Nick and Nora’s relationship contrasts with other couples in the novel. Compare and contrast the Charleses’ relationship with the Quinns’. What are some factors Hammett posits are necessary for a successful marriage?

In Chapter 25, Nick says to Dorothy, “I’m not a psychoanalyst. I don’t know anything about early influences. I don’t give a damn about them” (149). What does Nick’s refusal to listen to Dorothy’s story about her childhood say about his methods and theories as a detective? How does this compare with other detective stories you’ve read?

What is the purpose of the narrative in Chapter 13 concerning a case of cannibalism in late-1800s America? What does it say about the characters of Gilbert, who asks about the subject, and Nick, who has the answers?