Dashiell Hammett. The Dain Curse (1929) 272 pp.
The Continental Op is hired by a San Francisco insurance company to investigate the theft of diamonds from Edgar Leggett and his wife Alice Dain Leggett. During the course of his investigation, the Op uncovers numerous Dain family secrets—most of them involving the Leggetts’ daughter, Gaby—including connections to weird cults, drug-addiction, gambling, and murder.  This is Hammett’s second novel and the second novel appearance of the Op (the first was Red Harvest (1929), in which the Op is sent to clean up the corrupt town of “Poisonville”).
Baird & Greenwood
Layman A2.1