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The Continental Op
It and Other Stories: Collected Case Files of the Continental Op: The Early Years, Volume 2
The second volume of short stories featuring the adventures of crime fiction’s most hardboiled the Continental Op
Dan Rathbone locks the bonds in the company safe, fully aware that $100,000 is a deadly temptation. He’s about to embark on a business trip, and he tells his partner that he only wants to be sure the papers are safe. But when Rathbone goes missing, his partner discovers that the funds have vanished along with him. Has Rathbone skipped town with the bonds, or has he been murdered? The Continental Op will find out the truth—and in Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco, the truth is always a thorny proposition.
The Continental Op cut a bloody swath across the pages of Black Mask, dealing cool reckoning to anyone who threatened him in his pursuit of the truth. In “It,” “Bodies Piled Up,” and “The Tenth Clew,” the infamous Op dispenses his particular brand of two-fisted justice in the hardboiled style that made Dashiell Hammett a legend.
Dan Rathbone locks the bonds in the company safe, fully aware that $100,000 is a deadly temptation. He’s about to embark on a business trip, and he tells his partner that he only wants to be sure the papers are safe. But when Rathbone goes missing, his partner discovers that the funds have vanished along with him. Has Rathbone skipped town with the bonds, or has he been murdered? The Continental Op will find out the truth—and in Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco, the truth is always a thorny proposition.
The Continental Op cut a bloody swath across the pages of Black Mask, dealing cool reckoning to anyone who threatened him in his pursuit of the truth. In “It,” “Bodies Piled Up,” and “The Tenth Clew,” the infamous Op dispenses his particular brand of two-fisted justice in the hardboiled style that made Dashiell Hammett a legend.
- GenresShort StoriesMystery
100 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
About the author
Dashiell Hammett
761 books2,968 followersAlso wrote as Peter Collinson, Daghull Hammett, Samuel Dashiell, Mary Jane Hammett
Dashiell Hammett, an American, wrote highly acclaimed detective fiction, including The Maltese Falcon (1930) and The Thin Man (1934).
Samuel Dashiell Hammett authored hardboiled novels and short stories. He created Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon), Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man), and the Continental Op (Red Harvest and The Dain Curse) among the enduring characters. In addition to the significant influence his novels and stories had on film, Hammett "is now widely regarded as one of the finest mystery writers of all time" and was called, in his obituary in the New York Times, "the dean of the... 'hard-boiled' school of detective fiction."
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashiell...
Dashiell Hammett, an American, wrote highly acclaimed detective fiction, including The Maltese Falcon (1930) and The Thin Man (1934).
Samuel Dashiell Hammett authored hardboiled novels and short stories. He created Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon), Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man), and the Continental Op (Red Harvest and The Dain Curse) among the enduring characters. In addition to the significant influence his novels and stories had on film, Hammett "is now widely regarded as one of the finest mystery writers of all time" and was called, in his obituary in the New York Times, "the dean of the... 'hard-boiled' school of detective fiction."
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashiell...
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 23, 2021
Another Winner!
Hmm! I guess I am definitely liking this author. That’s two in a row. The Continental Op is a very smart detective. Very believable.
In these three stories, our hero’s first case is “It”. Our detective is called upon to investigate Mr. Zumwalt’s missing co-worker, when $100,000 dollars worth of bonds goes missing with him.
In the next story titled “Bodies Piled Up,” our detective is on a temporary assignment at a hotel (well it’s a paying gig isn’t it?), when a hotel maid makes a horrific discovery.
Unbelievably, three dead bodies are found in a room, stuffed inside the small room of a clothespress. (It’s a small closet where the ironing board is kept).
In “The Tenth Clew,” (old-timey spelling), our Continental Op, is stumbling over a list of clues to find the murder of a businessman. Even with the help from his friends with the police, he is stymied in every direction, until he suddenly gets an inspiration.
Three great stories and three big winners.
Hmm! I guess I am definitely liking this author. That’s two in a row. The Continental Op is a very smart detective. Very believable.
In these three stories, our hero’s first case is “It”. Our detective is called upon to investigate Mr. Zumwalt’s missing co-worker, when $100,000 dollars worth of bonds goes missing with him.
In the next story titled “Bodies Piled Up,” our detective is on a temporary assignment at a hotel (well it’s a paying gig isn’t it?), when a hotel maid makes a horrific discovery.
Unbelievably, three dead bodies are found in a room, stuffed inside the small room of a clothespress. (It’s a small closet where the ironing board is kept).
In “The Tenth Clew,” (old-timey spelling), our Continental Op, is stumbling over a list of clues to find the murder of a businessman. Even with the help from his friends with the police, he is stymied in every direction, until he suddenly gets an inspiration.
Three great stories and three big winners.
July 19, 2017
The fourth through sixth stories featuring Hammett's Continental Op. One can see Hammett's skills as a writer improving with each story.
September 12, 2017
I always enjoy going back to the beginnings with a favorite author and seeing his/her voice begin to develop. These Dashiell Hammett stories are a good example of that, and the pulpy intros for the "Black Mask" magazine that they were originally featured within give some extra insight and context into the times and readership. The stories aren't great in and of themselves, but they are entertaining. The important thing is to witness the beginnings of greatness. I have never favored Hammett the way I do Raymond Chandler, but the two are the masters of the genre.
May 17, 2019
These have held up well
Good stories with twists you may not see coming. Quick to read and enough detail to flesh out the characters. Looking forward to the next volume!
Good stories with twists you may not see coming. Quick to read and enough detail to flesh out the characters. Looking forward to the next volume!
July 10, 2020
Quite entertaining. Recommended.
December 12, 2024
⭐⭐⭐1/2
August 7, 2021
By the second collection these stories have already stepped up their game. The third is a novelette and so gets one more involved than the short stories. Originally appearing in Black Mask magazine, that doesn't seem to matter in this format where everything is of a piece and to get involved in these tales feels like stepping back in time.
February 10, 2017
hammett experimenting
this especially, the tenth clew , shows Hammett experimenting with longer short stories., that will culminate in the dain curse and red harvest! overall an excellent warm up to more difficult mysteries by H! ,as usual,the best!!
this especially, the tenth clew , shows Hammett experimenting with longer short stories., that will culminate in the dain curse and red harvest! overall an excellent warm up to more difficult mysteries by H! ,as usual,the best!!
October 26, 2016
Old Fashioned Detecting
This book of short stories starts with a very detailed history of Dashiell Hammett. I did not know his past and learning it makes his mysteries more enjoyable. He writes of a time when the private detective worked with the police and were not adversaries. Good, clean mysteries solved by creative detecting.
This book of short stories starts with a very detailed history of Dashiell Hammett. I did not know his past and learning it makes his mysteries more enjoyable. He writes of a time when the private detective worked with the police and were not adversaries. Good, clean mysteries solved by creative detecting.
October 28, 2016
Having read three of Hammett's novels I wanted to read some of his shorter stories. Of the two short stories and the novella in this volume, the latter was by far the best, although its ending was unsatisfactory to my mind because there seemed to be no motive for the well-planned murder. What was most enjoyable about this volume was the introduction.
April 25, 2020
The nameless Continental Op returns with more surprises and more entertaining stories. Outstanding.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews