Although a crime usually has been committed, the reader's attention is directed to mysterious circumstances surrounding the crime rather than to the event itself. The tale's climax is the solution of the puzzle, and the main part of the narrative involves the logical process by which the investigator follows a series of clues to this solution. Very often the detective solves the mystery by means of deductive reasoning from facts known both to the character and the reader.

The characteristics of the hard-boiled detective are different to those of the classic one. The hard-boiled detective is usually a strong individual that is tough against himself and the others. His surrounding world is mostly hostile and aggressive, living on the mean streets of urban cities like Los Angeles and New York where fighting, drinking, swearing, poverty and death were all part of his life. The plot of the hard-boiled story mixes murders with organized crime and abuse of authority by officials, where the person responsible for the crime can be found in any level of society and no one is truly on the side of good. The hard-boiled detective has to balance the day to day needs of survival against the desire to support the law and assist justice. He hands out a new form of justice where if needed, he

Some common words found in the essay are:
Sherlock Holmes, , Angeles York, Spade Throughout, Sam Spade, Maltese Falcon, detective story, hard-boiled detective, classic detective, sam spade,
Approximate Word count = 547
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)