Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel, The Glass Key, is slightly different from his earlier novels in that it was written specifically as a novel, rather than compiled from several pulp magazine stories. Also differing from his Continental Op stories, it's written in third person -- and when Hammett writes in third person, he writes in THIRD PERSON. You don't get inside the thoughts of any of the characters, even lead character, Ned Beaumont. Even after the ending, I wasn't sure what Beaumont's angle really had been. It's all dialog, surface demeanor and actions, which is surprisingly disturbing. We are more programmed to expect interior views than we may think. Beaumont is righthand man and chief fixer to Paul Madvig -- a shady mover and shaker of an unnamed city's political scene. When an inconvenient murder points at Madvig, Beaumont puts in heavy overtime trying to fix it. Though it also seems that this may not be his aim. There's a lot of moral ambiguity, even more than usual for Hammett, as Beaumont bounces (and gets bounced) through an environment of smoky backrooms, bleak weather and boozey hideaways. Another quirk of Hammett: lots of detailed descriptions of room settings and furniture. A fine, disorienting journey through a corrupted society. Some consider it Hammett's last top-notch work. More spoilers here.