Noir Authors
(Updated October 2006)
"Noir is not about the people standing on the edge of the abyss looking in, but about the people in it, forever writhing, aware of the pain, aware of the future pain to come." –Paul Duncan, Noir Fiction: Dark Highways.
Noir fiction is dark, black. It is about our deepest fears and unspeakable desires. There is little hope or satisfaction, and there are no happy endings. If you feel like taking a journey into the dirty underbelly of literature and reading some of the best novels this genre has to offer, check out these titles brought to you by Brandon Kempf, Reader Advisor for Institutions.
To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through our OPAC. Happy Reading!
Abrahams, Peter
The Fan.
RC 41202.
Gil Renard is excited about the Sox's chances this year, now that they have signed Bobby Rayburn. But the rest of Gil's life is falling apart. His ex-wife will not let him see their son anymore, and he has been laid off by the knife company his father founded. Reminiscing about his Little League glory days and becoming more and more obsessed with Bobby Rayburn, Gil loses touch with reality. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex.
Hard Rain.
RC 27580.
Jessie's determination to find her daughter Kate after the child disappears with her father is the starting point for a complex thriller involving a large cast of characters and a sinister plot from the past. Tracking the missing pair across the country, Jessie ends up in Vermont where the climax is played out in a blizzard. Strong language.
Lights Out.
RC 39223.
Eddie Nye served fifteen years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Frustration and anger lead Eddie to seek answers in books and to an obsession with the meaning of punishment. Now that he is out, his first piece of unfinished business is to find out who set him up. He checks in with his brother Jack and soon learns that there are no easy answers. Violence and strong language.
A Perfect Crime.
RC 47583.
Francie and Ned are having an affair, meeting once a week in an island cottage. Francie's husband, a brilliant but recently unemployed executive, finds out and plots the perfect revenge. Meanwhile, Francie unknowingly befriends Ned's wife. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex.
Cain, James M.
The Postman Always Rings Twice.
RC 17817.
When a young hobo comes to a sandwich stand run by a Greek and his American wife, he falls in love with the woman and starts work at the stand. A novel of clandestine affair, a murder, and accidental death.
Double Indemnity.
RC 23587.
Classic mystery first published in 1935. Novel of cynical greed in which an insurance salesman plans a perfect murder to beat his own racket.
Chandler, Raymond
The Big Sleep.
RC 32657, BR 8653.
A nightmare story of degeneracy in southern California, in which two Hollywood heiresses become mixed up in blackmail and murder. A Philip Marlowe Mystery. Series Code MARL. Strong language.
Farewell, My Lovely.
RC 41976, BR 3551.
Los Angeles in the 1930s. A redheaded warbler named Velma is the only lead hard-boiled investigator Philip Marlowe has to Moose Malloy. Malloy is six feet five inches tall, about as wide as a beer truck, and wanted for murder. The trail to Malloy is strewn with cops and dames and leads right through the gambling rackets. A Philip Marlowe Mystery. Series Code MARL. Violence and strong language.
Crumley, James
Bordersnakes.
RC 43433.
A ribald tale of two ornery guys on a rollicking spree, each of whom seeks to avenge past wrongs. One wants payback for his own near-murder, while the other aims to even the score over his stolen inheritance. They descend into the sordid world of the drug trade along the Mexican border. Strong language and violence.
The Final Country.
RC 56947.
Milo Milodragovitch, hard-living Texas private eye, gets tangled up with an ex-con, who has just committed murder. Milo's burden becomes heavier when his newest client becomes his latest conquest. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence.
The Mexican Tree Duck.
RC 39651.
Detective Sughrue is looking for the missing wife of the president's special envoy to Mexico. The search begins in Montana and covers the Southwest all the way to the Mexican border. Along the way, Sughrue collects assorted companions, including a woman with a child and a pottery duck, but mainly old Vietnam buddies. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex.
Ellroy, James
The Big Nowhere.
RC 59258.
Deputy sheriff Danny Upshaw, District Attorney investigator Mal Considine, and detective, fixer, errand boy, hatchet man Buzz Meeks come together in 1950 Hollywood. The anticommunist atmosphere, a series of brutal mutilation killings, ambition, personal loss, and buried demons define the nightmare of these men. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language.
The Cold Six Thousand.
RC 52349.
Las Vegas policeman Wayne Tedrow Jr., son of a crooked, mob-connected union leader, goes to Dallas on November 22, 1963, to kill a black gambler. Things go awry, and for the next five years Tedrow is caught in a web of conspiracies. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language.
L.A. Confidential.
RC 31404.
