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Noir Lit, and Hard Boiled Detective

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Gray64 Since: Dec, 1969
#1: Jun 27th 2011 at 10:28:38 PM

I noticed there wasn't a thread for these, so please, discuss!

Falco Since: Mar, 2011
#2: Jun 28th 2011 at 12:17:06 AM

One of my favourite genres. Big fan of both Chandler and Hammett. Outside of those anyone got any recommendations?

For an alternate history-cum-noir novel, people should try Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

edited 28th Jun '11 9:08:23 PM by Falco

"You want to see how a human dies? At ramming speed." - Emily Wong.
maxwellelvis Mad Scientist Wannabe from undisclosed location Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: In my bunk
Mad Scientist Wannabe
#3: Jun 28th 2011 at 6:10:03 AM

Does Harry Dresden fit? 'Cause I'm about to start one of his stories.

Of course, don't you know anything about ALCHEMY?!- Twin clones of Ivan the Great
BetsyandtheFiveAvengers Since: Feb, 2011
#4: Jun 28th 2011 at 7:23:08 AM

I want to try out Chandler and James M. Cain (I've only read Mildred Pierce), any recommendations?

whimsyful Since: Sep, 2010
#5: Jun 28th 2011 at 9:02:33 PM

James M Cain is excellent. Try Double Indemnity or the Postman Always Rings Twice. Chandler: the only novel I've read of his is Farewell My Lovely, but it was pretty good.

Gray64 Since: Dec, 1969
#6: Jun 28th 2011 at 10:20:57 PM

All of Chandler's Phillip Marlowe novels are quite good; unfortunately, there are only seven of them, and a fragment of another one. They are, for those of you who don't know, The Big Sleep, The High Window, Farewell My Lovely, The Lady in the Lake, The Little Sister, Playback, and The Long Goodbye. There are also some short stories, featuring either Marlowe or the character that ultimately became Marlowe, in the collections The Simple Art of Murder and Trouble is My Business. Chandler cannibalized a lot of his short fiction for use in his novels, so if you've read the novels, bits of the short stories will likely be familiar.

On the Noir front, there are also Richard Stark's Parker novels (beginning with The Hunter), either in their original form or in the great graphic novel adaptations by Darwin Cooke.

Gray64 Since: Dec, 1969
#7: Jun 28th 2011 at 10:23:08 PM

Oh, and the fragment is generally referred to as The Poodle Springs fragment, and was turned into a completed novel, called Poodle Springs, by Robert B.Parker, author of the Spenser novels.

blamspam Since: Oct, 2010
#8: Jul 3rd 2011 at 7:29:39 PM

The Little Sister is probably my favorite Marlowe one. I would recommend any of the James M. Cain ones but The Postman Always Rings Twice is the best.

And if you like the books, I'd recommend seeing the movies based on them, it does enrich the experience. Farewell My Lovely / Murder My Sweet pairing is probably the best example, because Dick Powell has such an interesting twist on Philip Marlowe.

EnglishIvy Since: Aug, 2011
#9: Jul 3rd 2011 at 7:47:57 PM

Are there any Mickey Spillane novels that you guys'd recommend?

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