The Maltese Falcon is a novel by Dashiell Hammett, first published in 1930. It follows the story of private detective Sam Spade and his investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a valuable statuette known as the Maltese Falcon. The novel was adapted into a film in 1941, starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade. The Maltese Falcon is considered to be one of the most influential works of detective fiction and has been highly praised for its complex plot and characters.