Okay readers, it's probably best for me to admit this upfront:

I am falling out of love with The Thin Man.

I don't have much of an issue with the plot or characters. They seem to be developing well, and I am certainly interested in how they continue to do so. There are two things that have begun to bother me, however:

1. There seems to be some kind of transition missing. There is a segment where Nick is speaking to Guild (police) about the Wolf murder. Twice, he is interrupted by telephone calls. Nora comes in to tell Nick he's got a phone call, and the very next sentence in the paragraph is about the conversation Nick has. Something has to happen between those two things. Wouldn't he excuse himself with Guild? Wouldn't he exit one room to locate the telephone in the next room? Couldn't there at least be some kind of transition?

Don't get me wrong here; I realize this isn't a huge deal. I am definitely not a great, or even good, writer myself (this blog should serve as evidence to the fact). I'm simply saying that it gets to me.

2. Snarky-comment-plus-even-snarkier-retort. Like a one-two punch... Jab-cross. Hook-uppercut. As you go through each chapter, you begin to notice a pattern. You know that witty banter between Nick and Nora that I found so endearing? It's lost its appeal. Hammett seems to end every other chapter with this combo. I feel like saying out loud, We get it already, Dashiell. Move on.

Now that I'm done sounding like a complete tool about Dashiell Hammett, I'm wondering if I should move on to talking about the plot. I have a really bad track record when it comes to predicting the outcome of books/movies/my life/etc.

I'll say this:

Jorgensen's a turd.

There is something about Mimi that I seriously do not like. She is bad news.

Wynant is innocent.

Morelli is innocent.

A certain creepy brother has aroused my suspicions. Gilbert is somewhere in the middle of this.

My fingers are crossed, in hoping that the latter three are actually true.

In parting, let me say:

I am not sure 'snarkier' is actually a word, but I have nevertheless chosen to use it.

In retrospect, starting with the first book during the Christmas/New Year holiday was probably not the best idea. I have promised my thoughts, however, so thoughts I will deliver.

I cracked open The Thin Man for the first time, and somewhere within the first two pages... it hooked me. There's something so effortless about Hammett's development of Nick Charles. Almost immediately, you get a sense of who this man is. He is slightly jaded (but not bitter), intelligent, clever, sarcastic, genuine. Hammett manages to convey this within just the first handful of paragraphs.

I love the dynamics of the relationship between Nick and Nora. They take verbal jabs at each other and throw accusations out at random intervals, but it's with such comfort and security that it becomes endearing.

I do find it interesting that the solution for most stressful or uncomfortable situations is to have a drink. This applies to not only Nick and Nora, but their friends and acquaintances as well. It could be completely insignificant, and just indicative of the era during which it was written, but I suppose that's something I'll have to wait to find out.

48 pages down.

William Powell and Myrna Loy

as Nick and Nora Charles