This listing is for the Audio CD edition of THE TENTH CLEW AND OTHER CONTINENTAL OP STORIES by Dashiell Hammett, read by Winston Tharp.
THE TENTH CLEW AND OTHER CONTINENTAL OP STORIES gathers a strong group of Dashiell Hammett’s hard-boiled detective stories featuring the Continental Op, the unnamed operative of the Continental Detective Agency. These stories belong to the tough, early pulp-crime world that helped shape American noir: private investigation, sudden violence, hidden motives, crooked schemes, and a detective who works by pressure, observation, and persistence rather than charm.
The title story, THE TENTH CLEW, places the Op in immediate danger after he is attacked, knocked unconscious, and thrown into San Francisco Bay. From there, the case turns into a hard-edged investigation filled with misdirection, violence, false trails, and the kind of rough criminal atmosphere Hammett made his own. The story has the urgency of classic Black Mask detective fiction, where the clues matter, but survival matters just as much.
Across the collection, Hammett presents crime from the working detective’s point of view. The Op is not a polished amateur sleuth or a romantic hero. He is practical, watchful, and stubborn, moving through cases involving suspicious deaths, criminal tricks, desperate suspects, hidden motives, and people who lie because they have something to protect. The stories are direct, economical, and tense, with Hammett’s lean prose giving each case a sharp sense of danger.
This collection is especially appealing for listeners who enjoy RED HARVEST, THE DAIN CURSE, THE CONTINENTAL OP, pulp detective magazines, classic noir, and early twentieth-century American crime fiction. The shorter story format makes it easy to enjoy in separate listening sessions while still preserving the atmosphere, pace, and hard-boiled attitude that made Hammett one of the central writers of the detective genre.
The Audio CD format offers a traditional way to hear these Continental Op stories, suitable for steady listening at home or in a CD-capable car stereo.
| 01 | The Tenth Clew |
| 02 | Night Shots |
| 03 | One Hour |
| 04 | The House in Turk Street |
| 05 | Death on Pine Street |
| 06 | Who Killed Bob Teal? |
Compatibility Note
Plays in ordinary CD players, including car CD players with CD capability.
| Title | THE TENTH CLEW AND OTHER CONTINENTAL OP STORIES |
| Author | Dashiell Hammett |
| Format | Audio CD |
| Number of CDs | 5 Audio CDs |
| Approximate Playing Time | 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Reader / Narrator | Winston Tharp |
| Language | English |
Condition: Please see listing photos and seller notes for exact disc, case, and packaging condition.
Shipping: Ships securely packed. Shipping method, cost, and handling time are shown in the eBay checkout details.
| THE MALTESE FALCON — ORIGINAL SERIALIZED VERSION | Audio CD | View Listing |
| RED HARVEST | Audio CD | View Listing |
| THE DAIN CURSE | Audio CD | View Listing |
| THE CONTINENTAL OP | Audio CD | View Listing |