A couple of months ago, I stumbled on a 90s edition of Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon in a used bookstore, and I've been on a noir/crime fiction kick since then. Sure, I should have covered this shady beat more thoroughly long ago, but it's nice to have a whole genre that I've barely touched still there to explore.
The Maltese Falcon, originally published in 1930, features Sam Spade -- who contrary to the private eye archtypes that name usually brings to mind, is described as looking like a tall, blond Satan. You get a lot of descriptions in Falcon -- Hammett seems thoroughly obsessed with detailed physical descriptions of every character in the book, including their reactions to every turn of conversation. This does feel a bit odd, but it's an interesting effect. The story (and Spade's superhuman coolness) feels to me just a wee bit over the top, like Hammett may have been doing something of a sendup here -- especially when compared to his more gritty and realistic Continental Op stories. Still, with lots of great dialog, quirky characters and the ol' noir atmosphere, it's a fine read.
For a terrific Hammett short story featuring the Continental Op, find an anthology that includes The Scorched Face (1925). It's like Twin Peaks in a nutshell, minus the supernatural folderol.
Internet-wise, there are some e-mail discussion lists, of course. Rara-Avis is dedicated to "the discussion of hardboiled and noir writing." The Hammett List takes a tighter focus. It looks like activity is a bit quiet on the latter list.