# Noonan — Red Harvest character guide > Noonan in Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** fat Noonan, that fat Noonan, Tim, Tim Noonan, Presently Noonan, Noonan hisself **First appearance:** 0003-ii-the-czar-of-poisonville ## Snapshot Personville's fat, jovial police chief, who shakes your hand, lights your cigar, and runs the town's rackets like a private business. ## Who they are Noonan commands the police force as a personal racket, trading favors with bootleggers and gambling bosses while keeping his greenish eyes twinkling and his manner amiably corrupt. He is a man who can order a building shot up and then cheerfully ask a stranger to walk across the street and talk the target out, because he hates to start a fight without giving a friend a chance. His running feud with Whisper Thaler and his shifting alliances with the other Personville powers make him the pivot on which the town's violence turns. ## Relationships ### [The Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/the_narrator) _rivalry_ Noonan, the corrupt police chief, and the Narrator are locked in a deadly game of cat and mouse, each trying to outmaneuver the other in the violent power struggle of Personville. ### [Reno Starkey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/reno_starkey) _rivalry_ Noonan and Reno Starkey are rival power brokers in the city's criminal hierarchy, each vying for control and often working at cross-purposes. ### [Pete the Finn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/pete_the_finn) _rivalry_ Noonan and Pete the Finn are bitter enemies, representing the conflict between the official police force and the powerful bootlegging empire. ### [The Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/the_narrator) _rivalry_ Noonan, the corrupt police chief, and the Narrator are locked in a deadly game of cat and mouse, each trying to outmaneuver the other in the violent power struggle of Personville. ### [The Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/the_narrator) _rivalry_ Noonan, the corrupt police chief, and the Narrator are locked in a deadly game of cat and mouse, each trying to outmaneuver the other in the violent power struggle of Personville. ### [Reno Starkey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/reno_starkey) _rivalry_ Noonan and Reno Starkey are rival power brokers in the city's criminal hierarchy, each vying for control and often working at cross-purposes. ### [Reno Starkey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/reno_starkey) _rivalry_ Noonan and Reno Starkey are rival power brokers in the city's criminal hierarchy, each vying for control and often working at cross-purposes. ### [Pete the Finn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/pete_the_finn) _rivalry_ Noonan and Pete the Finn are bitter enemies, representing the conflict between the official police force and the powerful bootlegging empire. ## In the story ### [III: Dinah Brand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/iii-dinah-brand) The fat, jovial chief of police who collaborates with the narrator. He reveals Dinah Brand is Whisper Thaler's woman and interviews Mrs. Willsson about the murder. ### [IV: Hurricane Street](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/iv-hurricane-street) The police chief; he is trying to frame Dinah and Thaler for the murder, according to the narrator. ### [V: Old Elihu Talks Sense](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/v-old-elihu-talks-sense) Police chief who arrives at the scene; announces plans to pick up Whisper Thaler and invites the narrator along. ### [VI: Whisper's Joint](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/vi-whisper-s-joint) Leads the siege on Whisper's joint, appears cheerful and manipulative, uses the narrator to negotiate. ### [VIII: A Tip on Kid Cooper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/viii-a-tip-on-kid-cooper) Calls after the shooting, offering police protection and feigning concern. ### [XII: A New Deal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xii-a-new-deal) Beats MacSwain, orders him jailed, and begins a 'new deal' by turning against Whisper after learning Tim Noonan's killer. ### [XIII: —$200.10—](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xiii-200-10) Noonan is contacted by the narrator to report Thaler's capture and expresses eagerness to arrive. ### [XIV: Max](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xiv-max) Triumphant over Whisper's capture but enraged by the jailbreak; beats MacSwain. ### [XV: Cedar Hill Inn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xv-cedar-hill-inn) Leads the raid on Cedar Hill Inn, eager to capture Whisper Thaler. ### [XVI: Exit Jerry](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xvi-exit-jerry) Leads the investigation of the bank robbery, questions the watchman, and is pleased with the outcome. ### [XVIII: Painter Street](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xviii-painter-street) Appears shaken and weary from the killings; informs the narrator of Lew Yard's murder and agrees to a peace meeting at Willsson's. ### [XIX: The Peace Conference](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xix-the-peace-conference) Forced to confess to killing Tim Noonan and burning Pete the Finn's warehouse; appears broken and desperate. ### [XX: Laudanum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xx-laudanum) Reported killed by Whisper Thaler after the peace conference. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/noonan - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters