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The Continental Op: The Complete Case Files
940 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 13, 2016
243 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Dashiell Hammett
555 books2,832 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 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 10, 2017
The complete Continental Op stories (aside from the novel Red Harvest). Though I've read some of these stories before, and some more than once, this was a great trip through them all, in chronological order. You can see how Hammett's skill progressed over the time, and the character of the Op changed (a little). Some of the stories, especially the early ones, are a bit clumsy, and the solutions seem to come out of left field; that doesn't matter much, because it's not necessarily the whodunnit that you read these stories for.
What I enjoyed, a lot, was the picture of San Francisco in the 1920's. Hammett is pretty precise in is locations, and you really get a feel for the city at the time. Hammett's language, too, is always engaging, with lots of slang that was new to me. He's also very good with character.
A couple times he uses some tropes from later works; one character walks into a room and drops dead, as happened in The Maltese Falcon, and there's also the death of a partner, again, as in the Maltese Falcon.
If you've read some of the op stories, this Kindle book is great. It's 1100+ pages that is very easy to carry around; I'll probably keep it on my Kindle for some time, and dip back into these stories.
What I enjoyed, a lot, was the picture of San Francisco in the 1920's. Hammett is pretty precise in is locations, and you really get a feel for the city at the time. Hammett's language, too, is always engaging, with lots of slang that was new to me. He's also very good with character.
A couple times he uses some tropes from later works; one character walks into a room and drops dead, as happened in The Maltese Falcon, and there's also the death of a partner, again, as in the Maltese Falcon.
If you've read some of the op stories, this Kindle book is great. It's 1100+ pages that is very easy to carry around; I'll probably keep it on my Kindle for some time, and dip back into these stories.
March 10, 2024
This large book is a complete collection of Hammett’s shorter “Continental Op” stories. It includes useful commentary. The stories are ordered chronologically and you can see Hammett grow as a writer over time, and under three successively better editors.
Longer review to follow in a few weeks.
Longer review to follow in a few weeks.
April 27, 2024
Though Hammett is the original, his writing is inferior to later writers such as Chandler or Macdonald. This is a collection of short stories featuring the otherwise unidentified Continental Op. Each has an interesting plot but the dialogue and characters are quite stiff and unrealistic.
December 27, 2025
Loved the short stories. If you would like something to entertain you and you do not want to invest a lot of time, this collection is a good fit.
August 4, 2020
A rare bargain for lovers of Hammett's short stories. Grab it!
When I first started buying Kindle books, I picked up collections of Hammett's short stories for a dollar or two. Then those collections disappeared and expensive collections appeared. A shame, because I love Hammett's writing, I love short stories, and I love a bargain. The fourteen stories in this collection all feature the unique character known only as "the Continental Op." If you haven't met him, you should.
There are plenty of great detectives in fiction, but there's never been and never WILL be a more authentic one. Hammett not only wrote about the life of a professional detective, he lived that life. As an "op" (operative) for the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency, he learned that a successful detective gets results through long hours of tedious work, association with people most of us would avoid, and the instincts honed by years in the trenches.
When he created the Continental Op, Hammett moved away from the elegant private detective of fiction and introduced a blue-collar version. The Op is so no-frills that we never learn his name. He doesn't care what we call him. He's interested in earning his pay, not recognition. His value to his employer depends on in bringing in the bad-guys, not on how many beautiful women swoon into his arms.
He's clean enough to go to the front door when he arrives to meet a new client, but he's no glamour-boy. Not that expensive suits would make much difference for this short, fat, middle-aged guy. Women never look at him twice. Men do, but only after they discover that he's more trouble than they anticipated. Many people underestimate the Op, but no one makes that mistake twice.
The combination of a memorable character and Hammett's brilliantly understated writing put the Continental Op novels and stories in a class by themselves. Hammett single-handedly convinced the reading public that "the pulps" could offer first-class literature. And he inspired and goaded a generation of writers to do better work than they thought they could.
The editor who picked this collection did a fine job because these stories are all excellent examples of the Op's work. It's important to note that murders are properly investigated by the police. Agency detectives investigate arson cases for insurance companies, look for missing husbands or daughters. track down business partners who've absconded with company funds, and sometimes they even sub for the "house dicks" that hotels used to employ to make sure guests didn't leave without paying their bills. They provide protection for rich people with enemies (real or imagined) and they'll gather evidence to help a client avoid legal trouble. Murders are police business and the Op has a friendly professional relationships with both city cops and county deputies.
Unfortunately, for the Op (and fortunately for us) murder and mayhem find our hero even when he isn't looking for them. San Francisco in the 1920's and 30's was a rough place and the criminals lacked self-restraint and manners. The Op is frequently, unwillingly the target of violence and (as he admits) his wide body is a hard target to miss.
Don't look for romance, except for the gritty, disillusioned variety. In "The House on Turk Street" and "The Girl with Silver Eyes", the Op meets a woman who has a deadly effect on men. The Op has always succeeded against men. Will a designing woman be his downfall?
It's hard to get your hands on all the Continental Op stories, but well worth the effort. I don't think better detective stories were ever written.
When I first started buying Kindle books, I picked up collections of Hammett's short stories for a dollar or two. Then those collections disappeared and expensive collections appeared. A shame, because I love Hammett's writing, I love short stories, and I love a bargain. The fourteen stories in this collection all feature the unique character known only as "the Continental Op." If you haven't met him, you should.
There are plenty of great detectives in fiction, but there's never been and never WILL be a more authentic one. Hammett not only wrote about the life of a professional detective, he lived that life. As an "op" (operative) for the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency, he learned that a successful detective gets results through long hours of tedious work, association with people most of us would avoid, and the instincts honed by years in the trenches.
