# Jack Counihan — Continental Op Stories character guide > Jack Counihan in Continental Op Stories by Dashiell Hammett. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Jack, Counihan **First appearance:** 0057-women-politics-murder ## Snapshot A slick political operator whose name surfaces in a widow's tangled grief and a murdered contractor's secret dealings, always just out of reach. ## Who they are Counihan drifts through the Gilmore murder case as a name that keeps turning up in the wrong rooms — connected to the dead man's politics, his money, and the woman he was supposed to have given up. He is the kind of figure who makes a nervous widow say "him" before she says "her," and then refuse to explain why. His presence forces the Op to sort jealousy from graft, and to ask which of Bernard Gilmore's many lives got him shot. ## In the story ### [The Tenth Clue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/the-tenth-clue) A character connected to the case, whose actions are under scrutiny. ### [Zigzags of Treachery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/zigzags-of-treachery) A suspect or ally whose loyalties are uncertain. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/ii) Mentioned as part of the household; not directly present in this chapter. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iii) The young Russian with a handsome face and stained cheek who meets the Op by the boat and suggests jumping it. ### [Creeping Siamese](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/creeping-siamese) A suspect or person of interest in the case. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iii) Sent by the Op to North Beach to gather information. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iv) A young Continental operative, seen dancing and later assisting in the tailing operation. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vi) Tails suspects from Fillmore Street to the second house and reports to the Op. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/vii) Contacted by phone; unable to identify men from the previous night. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/viii) Accompanies the Op on the stakeout and into Larrouy's; shows nervousness but agrees to help extract O'Leary. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/ix) Fights alongside the Op, shoots at Vance. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/x) Helps the girl through the door, jokes with her while she tends his cut cheek, and is knocked out by Red O'Leary after kissing her finger. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/xi) Mentioned as having put himself to sleep during the escape; the Op hopes he will come out all right. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/ii) Sent to identify Nelly Riley; reports that she is not Nancy Regan but claims to have found a big lead. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iii) Reports following two Greek men to a cottage, finds a charred piece of blue cloth, and participates in the ambush and gunfight. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/viii) Eager for action, coached to act hostile and distrustful; accompanies the Op and Tom-Tom Carey. ### [The Raid on the Newhall House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/x) Volunteers to enter through an upper window; nervous but eager to prove himself. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/xi) Confesses his betrayal and alliance with Papadopoulos, then is shot dead by Tom Carey. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/xii) Revealed as a crooked operative; killed by Tom-Tom Carey. ### [This King Business](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/this-king-business) A suspect or associate in the criminal network surrounding 'The King.' ### [III: Shadowing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iii-shadowing) Not directly mentioned in excerpts; no match found. ### [IV: Introductions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iv-introductions) Not present in this chapter; no relevant appearance. ### [V: A Flogging](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/v-a-flogging) Not present in this chapter. ### [VIII: An Enlightening Interview](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/viii-an-enlightening-interview) Mentioned indirectly as 'my boy' in the context of the revolution sold to Grantham. ### [IX: Conjectures](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/ix-conjectures) Referred to as 'the boy' whom the Op plans to take home with all his money. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/iv) Mentioned in context of the investigation; not directly present. ### [The Farewell Murder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/the-farewell-murder) Involved in the events, potentially as a suspect or ally. ### [Death and Company](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/chapters/death-and-company) Mentioned as the Old Man; oversees the case. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/characters/jack_counihan - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/continental_op_stories_se/characters