# Reno Starkey — Red Harvest character guide

> Reno Starkey in Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Reno, Reno ’ ) Starkey

**First appearance:** 0001-red-harvest

## Snapshot

A sallow, horse-faced gangster who trades alibis and favors with the narrator while angling to come out on top of Personville's war.

## Who they are

Reno is a rival to Whisper and a survivor of the Willsson shootout, and he gives the narrator a false alibi for the night of Dinah Brand's murder in exchange for a future claim on the narrator's loyalty. He is blunt about his motives: he needs friends because he expects to be sitting in with Whisper and Pete the Finn before long, and he wants to be sure he doesn't get the sour end of the deal. His willingness to bargain with the Op shows how fluid and self-interested Personville's alliances have become.

## Relationships

### [The Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/the_narrator)

_rivalry_

Reno Starkey, a ruthless gangster, and the Narrator are professional adversaries who engage in a tense, violent competition for control of the city's underworld.

### [Noonan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/noonan)

_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.

### [The Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/the_narrator)

_rivalry_

Reno Starkey, a ruthless gangster, and the Narrator are professional adversaries who engage in a tense, violent competition for control of the city's underworld.

### [The Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/the_narrator)

_rivalry_

Reno Starkey, a ruthless gangster, and the Narrator are professional adversaries who engage in a tense, violent competition for control of the city's underworld.

### [Noonan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/noonan)

_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.

### [Noonan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/characters/noonan)

_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.

## In the story

### [XVII: Reno](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xvii-reno)

Recently released on bail; celebrates at the Silver Arrow, is ambushed, and rescued by the narrator and Dinah.

### [XIX: The Peace Conference](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xix-the-peace-conference)

Sits stolidly as the Narrator exposes his role in the bank robbery and the murder of Lew Yard.

### [XX: Laudanum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xx-laudanum)

Calls to inform the narrator that Noonan has been shot dead by Whisper Thaler.

### [XXI: The Seventeenth Murder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xxi-the-seventeenth-murder)

Provides the narrator with an alibi in exchange for future loyalty; discusses the power shift with McGraw as acting chief.

### [Wanted](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xxiv-wanted)

Proposes a truce with Whisper to attack Pete the Finn, then learns Whisper is dead.

### [XXV: Whiskeytown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xxv-whiskeytown)

Leads the assault on Pete the Finn's hideout, orchestrates the bombing, and personally executes Pete.

### [XXVII: Warehouses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/red_harvest_se/chapters/xxvii-warehouses)

Kills Whisper Thaler, confesses to murdering Dinah Brand, and dies from his wounds.

## Links

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