The Thin ManThe Thin Man
Score Classic
What it's about
Nick Charles, a retired private detective, and his rich, witty wife Nora are in New York for Christmas, drinking and enjoying themselves. An eccentric inventor Nick once worked for has disappeared, and his secretary has been found murdered. Nick doesn't want the case, but his old client's dysfunctional family won't leave him alone.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. Nick and Nora's banter made it a classic, and it launched a famous series of films.
You'll love it if you liked
The Maltese Falcon
The Big Sleep
Red HarvestGood to know
There's a great deal of drinking. It's lighter than Hammett's other books.
By the numbers
- Readers25 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #447 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #677 of the 762 classics we rank
- #2391 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Dashiell Hammett
If you like this, read next
The Godfather
The Pillars of the Earth
In Cold Blood
Rebecca
Crime and Punishment
The Name of the RoseExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Thin Man worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #2,391 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 59.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Thin Man about?
Nick Charles, a retired private detective, and his rich, witty wife Nora are in New York for Christmas, drinking and enjoying themselves. An eccentric inventor Nick once worked for has disappeared, and his secretary has been found murdered. Nick doesn't want the case, but his old client's dysfunctional family won't leave him alone.
How long does it take to read The Thin Man?
About 4 hours (172 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Thin Man?
If you liked it, try The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler or Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett.