Dashiell Contemporary is a term used to describe the works of three authors: Erle Stanley Gardner, Sam Spade, and ASTA Nielsen. Erle Stanley Gardner was an American author best known for his mystery novels featuring the character Perry Mason. Sam Spade was a fictional private detective created by Dashiell Hammett in his novel The Maltese Falcon. ASTA Nielsen was a Danish actress and film producer who was one of the first international movie stars. All three of these authors were influential in the development of the modern crime fiction genre.