Three policemen each with his own albatross: Ed Exley tries desperately to match or exceed his father's success as a cop; Bud White watched his father murder his mother, and now he is a ticking bomb; and Jack Vincennes has his own little shake-down business going. Los Angeles in the 1950s is the settling for this noir novel. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. Also available as a descriptive video, DV 239.
Suicide Hill.
RC 24862.
Assigned as liaison officer to an FBI investigation of a series of ingenious bank robberies, Sergeant Lloyd Hopkins of the Los Angeles Police Department uncovers unsavory information about his sworn enemy, commander of the Internal Affairs Division, Fred Gaffaney. It appears that Gaffaney plans to murder the criminals rather than capture them. Strong language and some descriptions of sex.
White Jazz.
RC 37235.
Los Angeles. Lieutenant Dave Klein is a dirty cop whose career moves have led to a lot of "bad sleep, no sleep." His personal life revolves around his fixation on his sister Meg. His friends are all mobsters. The rest of the force is not too clean either, and the feds are closing in. Then Howard Hughes hires him to find dirt about an actress and Klein surprises himself by falling for the dame. Strong language, violence, and descriptions of sex.
Goodis, David
The Burglar.
RC 39372.
Nathaniel Harbin makes a career of burglary. He usually works with companions, two males and one female. But shortly after this foursome rob a well-cased mansion, they have a difference of opinion. Nat decides to get out, and, against his better judgment, he also permits himself to be seduced by a woman he meets in a restaurant. Soon life gets complicated, and Nat finds himself on the run. Violence and strong language.
Nightfall.
BR 11415.
Commercial artist Jim Vanning is on the run, pursued by ruthless people who believe he is sitting on a cache of money from a bank robbery. Before the worst happens, New York police detective Fraser locates Vanning and helps him get to the bottom of his plight.
Street of No Return.
RC 39244.
The drunks on Skid Row call him "Whitey" because that is the color of his hair, even though he is only 33 years old. Another unusual thing about Whitey is his voice, which is not much above a whisper. Once he was headed for a career in show business, but Celia, a prostitute, caught his attention and her man Sharkey put an end to that. Now he is on the street where life can get exciting when a person needs a drink. Violence and strong language.
Highsmith, Patricia
The Talented Mr. Ripley; Ripley under Ground: Ripley’s Game
RC 50315.
Three complete psychological crime novels featuring the well-mannered and unscrupulous Tom Ripley. In the first, Ripley is commissioned to persuade a young expatriate in Italy to return to his family in the States. But Ripley is so taken with Dickie Greenleaf and his comfortable existence, he decides to become Dickie by murdering him. Some violence.
Himes, Chester
The Big Gold Dream.
RC 46006.
Pursuing two apparently unrelated murders, detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones are led into a squalid Harlem ghetto, where they confront the killer in an explosive showdown. A Johnson and Jones Mystery. Series Code JOJO. Strong language and violence.
The Heat’s On.
RC 45227.
Tough cops Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones are cited for use of excessive force in making a heroin arrest. Soon after, Jones is shot and his death is announced as a ruse to maneuver the pair of detectives into position for a major drug bust. A Johnson and Jones Mystery. Series Code JOJO. Strong language and violence.
The Real Cool Killers.
RC 45726.
There is no dearth of suspects with strong motives when Galen the Greek is found murdered. Galen's ostentatious wealth and his penchant for young black girls make for a tough and complicated case for police to crack. A Johnson and Jones Mystery. Series Code JOJO. Strong language and violence.
Leonard, Elmore
Be Cool.
RC 47672.
Loan shark-turned-movie producer Chili Palmer takes his next plot idea from the events around him: the Russian Mafia, entertainment business goons, and hip-hop gangsta bands. Chili sets out to scam everyone to get his movie made. Sequel to Get Shorty (RC 31976). Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex.
Get Shorty.
RC 31976.
Steely-eyed Chili Palmer, Miami loan shark and debt collector, can force a mark to pay up by simply saying, "Look at me." Chili is after horror film producer Harry Zimm, who has gambled and lost $200,000 of investors' money. The two join forces to produce films and make enough money so Chili can collect. Meanwhile, a couple of hoods are out to get Chili themselves. Strong language and some descriptions of sex.
When the Women Come Out to Dance.
RC 55963, BR 14648.
Nine short stories dealing with people and their choices. In the title piece, a bored Palm Beach wife with an ulterior motive hires a Colombian maid whose husband was murdered. In "Sparks," an insurance investigator questions a Los Angeles widow whose house was destroyed in a fire. Strong language.
Stark, Richard
Backflash.
RC 50460.
Although Parker is suspicious of the motives of a retired New York civil servant who wants him to rob a riverboat casino on the Hudson, he rounds up three partners to commit the crime. Afterwards, Parker and his gang realize they have been set up. Parker series, book 18.Series Code PRK. Violence and strong language.
