Besides Hammett & Chandler?

[Eggroll]

Besides Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, who are some of the best crime noir writers during the 20-50s? I know of James Cain as well, but I am trying to look for some noir books outside of the main circle of writers. Any other good hardboiled detective writers?

[FNAWrite]

There's plenty more, but how about Mickey Spillane?

[Eggroll]

That's a great suggestion, thanks. I also forgot about Ross MacDonald.

[FNAWrite]

I often see MacDonald's name with Hammet's and Chandler's - the big 3 I reckon.

He's not golden era, but I would also recommend Robert B. Parker. Further, Max Allan Collins, who finished several of Spillane's manuscripts for publication, has good credits on his own.

[Eggroll]

I often see MacDonald's name with Hammet's and Chandler's - the big 3 I reckon.

He's not golden era, but I would also recommend Robert B. Parker. Further, Max Allan Collins, who finished several of Spillane's manuscripts for publication, has good credits on his own.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Parker. And Collins' 'True Detective' book looks very interesting, I just wish it didn't involve real life characters, I'll still put it on my reading list regardless.

[Mike_Lang]

I, too, am a big fan of the hardboiled pulp type fiction. Even though this thread is a few years old I thought it might be worth bumping up rather than starting a new thread to see if anyone has any suggestions for hardboiled, noir or just plain gritty crime stories and writers. I prefer my detectives deeply flawed, and my detective stories gritty, dark and chock full of eccentric, oddball characters.

Here are a few to get things rolling: In the Hammett/Chandler era there was Jim Thompson, James Hadley Chase, and Patricia Highsmith. Later, in no particular chronology, came James Crumley (one of my all time favorites - think Raymond Chandler meets Hunter S. Thompson and you're getting close), James Ellroy, Elmore Leonard, Walter Mosley and Carl Hiaasen (more in the vein of comic crime capers).

Anyone have any good recommendations?

[moderntimes]

Aside from my own private detective novels? ha ha

Try Robert Crais' Elvis Cole series, modern LA private eye. And a great mystery series are the "Prey" series by John Sandford about Twin Cities' Lucas Davenport, a very smooth killing homicide cop.

For a more laid back and introspective modern SanFran private eye would be Bill Pronzini's "Nameless" private eye.

There are also plenty of independent crime novels with terrific stories. I review mysteries for a website and I'll post the names & authors of some recommended books later, after I look 'em up.