# Sam Spade — The Maltese Falcon character guide > Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Spade, Mr. Spade, Samuel Spade, Sammy **First appearance:** 0002-i-spade-archer ## Snapshot A San Francisco private detective with a blond Satan's face and a taste for trouble, he takes a pretty liar's case and finds himself hunting a jeweled bird. ## Who they are Spade runs a shabby office with a loyal secretary and a partner he doesn't much like, working angles as coolly as he rolls cigarettes. When his partner is shot and a beautiful client's story keeps shifting, his professional detachment curdles into something more personal and more dangerous. He matters because every schemer in the book—Gutman, Cairo, Brigid—must go through him to reach the falcon, and he knows it. ## Relationships ### [Joel Cairo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/joel_cairo) _rivalry_ A tense, adversarial relationship where Cairo tries to outwit Spade in the hunt for the falcon, marked by mutual distrust and occasional grudging respect. ### [Effie Perine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/effie_perine) _professional_ Loyal and efficient secretary who admires Spade and supports him unconditionally, though she is often troubled by his methods. ### [Casper Gutman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/casper_gutman) _rivalry_ A cunning, manipulative adversary who treats Spade as a dangerous obstacle in his quest for the Maltese Falcon, with a veneer of politeness. ### [Wilmer Cook](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/wilmer_cook) _rivalry_ A contemptuous and violent dynamic, with Spade mocking and physically dominating the young gunman, who resents him deeply. ### [Tom Polhaus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/tom_polhaus) _friendship_ A friendly but professional rapport, with Polhaus as a decent cop who respects Spade's skills while trying to keep him on the right side of the law. ### [Floyd Thursby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/floyd_thursby) _rivalry_ An off-screen antagonistic connection, as Thursby is a rival operative and suspect in Miles Archer's murder, leading to Spade's investigation. ### [Sid Wise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/sid_wise) _professional_ A pragmatic lawyer-client relationship, with Wise providing legal counsel to Spade while maintaining a wary respect for his detective work. ### [Iva Archer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/iva_archer) _romantic_ A sordid, one-sided affair where Iva is infatuated with Spade, who uses her for information while feeling little genuine affection. ### [Miles Archer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/miles_archer) _professional_ A business partnership tinged with rivalry and mutual dislike, as Archer was Spade's partner but also a philanderer and a poor detective. ### [Joel Cairo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/joel_cairo) _rivalry_ A tense, adversarial relationship where Cairo tries to outwit Spade in the hunt for the falcon, marked by mutual distrust and occasional grudging respect. ### [Floyd Thursby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/floyd_thursby) _rivalry_ An off-screen antagonistic connection, as Thursby is a rival operative and suspect in Miles Archer's murder, leading to Spade's investigation. ### [Effie Perine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/effie_perine) _professional_ Loyal and efficient secretary who admires Spade and supports him unconditionally, though she is often troubled by his methods. ## In the story ### [The Maltese Falcon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/the-maltese-falcon) The central protagonist, a hard-boiled private detective who investigates the murder of his partner and the hunt for the Maltese Falcon. ### [Spade & Archer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/i-spade-archer) Introduced as a blond satan with a v-shaped face; he takes the lead in interviewing Miss Wonderly and accepts the case. ### [Death in the Fog](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/ii-death-in-the-fog) Interrogated by police about Thursby's murder; remains calm and evasive, asserting his right to keep client information confidential. ### [III: Three Women](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/iii-three-women) Spade deals with Iva's accusations, learns of police suspicion, and investigates Brigid's disappearance. ### [The Black Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/iv-the-black-bird) Visits Brigid at her apartment, agrees to help her, then consults his lawyer Sid Wise about legal protection before returning to his office to meet Joel Cairo. ### [V: The Levantine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/v-the-levantine) Spade disarms Cairo after being threatened with a pistol, searches his belongings, and accepts a $200 retainer. ### [VI: The Undersized Shadow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/vi-the-undersized-shadow) Spade is followed by a young man, shakes his tail, and visits Brigid. He sees through her act and discusses Cairo's offer. ### [VII: G in the Air](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/vii-g-in-the-air) Tells the Flitcraft story to Brigid, orchestrates the meeting with Cairo, and handles the police intrusion. ### [Horse Feathers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/viii-horse-feathers) Remains calm and detached, observing the scene. He defuses the situation by claiming Brigid is his operative and that Cairo's visit was about Thursby, ultimately avoiding arrest. ### [IX: Brigid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/ix-brigid) Returns to the living-room, curses Dundy, then calmly questions Brigid about the falcon and Cairo. ### [X: The Belvedere Divan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/x-the-belvedere-divan) Searches Brigid's apartment, returns with breakfast, confronts the youth at the Belvedere, and meets Cairo. ### [The Fat Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xi-the-fat-man) Receives a call from Gutman, deals with Iva Archer's visit, and meets Gutman at the Alexandria Hotel to negotiate about the falcon. ### [XII: Merry-Go-Round](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xii-merry-go-round) Searches Brigid's apartment, disarms Wilmer, meets with Sid Wise, and learns Brigid is missing. ### [XIII: The Emperor's Gift](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xiii-the-emperor-s-gift) Visits Gutman, returns Wilmer's pistols, and listens to the falcon's history while withholding the exact location of the bird. ### [XIV: La Paloma](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xiv-la-paloma) Returns to his office at dawn, dictates the falcon's history to Effie, searches for Brigid and Gutman, and discovers the La Paloma clue in Cairo's room. ### [XV: Every Crackpot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xv-every-crackpot) Spade is interrogated by the District Attorney and later meets with Polhaus. He remains defiant, refusing to disclose his client's identity or speculate on the murders. ### [XVI: The Third Murder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xvi-the-third-murder) Receives the dying Jacobi, unwraps the falcon, and decides to go to Brigid's aid despite his resentment. ### [XVII: Saturday Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xvii-saturday-night) Spade checks the falcon, revives Rhea Gutman, and is ambushed at his apartment. ### [The Fall-Guy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xviii-the-fall-guy) Proposes framing Wilmer as the fall guy, physically subdues him, and pressures Gutman into accepting the plan. ### [XIX: The Russian's Hand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xix-the-russian-s-hand) Takes charge of the situation, interrogates Gutman, and arranges the falcon exchange. ### [XX: If They Hang You](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xx-if-they-hang-you) Confronts Brigid, explains his moral and professional code, and turns her over to the police. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/sam_spade - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters