Dashiell Hammett

Dashiell Hammett was an American author who pioneered the hard-boiled detective genre with realistic, tough prose in novels like The Maltese Falcon and short stories featuring characters such as Sam Spade and the Continental Op. A former Pinkerton detective, he drew from his experiences to infuse his writing with authenticity before becoming a screenwriter and political activist, notably refusing to name names during McCarthyism hearings. His works, including The Thin Man, significantly influenced detective fiction.

St. Mary’s County, Maryland, USA May 27, 1894 Wikipedia
hard-boiled detective crime fiction