THE CONTINENTAL OP, VOLUME 1

Jim Frangione impressively conveys the 1920s San Francisco atmosphere in these seven Dashiell Hammett stories. Listeners meet private investigator Continental Op, a self-described short, chubby, unathletic guy. In "Arson Plus," Frangione humorously conveys Op jumping into a citizen's car to follow his quarry. "Bodies Pile Up" finds three bodies tumbling from a closet, each providing clues to the eagle-eyed investigator. Spirited descriptions and vividly portrayed characters keep the action buzzing amid dramatic locales and slang of the era. "It" is a locked-room mystery in which Frangione's Op frantically searches for Liberty Bonds in an empty safe deposit box. Most amusing are wisecracking cops and two partners in crime who turn on each other. Audio treats listeners to a bygone era's classic hard-boiled detective yarns. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2025]