# Brigid O'Shaughnessy — The Maltese Falcon character guide > Brigid O'Shaughnessy in The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Miss Wonderly, Wonderly, Brigid, O'Shaughnessy **First appearance:** 0002-i-spade-archer ## Snapshot A soft-voiced redhead with cobalt eyes and a talent for lying, she hires Spade under a false name and pulls him deep into the falcon's trail. ## Who they are She arrives in Spade's office as Miss Wonderly, all timid smiles and unfinished sentences, and keeps changing her name and her story as the bodies pile up. Her helplessness is a performance, and Spade knows it, yet he keeps circling back to her—part lust, part curiosity, part something he won't name. Her shifting allegiances drive the middle of the book, as each new lie redraws the map of who wants the falcon and why. ## In the story ### [The Maltese Falcon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/the-maltese-falcon) A femme fatale who initially hires Spade under the alias Miss Wonderly, later revealed to be deeply involved in the falcon conspiracy and Archer's murder. ### [Spade & Archer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/i-spade-archer) Appears under the alias Miss Wonderly, a beautiful and nervous young woman who hires Spade and Archer to find her sister. ### [III: Three Women](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/iii-three-women) Brigid, under the alias Miss Wonderly, has checked out of the St. Mark and left a forwarding address; she later contacts Spade as Miss Leblanc. ### [The Black Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/iv-the-black-bird) Reveals her true name to Spade, confesses her earlier story was a lie, and pleads for his protection, using emotional appeals and physical gestures. ### [VI: The Undersized Shadow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/vi-the-undersized-shadow) Brigid welcomes Spade eagerly, is relieved the police won't know about her, and is confronted about her practiced innocent manner. ### [VII: G in the Air](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/vii-g-in-the-air) Listens to the Flitcraft story, negotiates with Cairo about the falcon, and shows anxiety about the boy watching the house. ### [Horse Feathers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/viii-horse-feathers) Huddled in an armchair, terrified, after striking Cairo with a pistol. She lies to Dundy, claiming self-defense, and later kicks Cairo when he calls her a liar. ### [IX: Brigid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/ix-brigid) Smiles weakly at Spade, grows uneasy, then tries to avoid answering his questions before finally kissing him. ### [X: The Belvedere Divan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/x-the-belvedere-divan) Sleeps while Spade searches her apartment; later refuses to discuss the falcon. ### [The Fat Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xi-the-fat-man) Spade sends her to Effie Perine's house before his meeting with Gutman; Gutman inquires about her knowledge of the falcon. ### [XII: Merry-Go-Round](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xii-merry-go-round) Her apartment is searched by Spade; she fails to arrive at her intended destination. ### [XIII: The Emperor's Gift](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xiii-the-emperor-s-gift) Referred to as having the falcon and being in Spade's custody; Gutman considers her his agent. ### [XVI: The Third Murder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xvi-the-third-murder) Calls Spade from the Alexandria in distress, but the call is abruptly cut off. ### [XVII: Saturday Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xvii-saturday-night) Brigid meets Spade at his apartment, distraught, and they are ambushed. ### [The Fall-Guy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xviii-the-fall-guy) Watches the confrontation silently, responding with a feeble smile and numb eyes. ### [XIX: The Russian's Hand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xix-the-russian-s-hand) Nervously watches Spade, retrieves the envelope with the bills, and is kissed by Spade. ### [XX: If They Hang You](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xx-if-they-hang-you) Pleads with Spade, confesses to killing Miles Archer, and is ultimately handed to the police. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/brigid_oshaughnessy - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters