The Maltese Falcon succeeds as well as any mystery could by making nearly every single character a suspect. Anything could happen at any time, and everyone is involved in one large plot roped around one titular bird. Second-guessing every character’s personality and trying to read inbetween their lines becomes a sport that demands constant attention, especially with Sam Spade himself who retains a mysterious, dubious character all the way to the end. More than an archetypal film noir.