The Thin Man. Dashiel Hammett. First Vintage Crime/Black Lizard (1992) (First published 1934)

A deeply engaging and enjoyable crime story. Nick Charles , a former private investigator now married to Nora and engaged in managing their business affairs, is reluctantly pulled into a murder investigation. The victim, Julia Wolf, was the secretary to an inventor, Charles Wynant who had been a client of Nick Charles some years before. Reluctantly drawn into the investigation by Wynant's ex-wife and children and Wynant' s lawyer, Nick Charles fins that he has to pursue the investigation in spite of his objections. The reveals are masterfully staged and the investigation circles around the cast and steadily the dark secrets are revealed leading to a wholly satisfying conclusion.
The plot is a light as a feather, Nick Charles, in New York for Christmas and New Year 1932, finds that he is being pulled into an investigation which is seriously interfering with his plans to drink and socalise. Surrounded by people who assume that he is involved and then act on that assumption. Nick finally has to engage fully to solve the problem. Nick is not a lone wolf, he is a competent professional who works with the police who are happy to take his cooperation. Nick is calm and considered, dealing with trouble with a razor sharp wise cracks and a unflappable calm in the face of temptation, murder and being shot in his own bed. Nick is not a superman, he is just really annoyed at being involved and willing to follow here the trail leads when he finds he has to. He has the experience to not be surprised by what people do  or say and the composure to manage the the action as it unfurls.
The Jorgenson family, Charles Wynant, ex-wife Mimi married to Christian Jorgenson, with her daughter Dorothy and son Gilbert are the dark heart that the story revolves around. Mimi wants to find Charles Wynant to get more money from him, Dorothy want to find her father  because she is unhappy, Gilbert is rather odd and  inquisitive about unexpected topics. They all respond to Nick Charles and his wife Nora in unexpected and sharply revealing ways. Nick's calm managing of their attempts to include him in their drama make them ever more concerned to include him.
The context, New York in the last days of Prohibition is  carefully drawn, the action moves from sumptuous hotel suites and expensive apartments to speakeasies filled with reformed and not so reformed gangsters and criminals. In each location the supporting cast are given the time and space to economically and effectively make their presence felt. The walk on parts are all given sufficient weight to make an impact and add greatly to the pleasure of the story.
Dashiel Hammett has written an extraordinary story, Nick and Nora Charles are a married couple who like each other and clearly are deeply in love and comfortable with each other, they give the story a powerful romantic edge. Dashiel Hammett  is unfailingly clear eyed about the domestic drama of the Jorgenson,does treat them with anger or contempt, they are allowed to be themselves with overt judgement. The neatly constructed murder story is unfolded with quiet flair and no shortcuts. All of these elements co exist very easily with each other, all of them are vital to the success of the story. Powerful writing that hides behind a lighthearted tone means this wonderful book is a deep pleasure to read.