# Captain Flannery — Behind That Curtain character guide > Captain Flannery in Behind That Curtain by Earl Derr Biggers. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Flannery, Poor Captain Flannery **First appearance:** 0002-i-the-man-from-scotland ## Snapshot A veteran San Francisco police captain, Flannery is loud, territorial, and openly resentful of the amateur help thrust upon his toughest case. ## Who they are Flannery commands the murder investigation with the confidence of long experience, but the pressure of a Scotland Yard victim rattles him. He bristles at being assigned a female lawyer and a visiting Chinese detective, seeing them as insults to his authority rather than assets. His bluster and defensiveness make him both a comic foil and a genuine obstacle, forcing Chan and Morrow to work around him while he chases the case his own way. ## Relationships ### [Sergeant Charlie Chan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/sergeant_charlie_chan) _professional_ Captain Flannery and Sergeant Chan are professional colleagues in law enforcement, often working together on cases with some friendly rivalry. ### [June Morrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/june_morrow) _social_ Captain Flannery and June Morrow have a polite, professional acquaintance, with Flannery treating her as a witness or person of interest. ### [Barry Kirk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/barry_kirk) _professional_ Barry Kirk and Captain Flannery interact as civilian and police officer, with Kirk often assisting Flannery in the investigation. ### [Sir Frederic Bruce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/sir_frederic_bruce) _professional_ Captain Flannery and Sir Frederic Bruce have a professional relationship, with Bruce often providing high-level oversight to Flannery's police work. ### [Major Eric Durand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/major_eric_durand) _professional_ Captain Flannery and Major Eric Durand work together professionally, with Durand's military background complementing Flannery's police work. ### [Colonel John Beetham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/colonel_john_beetham) _professional_ Captain Flannery and Colonel John Beetham have a professional relationship, often coordinating on the investigation. ### [Sergeant Charlie Chan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/sergeant_charlie_chan) _professional_ Captain Flannery and Sergeant Chan are professional colleagues in law enforcement, often working together on cases with some friendly rivalry. ### [Sir Frederic Bruce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/sir_frederic_bruce) _professional_ Captain Flannery and Sir Frederic Bruce have a professional relationship, with Bruce often providing high-level oversight to Flannery's police work. ### [Sergeant Charlie Chan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/sergeant_charlie_chan) _professional_ Captain Flannery and Sergeant Chan are professional colleagues in law enforcement, often working together on cases with some friendly rivalry. ### [June Morrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/june_morrow) _social_ Captain Flannery and June Morrow have a polite, professional acquaintance, with Flannery treating her as a witness or person of interest. ### [June Morrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/june_morrow) _social_ Captain Flannery and June Morrow have a polite, professional acquaintance, with Flannery treating her as a witness or person of interest. ### [Colonel John Beetham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/colonel_john_beetham) _professional_ Captain Flannery and Colonel John Beetham have a professional relationship, often coordinating on the investigation. ## In the story ### [Behind That Curtain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/behind-that-curtain) Leads the initial investigation into Sir Frederic's murder. ### [IV: The Reckoning of Heaven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/iv-the-reckoning-of-heaven) Takes charge of the investigation, questions witnesses, and dismisses the Cosmopolitan Club book as unimportant. ### [The Guest Detective](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/vi-the-guest-detective) Reluctantly accepts Chan's involvement, insists on handling inquiries himself, and disparages the help he receives. ### [Muddy Water](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/vii-muddy-water) Arrives and challenges Chan. Interviews Lila Barr, suspecting she is Eve Durand. Interrogates Gloria Garland about her name and actions. ### [IX: The Port of Missing Women](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/ix-the-port-of-missing-women) Frustrated by the missing women cases; insists on focusing on Sir Frederic's murder. ### [The Letter from London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/x-the-letter-from-london) Interrogates Eileen Enderby and discovers the Scotland Yard letter hidden by Paradise. ### [The Muddy Water Clears](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xi-the-muddy-water-clears) Skeptical of Chan's hunch but orders surveillance on the elevator girl; receives news of Inspector Duff's arrival. ### [A Misty Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xii-a-misty-evening) Arrives at the bungalow with Inspector Duff; explains Major Durand's delay. ### [Old Friends Meet Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xiii-old-friends-meet-again) Leads the search for Eve Durand, issuing an alarm and planning to arrest her on a pretext. ### [Long Life and Happiness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xvi-long-life-and-happiness) Is in good humor and plans to grill Miss Lila Barr; Chan visits him. ### [XVII: The Woman from Peshawar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xvii-the-woman-from-peshawar) Angry at Chan and Miss Morrow for withholding information; interrogates Colonel Beetham and builds a case against him. ### [XVIII: Flannery's Big Scene](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xviii-flannery-s-big-scene) Orchestrates a dramatic confrontation, confident in his theory against Beetham. ### [A Vigil in the Dark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xix-a-vigil-in-the-dark) Humiliated by the mistaken identity of Grace Lane, he reluctantly agrees to follow Chan's lead to the Cosmopolitan Club. ### [XX: The Truth Arrives](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xx-the-truth-arrives) Arrests Durand; questions remaining details. ### [XXI: What Happened to Eve Durand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xxi-what-happened-to-eve-durand) Interrogates Eve Durand and witnesses Eric Durand's confession and suicide. ### [Hawaii Bound](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/chapters/xxii-hawaii-bound) Announces Durand's death and leaves to attend to duties below. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters/captain_flannery - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/behind_that_curtain_se/characters