird statue (including a gorgeous liar who he believes he is falling for). So far thee have been three murders....
Is this statue worth getting yourself into trouble for and/or possibly getting yourself killed?
I did like this story line, but it is from the 40's, so that will give you some sort of idea where the conversations and plot of this novel are coming from; a whole different perspective than today's mysteries you read or see on tv.