In an exciting development for fans of crime fiction, award-winning author Max Allan Collins will be continuing the legacy of the iconic fictional detective Sam Spade, created by Dashiell Hammett. The publishing company Hard Case Crime revealed that Collins’ upcoming book titled “The Return of the Maltese Falcon” is set to be published in January 2026, coinciding with the entry of Hammett’s classic novel “The Maltese Falcon” into the public domain. This novel, first published in 1930 and famously adapted into a film starring Humphrey Bogart in 1941, is considered a cornerstone of the hard-boiled detective genre.
Collins expressed his deep admiration for Hammett’s work, stating, “Not that writing about the world Hammett created, and those immortal, sometimes immoral characters isn’t challenging — Hammett’s best mystery also happens to be one of the greatest American novels, period.” With the expiration of copyright protection for a book, such as in the case of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” entering the public domain in 2021, new interpretations and adaptations of the original work can emerge, like the Tony-winning musical and prequel novel “Nick.”
“The Return of the Maltese Falcon” will reintroduce characters like Sam Spade, Joel Cairo, and a new mysterious femme fatale into the thrilling world of Hammett’s creations, according to Hard Case Crime. Collins, known for his novel “Road to Perdition” which was made into a film featuring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, has a rich history of working with iconic literary detectives, having continued the Dick Tracy comic strip and the Mike Hammer series by Mickey Spillane.
Collins, humbly acknowledging the weight of his task, remarked, “I’m something of an old hand at walking in the shoes of the giants who came before, though I never claim to filling them.” Previous authorized projects involving Sam Spade include Joe Gores’ 2009 prequel novel “Spade & Archer,” exploring the early days of Spade and his partner Miles Archer, and the recent AMC miniseries “Monsieur Spade” starring Clive Owen, depicting a retired detective living in the South of France.
