For this story, Black Mask had this to say: "One of our best detectives is this nameless sleuth of Mr. Hammett's. He's deductive, practical, and maybe a little unromantic. Probably that's why he runs into such wild adventures and takes such horrible chances. In this story he walks into a whirlwind of death. Got to it." The story is also known as House Dick.

The Op, who is never named, takes a three day security assignment at the Montgomery Hotel in San Francisco - the first two days go without incident. But, on the last day, he makes a gruesome discovery in room 906. It quickly gets complicated. At one point, we find our resourceful detective in a shoot out in a nearby bar with the most dangerous criminal on the west coast.

Librarian's note #1: this entry is for the story, Arson Plus. Entries for collections of short stories and the other individual stories can be found elsewhere on Goodreads. There are a total of 28 short stories plus one incomplete; they can all be found by searching Goodreads for: a Continental Op Short Story.

Librarian's note #2: there are also two Continental Op novels, Red Harvest (also known as The Cleansing of Poisonville), and The Dain Curse.