The Maltese Falcon (by Dashiell Hammett)

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (dramatization) was produced by Blackstone Audio and comes with what is perhaps the best audiobook app available (see below for features list).

One of AudioFiles Best Mystery Audiobooks of 2009
Named a Top 10 Crime Fiction Audiobook by Booklist
A Booklist Editor’s Pick for 2009 in Adult

A treasure worth killing for—Sam Spade, a slightly shop-worn private eye with his own solitary code of ethics; a perfumed grifter named Joel Cairo; a fat man named Gutman; and Brigid OShaughnessy, a beautiful and treacherous woman whose loyalties shift at the drop of a dime. These are the ingredients of Dashiell Hammetts coolly glittering gem of detective fiction, a novel that has haunted three generations of readers.

Self-contained, this audiobook app is perfect for your commute, on a trip, or while relaxing. Based on a library-quality recording, this app was built especially for your iPhone and iPod Touch. No unreadable text, no endless scrolling. The audio is of higher-than-normal quality, making for a great listening experience that will not tire your ears or grate on your nerves.

NOTICE: This app includes the same 5-star recording that is available through other retailers for higher prices. It is unabridged and professionally recorded at Blackstone Audio by Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh, Edward Herrmann, and a full cast. You are not buying yet another amateur or volunteer narration. No clicks, background noises, throat clearing, mispronunciations, tinny voices or monotones will be found here.

“Sexy, darkly comic, and broodingly moral, The Maltese Falcon is like a jolt of bourbon—it wakes you up and keeps you listening.” —AudioFile


• EXPERIENCE. About 3.5 hours of narration. Created as a Folium enhancedAudio™ edition, this book includes extra functions and features not found on lesser players.

• PLAYER CONTROLS. Includes listen (play), pause, multi-speed fast forward/reverse, jump ahead/back, chapter skip, volume control, one-touch chapter- and bookmark browser. There is also a “scrub” bar that finds any point inside the chapter with just a tap.

• SLEEP TIMER. Have you ever fallen asleep watching TV or listening to a book? If so, youll love this feature. Once set, the book will stop, place a bookmark, and allow you to jump back to where you probably began dozing.

• CLEAR & ELEGANT DESIGN. Simple, clean, intuitive, and smarter than average.

• CHAPTER TIMINGS. Always know how much time it will take to finish a chapter. Plus, the progress bar at the top of the screen shows how far into the book you’ve come.

• OFFLINE LISTENING. You are airplane-ready! Once downloaded, listen uninterrupted without threat from a lost network connection. Downloads are usually just 5-10 minutes, but depend upon your network speed.

• AUTO-BOOKMARKING. The player remembers where you stopped listening and returns to that exact spot when you open the book again.


RATING: 12+ For some language, sexuality, and mature situations.

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This dramatization by the award-winning Hollywood Theater of the Ear remains faithful to the original; unlike the film, this version is unfettered by a censor’s pressure to mute the tough realism of Hammett’s vision.