# MacSwain — Red Harvest character guide

> MacSwain in Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Bob MacSwain, This MacSwain, Bob, Detective Bob MacSwain, Detective MacSwain

**First appearance:** 0003-ii-the-czar-of-poisonville

## Snapshot

A detective in the Willsson orbit whose name surfaces when the Op needs a killing pinned on somebody, and fast.

## Who they are

MacSwain is a detective connected to the Willsson interests, a figure whose guilt or innocence becomes a bargaining chip in the Op's peace conference. When the Op needs to break Noonan's nerve and force the gangs to come clean, he names MacSwain as Tim Noonan's killer, a move that lands like a grenade in the middle of the room. Whether MacSwain actually pulled the trigger matters less than the fact that his name can be used to make powerful men panic.

## In the story

### [IX: A Black Knife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/ix-a-black-knife)

Reveals that Ike Bush is actually Al Kennedy, wanted for a robbery in Philadelphia, and later yells 'Back to Philly, Al' at the fight.

### [XI: The Swell Spoon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xi-the-swell-spoon)

The detective bribed by Myrtle and Dinah to cover up the murder as a suicide; later kicked off the force by Noonan.

### [XII: A New Deal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xii-a-new-deal)

Confesses to having heard Tim Noonan name 'Max' as his killer, and is beaten and jailed by Noonan.

### [XIV: Max](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xiv-max)

Confesses to accidentally killing Tim Noonan and being manipulated by Myrtle Jennison; returned to Noonan.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/macswain
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters