Here is what the experts have to say. Take a look at the writings of Gary Lovisi and Richard Golsan and their analysis of the genre
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/scr/summary/v027/27.1-2.golsan.htmlhttp://www.gryphonbooks.com/Articles/hard_boiled_way.html
 
This genre took of so strongly, that it even made it to England, as you can see here. The author's seem to have new methods in their style, but it is great to see what changes have been made and where it is now.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jan/18/1000-novels-writing-crime-modern-ellroy
 
http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Hardboiled-Favorites/lm/3BN24X7PVDIUQ
This is the current list for Amazon's Favorites. Check out the evolution of this genre.
 
Something new was brewing in the literary genres of the 1920’s, and Dashiell Hammett was at the forefront. A detective mystery was beginning to take on a new shape, one that would appeal to the changing audience .The roaring twenties were bringing out a new culture, with looser morals and a desire to hear about the liminal line between law and crime. Dashiell Hammett’s new character, Samuel Spade, epitomizes the new detective and allows Hammett to start a genre of his own, hard-boiled fiction. 

 
Detective Fiction began in the mid 1800’s when Edgar Allan Poe first created his character C. Auguste Dupin.  In fact, the word detective did not even exist at the time and Poe’s groundbreaking “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” can be considered the first story of its kind. (LibraryPoint) Dupin set many precedents that later detectives were sure to follow. He came from an upper class background and used intense logic to find clues only uncovered through deep reading. (LibraryPoint) These characteristics helped shape perhaps the most popular detective in all of literature; Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock embodies the persona of “hyperanalytic investigative genius and a shrewdly inventive hypothesizer” (Snodgrass). These characteristics can largely be attributed to Poe’s original, Dupin. For example, Dupin alludes to his “investigative genius” during an interrogation when he snarls “From what I have already said, you must know that I have had means of information about this matter --means of which you could never have dreamed” (Poe). Dupin is explaining to the Sailor, whom Dupin blames for the crime, that he has already acquired information in ways that the sailor would assume Dupin had no ability to. Sherlock is described with this same zeal for discovering the truth. Here, Watson describes Sherlock in the book “The Sign of the Four”; "So swift, silent, and furtive were his movements, like those of a trained bloodhound picking out a scent, that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made" (Snodgrass). Sherlock’s character continued the role of the detective, but took its popularity to new heights. Through over 50 stories his popularity spread detective fiction to mainstream America. (LibraryPoint) 

 
The next man in line to shape the detective world was Sam Spade, or perhaps his creator, Dashiell Hammett. Hammett’s rise to the literary scene was not one of a stereotypical author. Born in a rural county of Maryland, Hammett was moved to and was raised in the city of Baltimore. After a semester of high school, he dropped out to support his family. After years of odd jobs, Hammett became a private detective for the Pinkerton Agency at the age of 21. Here he worked in the theft division, shadowing suspects and recovering stolen goods-both of which occur in The Maltese Falcon. The shadowing of a suspect begins early in the novel when Ms. Wonderly explains her situation and Spade provides this answer, “It’s simply a matter of having a man at the hotel this evening to shadow him away when he leaves, and shadow him until he leads us to your sister” (7). Spade then proceeds to track stolen goods, the Maltese Falcon, throughout the novel. In the end he finally recovers what they had believed to be the bird. He calls the officers and offers up all of his evidence when he proclaims “I’ve got some exhibits- the boy’s guns, one of Cairo’s, a black statuette that all the hell was about, and a thousand dollar bill that I was supposed to be bribed with” (216). In 1918 Hammett joined the US Army but shortly after contracted the Spanish Influenza, which triggered tuberculosis. After attempting to return to work part-time, Hammett suffered a physical breakdown and was hospitalized. He fell in love with his nurse- an act identical to fellow modernist Hemingway’s character- and was married in Washington. With poor health but a family to care for, Hammett turned to writing as a source of income. (Layman)

 However, as Hammett wrote The Maltese Falcon, a strange era was cast upon the American people. Since 1920, alcohol had been outlawed and crime rates began a trend upward. (Crime Rate) Crime was now an influential part of Hammett’s life for several years. His works followed suit as he wrote for the pulp magazine, Black Mask. (Layman) Hammett was beginning to shape his career when he published his first novel, Red Harvest. This novel included the crime that permeated the culture. The detective explains the basis of the story; “He told me to come out to his house last night. I did, but he didn't show up. When I got downtown I learned he had been killed” (Hammett, “Red Harvest” 5).  With a strong base in detective crime, Hammett found the niche he would write for. However, this novel was missing a key element, Samuel Spade.

 
Spade is characterized in an interview with Hammett as “a hard and shifty fellow, able to take care of himself in any situation, able to get the best of anybody he comes in contact with, whether criminal, innocent by-stander or client” (Introduction). There are a few cases in the book in which Spade behaves this way. “Cairo let the pistol go the instant that Spade’s fingers touched it” (46). This dominance exemplifies Spade’s ability to “get the best of anybody he comes in contact with”. The scene in which this incidence occurs is supposed to be a hold-up by Cairo on Spade. However, Hammett chooses to highlight Spade’s strength and alpha-male qualities by allowing Spade to overtake Cairo and stop the hold-up. This indirect characterization put Spade off to a great start, but Hammett had to add more. Therefore, he gives Spade a final character revelation when he says “I won’t play the sap for you” (215). This line is Spade’s last to Brigid; coming after a long list of reasons why he will turn her in. He exercises complete control, even through his admitted love. This love was another part of Spade’s dynamic character that shows his position on traditional values. Brigid acts as more than a client, sleeping with Spade but also using him for protection. These actions reflect the new developments of society, such as flappers and speakeasies, and prove that what would have been reprehensible in years before is now allowed to fit right in.

In the beginning of the novel, Spade is presented a tough- guy detective who appears to have complete control of his surroundings. “Duke’s celebrated Criminal Cases of America… Spade’s thick fingers made a cigarette” (11). Spade is reading what would be considered a very manly novel and then is described with “thick fingers” and using them to roll a cigarette; there is clearly nothing feminine about him. Spade’s control of his surroundings also extends into his ability to control Brigid. “We didn’t exactly believe your story… we believed your two hundred dollars.” Spade’s proves his real motives in life, and his cunning understanding of all of his surroundings. He is motivated by her money, not her sob story. Also, he knew immediately that she was lying; something an unsuspecting reader would not. All of this characterization in the first chapter is necessary to position Spade where Dashiell Hammett wanted him to be, as a new style of detective that can change the way a detective behaves. Finally, Hammett is ready to start his new genre. 

 
Unsentimental has already been a part of the characterization of Spade, but now it must permeate into the writing style. Merriam defines sentimental as “Resulting from feeling rather than reason or thought”, so unsentimental would be “resulting from reason or thought rather than feeling”. Hammett’s unsentimental style can be exemplified through is diction and syntax in the following quote “Cairo spoke quickly, before he could be questioned, and the muscles of his face quivered the strain of holding his smile in place while he spoke” (78). Hammett’s simply describes what Cairo is doing and does not substitute actions for emotions. Instead of saying “the muscles of his face quivered the strain of holding his smile”, the sentimental way would be something along the lines of “pretended to look happy”. Hammett’s diction conveys more information and reason than the alternative. Hammett’s syntax pushes the sentence from topic to topic, through his use of clauses and commas. This formation of the sentence makes it read more logically and provides reason as to why each event occurred; “Cairo spoke quickly” to get his words out “before he could be questioned” and “his face quivered” because he had to fake a “smile”.

Vernacular speech is the last aspect Hammett uses in setting the precedent for his new genre. Several quotes can show this type of writing. “It’s no crime to kid a copper, is it?”, “You belched for help and you’ve got to take it”, and “No, no, for Christ’s sake” (79). All of these quotes are written in a form that implies speech and not perfect English. A “copper” is basically slang, and not the word Hammett would have chosen if writing in a different style. “Belched for help” is once again a phrase that is more likely to be said and not written. Lastly, “no, no” would be unnecessary in conventional written English but is often used in speech to add emphasis. Vernacular speech is the last checkmark that proves Hammett’s style to be one of a new style, hard-boiled fiction. 

 
"A History of Detective Fiction: Literary Origins." LibraryPoint. Central Rappahannock Regional Library, n.d. Web. 07 May 2013.

Colden, Morris. "hard-boiled fiction." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 27 May. 2013.



"Crime Rate." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 07 May 2013.

"Dashiell Hammett's Introduction to The Maltese Falcon (1934 Edition)." Dashiell Hammett's Introduction to The Maltese Falcon (1934 Edition). N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Hammett, Dashiell. Introduction. Red Harvest. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 6. Lucite. Web. 27 May 2013. <http://lucite.org/lucite/archive/fiction_-_hammett/red%20harvest%20-%20dashiell%20hammett.pdf>.

Hammett, Dashiell. The Maltese Falcon. New York: Vintage, 1992. Print.

 Layman, Richard. "Hammett, Dashiell." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945,

Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 27 May 2013.

 Poe, Edgar A. "The Murders in the Rue Morgue - Edgar Allan Poe." The Murders in the Rue Morgue - Edgar Allan Poe. About, n.d. Web. 07 May 2013.

 Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. "Sherlock Holmes." Encyclopedia of Gothic Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EGL183&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 7, 2013).

Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1095&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 7, 2013). 

    Matthew

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