When he created the Continental Op, Hammett moved away from the elegant private detective of fiction and introduced a blue-collar version. The Op is so no-frills that we never learn his name. He doesn't care what we call him. He's interested in earning his pay, not recognition. His value to his employer depends on in bringing in the bad-guys, not on how many beautiful women swoon into his arms.
He's clean enough to go to the front door when he arrives to meet a new client, but he's no glamour-boy. Not that expensive suits would make much difference for this short, fat, middle-aged guy. Women never look at him twice. Men do, but only after they discover that he's more trouble than they anticipated. Many people underestimate the Op, but no one makes that mistake twice.
The combination of a memorable character and Hammett's brilliantly understated writing put the Continental Op novels and stories in a class by themselves. Hammett single-handedly convinced the reading public that "the pulps" could offer first-class literature. And he inspired and goaded a generation of writers to do better work than they thought they could.
The editor who picked this collection did a fine job because these stories are all excellent examples of the Op's work. It's important to note that murders are properly investigated by the police. Agency detectives investigate arson cases for insurance companies, look for missing husbands or daughters. track down business partners who've absconded with company funds, and sometimes they even sub for the "house dicks" that hotels used to employ to make sure guests didn't leave without paying their bills. They provide protection for rich people with enemies (real or imagined) and they'll gather evidence to help a client avoid legal trouble. Murders are police business and the Op has a friendly professional relationships with both city cops and county deputies.
Unfortunately, for the Op (and fortunately for us) murder and mayhem find our hero even when he isn't looking for them. San Francisco in the 1920's and 30's was a rough place and the criminals lacked self-restraint and manners. The Op is frequently, unwillingly the target of violence and (as he admits) his wide body is a hard target to miss.
Don't look for romance, except for the gritty, disillusioned variety. In "The House on Turk Street" and "The Girl with Silver Eyes", the Op meets a woman who has a deadly effect on men. The Op has always succeeded against men. Will a designing woman be his downfall?
It's hard to get your hands on all the Continental Op stories, but well worth the effort. I don't think better detective stories were ever written.
January 31, 2017
Good Writing and Bad Editing Again
I am a fan of Hammett's Continental Op stories; they're cleanly written, spare, and believable. I have read all of these before, but not in one collection.
Unfortunately, this collection is marred by the careless editing I've come to expect from Mysterious Press. I found missing words, incorrect transcriptions, etc. Thoroughly unprofessional. If it had been carefully edited, I'd give 5 stars.
I recommend the stories without reservation, but I cannot recommend this book, unless it's free.
I am a fan of Hammett's Continental Op stories; they're cleanly written, spare, and believable. I have read all of these before, but not in one collection.
Unfortunately, this collection is marred by the careless editing I've come to expect from Mysterious Press. I found missing words, incorrect transcriptions, etc. Thoroughly unprofessional. If it had been carefully edited, I'd give 5 stars.
I recommend the stories without reservation, but I cannot recommend this book, unless it's free.
October 29, 2023
classic Hamnet
Definitely stories written in the 1930’s, with all the flaws and prejudices common to white men of the time. If you can get past that, Hamnett is a great storyteller, keeps things moving right along. The nameless Continental Op is not presented as a hero of the time, but is in many ways refreshingly modern, matter of fact, with a small streak of suppressed romanticism. No divorce business need apply.
Definitely stories written in the 1930’s, with all the flaws and prejudices common to white men of the time. If you can get past that, Hamnett is a great storyteller, keeps things moving right along. The nameless Continental Op is not presented as a hero of the time, but is in many ways refreshingly modern, matter of fact, with a small streak of suppressed romanticism. No divorce business need apply.
June 1, 2021
Good stories
This was my first time to read any of Dashiell Hamlet's stories although I've seen some of the movies based on his works. This book contains 14 short stories that were fun to read. If you like this genre, you'll enjoy this book.
This was my first time to read any of Dashiell Hamlet's stories although I've seen some of the movies based on his works. This book contains 14 short stories that were fun to read. If you like this genre, you'll enjoy this book.
November 7, 2021
Beyond classic
Hammett's work is not incomparable because it is the original for so many imitations. Read these stories then immerse yourself in Red Harvest, or, like me immerse yourself in it again.
Hammett's work is not incomparable because it is the original for so many imitations. Read these stories then immerse yourself in Red Harvest, or, like me immerse yourself in it again.
October 29, 2024
Some of these stories were OK, others were awful. Some contain a few brief glimpses of the master he would develop into. I would only recommend this collection to Hammett fanatics, and even then with reservations.
September 22, 2016
Terrific!
Such a pleasure, to at last have all of Dashiell Hammett's shorter length tales of the Continental Op in one book. A great read.
Such a pleasure, to at last have all of Dashiell Hammett's shorter length tales of the Continental Op in one book. A great read.
Want to read
December 9, 2016For sale on the Kindle for $1.99 today. The complete collection of "the Continental Op" short stories.
Seriously, a must-buy for any Dashiell Hammett fan.
Seriously, a must-buy for any Dashiell Hammett fan.
March 21, 2019
Amazing collection of ideas!
April 21, 2021
Dashiel Hammett short stories featuring the unnamed detective known as "the Continental Op." Fourteen stories of the noir genre. Fun reading in the midst of the pandemic.
June 1, 2021
This book allows one to follow Hammet’s development as a writer. Very interesting!
August 23, 2021
Greatness.
October 22, 2021
I enjoyed the precise descriptive languaage Hammet used. Socially dated, but it reads well.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews