'The Continental Op' by Dashiell Hammett is a collection of short stories featuring the hard-boiled detective known as the Continental Operative. Set in San Francisco in the 1920s, the stories follow the Op as he navigates through various cases involving deception, violence, and intrigue. Hammett's writing style is described as crisp, descriptive, and authentic, drawing from his own experience working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. The plots often involve the Op chasing down leads, solving crimes, and dealing with a cast of characters ranging from devious dames to ham-fisted mugs.

Characters:

Characters include the pragmatic and realistic Continental Op along with various criminals and femme fatales, providing a diverse but sometimes clichéd cast of roles.

Writing/Prose:

The author's writing is characterized by crisp, concise prose reminiscent of film noir, effectively blending authenticity and dramatization, though some critiques state it varies in elegance.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative comprises a series of standalone detective stories that feature a Pinkerton agent solving various crimes, often complicated by intricate plots and a cast of criminals.

Setting:

The setting captures the gritty urban landscape of 1920s San Francisco, enriching the noir atmosphere prevalent throughout the stories.

Pacing:

The pacing of the stories is uneven, with some engaging narratives contrasted by slower segments, allowing readers to pause between tales.

Notes:

Dashiell Hammett left school at fourteen and learned to write on the job, especially while working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency.

Hammett is considered the father of hardboiled detective fiction and invented many noir tropes in his writing.

The Continental Op is a collection of short stories, showcasing a nameless detective who works for the Pinkertons.

The writing style of Hammett is crisp and efficient, likened to cinematic techniques in storytelling.

Fans of mystery may find The Continental Op entertaining, but it lacks the depth of characters like Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon.

The stories often feature cliched elements common in detective and crime fiction, including femme fatales and convoluted plots.

Despite some critiques, the Continental Op portrays an authentic detective with a realistic approach to solving cases.

The Continental Op doesn't have the glamor of Hammett's other characters, focusing instead on the grunt work of a detective.

Dashiell Hammett's own experiences contributed to the authenticity of the detective work depicted in his stories.

The Big Book of the Continental Op recently compiled these stories, making them accessible to modern readers.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for The Continental Op include depictions of violence and murder, which may be intense or graphic at times.

From The Publisher:

Short, thick-bodied, mulishly stubborn, and indifferent to pain, Dashiell Hammett's Continetal Op was the prototype for generations of tough-guy detectives. In these stories the Op unravels a murder with too many clues, looks for a girl with eyes the color of shadows on polished silver, and tangles with a crooked-eared gunman called the Whosis Kid.

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About the Author:

Samuel Dashiell Hammett was born in 1894 in St. Mary's County, Maryland, and his family moved to Baltimore when he was five. He dropped out of high school after his freshman year and held a series of odd jobs-messenger boy,…

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The Continental Op

Dashiell Hammett

Book 1 in the series:Continental Op