The Hammett Hex

Written by Victoria Abbott

Narrated by Carla Mercer-Meyer

On a getaway to the City by the Bay, book collector Jordan Bingham becomes entangled in a mystery with more twists than Lombard Street . . .


Jordan has been able to swing a romantic trip with Officer Tyler "Smiley" Dekker on one condition—she must return with a rare copy of Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest for her irascible employer, Vera Van Alst. For his own part, Smiley is full of surprises. He's a Dashiell devotee himself—excited to be in the city of Hammett's hard-boiled heroes like Sam Spade and the Continental Op—and also announces he plans to visit his previously unmentioned estranged grandmother, who lives in an old Victorian on Telegraph Hill.


But the trip goes downhill fast when Jordan is pushed from a cable car and barely escapes death. And when a dark sedan tries to run the couple down, it's clear someone's after them—but who? Just like in Hammett's world, nothing is quite what it seems . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Oct 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781515975533

Reviews for The Hammett Hex

[darcette_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This mystery, The Hammett Hex was very enjoyable. It had many scenes of threats, which I call "scenes" because of Abbott's extensive first person reflective dialog, and scene-setting descriptions. B&E crimes within this novel, set within San Francisco city environs- in hotels and through home invasions, are more frequently occurring within this novel than in many of the rest of Abbott's Book Collector mystery series.Officer Tyler Dekker with Jordan Kelley learn that finding a Hammett book for Vera Van Alst gets convoluted right from the moment Jordan enters the used-book dealer's shop. Thinking the book will soon be in her hands Jordan next follows Dekker to the meeting with Dekker's Gram, and quietly scoffs at his fake claim to be engaged to her. The book starts out with a short preview scene of the most violent episode, and it shouts that old S.F. sightseeing will not be as uneventful as both of our dynamic couple hoped, after they departed from their upstate neighborhoods and landed in S.F. Fun and engrossing !

[cyderry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jordan Bingham convinces her employer that a trip to San Francisco for her vacation can also be an opportunity for her to acquire Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest for her collection. Jordan flies off to San Francisco with her boyfriend Tyler Dekker where he informs her that he has been contacted by his grandmother whom he hasn't seen since he was a little boy. Unbeknownst to Jordan and Tyler, relations both his and hers will cause them a few unsettled days on their vacation to the Golden Gate.

I loved seeing Jordan without her "wicked" relatives for a change because Tyler found enough to cover that category. A fun mystery, a little romance but sad that apparently this is the end of the series.

[cathyskye · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In a mystery filled with lovely San Francisco ambiance (especially if you love climbing hills), the writing team known as Victoria Abbott has hit another one out of the ballpark. Besides that setting, there's plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, narrow escapes, and an excellent whodunit that takes time for readers to put all the pieces in the proper places. The bonus is-- like with the other books in the series-- The Hammett Hex is brushed with a bit of fairy dust reminiscent of the crime fiction great mentioned in the title. (We've already been graced with Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Rex Stout, and Ngaio Marsh.)

One thing that I particularly enjoyed, although other readers might not, is the absence of some of the secondary characters. Don't get me wrong, Vera Van Alst, Signora Panetone, and Jordan's Kelly relatives are wonderful characters, but they can be overwhelming and have the tendency to elbow their way into the action. It was nice to see how Jordan can handle herself without her usual backup, and now that I've had a little break from curmudgeons, cooks who specialize in ambrosia, and crooks with hearts of gold, I'm raring to see them again.

Quite simply, I love Victoria Abbott's Book Collector mysteries with a passion, and if the series ever ends, I will pout so hard that I'll trip over my lower lip. Haven't met Jordan and the gang? You have to do something about that, quick!

[kathy89_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like this series. Jordan and her policemen boyfriend, Smiley, head to San Francisco for a little vacation time together. While there Jordan was going to look for a first edition of a Dashell Hammett book and Smiley wanted to get together with his estranged Grandmother. The first night they are nearly run down by a Prius, then lots of other close calls start happening. Lots of intrigue, escapes, breaking and entering and strange encounters before it's all resolved.