The Glass Key is one badass little novel, in both its story and its style. No wonder they call it hardboiled. there are really several layers of detective story going on, the actual mystery of Taylor’s death and the deeper mystery of Ned Beaumont’s character. As readers, we find ourselves with Janet, trying to understand this brutal man. Personally, I think Ned Beaumont wouldn’t have left Paul for a fling. Like Dr. Campbell said in class, sure they challenge and riddle and mess with each other, but perhaps that is love.
I think this book could be read as murder mystery or a mystery of identity. The murder may be solved by the end, but we are only given a pile of contradictory clues as to who Ned Beaumont really is. I’ll have to read it again someday and pay extra attention to the second mystery instead of getting caught up in the first.