Red Harvest (1929), a raucous and nightmarish evocation of political corruption and gang warfare in a western mining town ; The Dain Curse (1929), an ornately melodramatic tale involving jewel theft, drugs, and a mysterious religious cult ; The Maltese Falcon (1930), a tightly constructed quest story with an unforgettabel cast of eccentric adventurers ; The Glass Kit (1931), an exploration of city politics at their most scurrilous, traces intricate patterns of loyalty and betrayal in scenes charged with drama ; The Thin Man (1934), is a ruefully comic tale that pays homage to the traditional mystery form.