The Thin Man

Hearts? Certainly–But Flowers? Not Necessarily For These Mystery Solving Duos

by Sharon Tucker



We can thank the bawdy Geoffrey Chaucer and the not-so-bawdy tradition of courtly love for our modern celebration of Valentine’s Day--when couples become the focus of attention. As for St. Valentine himself, church historians have martyrs named Valens, Valentin, or Valentinin but the favorite attribution is that of a Christian priest, Valentine. In the third century AD, he performed marriages for soldiers, all of whom were forbidden to marry by Rome.

The Thin Man

by Sandra Murphy



Dashiell Hammett only wrote five novels in his lifetime but mention Sam Spade, The Maltese Falcon or The Thin Man and there’s instant recognition. Hammett had a lean writing style that brought gangster slang to everyday language. He started with the hard-boiled detective, a man with no family, few friends, and a self-designed code of honor and with it, he changed the face of detective stories.