Breakout.
RC 55495.
Parker and his colleagues are sent to the state pen after a pharmaceutical heist goes bad. He escapes from the prison with two other inmates, with help from the outside. The team immediately attempts a jewelry theft, but this escapade also turns sour. Parker series, book 21. Series Code PRK. Strong language and some violence.
Butchers Moon.
RC 8680.
A resourceful, professional thief returns to the scene of an earlier crime to claim his loot of $73,000, hijacked by a local mob and some crooked cops. He matches wits with gangsters in a deadly game of violence and murder. Parker series, book 16. Series Code PRK.
Comeback.
RC 47598.
Parker and three partners plot to rob an evangelist of almost half a million dollars with the help of an inside man. Everything goes without a hitch until one of the gang decides that he wants all of the money. Soon Parker needs to use his wiles to get his fair share of the loot. Parker series, book 17. Series Code PRK. Some violence and some strong language.
Firebreak.
RC 54507.
Master criminal Parker joins a gang of former colleagues to take a load of already stolen masterpieces of art from a computer billionaire's secret gallery in a Montana lodge. He also has to contend with a hired assassin trying to kill him. Parker series, book 20. Series Code PRK. Violence and strong language.
Flashfire.
RC 52206.
After Parker is stiffed by his partners in a bank robbery, he vows revenge and tracks them to their next job, a jewelry heist in Palm Beach. With the help of his lover, Claire, and real estate agent Leslie Mackenzie, Parker stalks his victims and their loot. Parker series, book 19. Series Code PRK. Violence and strong language.
Thompson, Jim
Hard Core: Three Novels.
RC 25528.
The king of the hard-boiled pulp writers has once again been discovered. This omnibus collection of two novels and an autobiography, told as fiction, captures the essential ingredients of Thompson's warped world. Portrays the burned-out, beaten-down protagonists living on the fringes of society struggling with personal demons. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.
Vachss, Andrew
Blossom.
RC 32680.
Private eye Burke is tired of the concrete jungles of New York City. When his old cellmate Virgil calls from Indiana with a plea for help, Burke is ready to go. It seems that Virgil's cousin Lloyd has become the suspect in a series of shootings. At first Burke finds himself somewhat out of place and without his usual group of informers. But he soon enlists the help of the beautiful and brilliant Blossom. Burke series. Series Code BURK. Strong language.
Blue Belle.
RC 29110, BR 7645.
Private eye Burke is hired by a local pimp to find out who is kidnapping and murdering young prostitutes. Burke, aided by his girlfriend Belle and his usual informants and accomplices, sets up a massage parlor scam in order to get to the kidnapper-murderer. Burke series.Series Code BURK. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex.
Down in the Zero.
RC 40447.
Private investigator Burke is attempting to pull himself up from zero, the depths that lie beyond death. He has been there since his last case, when he killed a child instead of saving him. Now Burke has a chance at redemption by rescuing Randy Cambridge, who lives in a plush Connecticut neighborhood where the kids seem to be committing suicide. Randy thinks he is next on the list. Burke series. Series Code BURK. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex.
Flood.
RC 24376.
In New York City, private eye Burke, who supplements his income by running a mercenary information service and herding customers for a criminal courts lawyer, is consulted by Miss Flood, a karate expert. She wants him to track down the man who raped and murdered her best friend's little girl. Burke plunges into the sordid habitats of the city's assorted crazies, perverts, and drug addicts to flush out the maniac. Burke series. Series Code BURK. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex.
Willeford, Charles
New Hope for the Dead.
RC 24269.
Sergeant Hoke Moseley, a Miami cop near retirement, wants to solve the murder of a junkie whose death looks like an accidental overdose. The zeal of his pursuit, however, is tempered by many obstacles. His ex-wife suddenly decides to impose upon him the custody of their two teenage daughters, his boss insists that he clear up a file of unsolved crimes, and his relation with a new partner is affected by her worry about an unexpected pregnancy. Hoke Moseley, Book 2. Series Code MOS. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.
Sideswipe.
RC 26522.
Hoke Moseley's job as a Miami homicide detective becomes so stressful he moves to Singer Island to manage a small apartment building for his father. He realizes he can never stop being a cop when he runs into a spate of robberies in the building, and a psychopathic killer. Hoke Moseley, Book 3. Series Code MOS. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.
The Way We Die Now.
RC 28271.
Miami cop Hoke Moseley wants to concentrate on one of his so-called cold cases: the unsolved murder of a rich Miami doctor shot early one morning outside his house. But instead he is ordered to go on a dangerous undercover mission down in the Evergla