The Big Book of the Continental Op

4.2/5 ( ratings)

For the first time ever in one volume, all 28 stories and 2 serialized novels starring the Continental Op--one of the greatest characters in the storied history of detective fiction.

Dashiell Hammett is the father of modern hard-boiled detective stories. His legendary works have been lauded for almost one hundred years by fans, and his novel "The Maltese Falcon" was adapted into one of the greatest classic films of all time - starring Humphrey Bogart.

One of Dashiell Hammett's most memorable characters, the Continental Op, made his debut in "Black Mask" magazine on October 1, 1923. The first of the stories and novels that would change forever the face of detective fiction. The Op is a tough, wry, unglamorous gumshoe who has inspired a following that is both global and enduring. He has been published in periodicals, paperback digests, and short story collections but, until 2017, he has never had the whole of his exploits contained in one book! "The Big Book .." features all the original standalone Continental Op stories, the original serialized versions of "Red Harvest" and "The Dain Curse," and previously unpublished material. This anthology of Continental Op stories is the only complete, one-volume work of its kind.

The short stories are: 1. Arson Plus, 2. Crooked Souls, 3. Slippery Fingers, 4. It, 5. Bodies Piled Up, 6. The Tenth Clew, 7. Night Shots, 8. Zigzags of Treachery, 9. One Hour, 10. The House on Turk Street, 11. The Girl with the Silver Eyes, 12. Women, Politics & Murder, 13. The Golden Horseshoe, 14. Who Killed Bob Teal? 15. Mike or Alec or Rufus, 16. The Whosis Kid, 17. The Scorched Face, 18. Corkscrew, 19. Dead Yellow Women, 20. The Gutting of Couffignal, 21. Creeping Siamese, 22. The Big Knock-Over, 23. $106,000 Blood Money, 24. The Main Death, 25. This King Business, 26. Fly Paper, 27. The Farewell Murder, 28. Death and Company, and 29. Three Dimes .

The two serialized novels are: 1. The Cleansing of Poisonville , and 2. The Dain Curse.

Librarian's note: this entry relates to the collection, "The Big Book of the Continental Op." Each of the individual stories and novels can be found elsewhere on Goodreads. There are a total of 28 short stories plus one incomplete; they can be found by searching Goodreads for: "a Continental Op Short Story."