old school Crime Literature

[havershaw]

Just got back from my local used bookstore, where I picked up a whole bunch of vintage crime novels that some folks had referred me to. Previously, I had only read Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, both of whom are superb. But I also picked up some books which I had referred to me by David Goodis, Harry Whittington, Cornell Woolrich, James M. Cain, and Jim Thomposn.

I also bought ten or fifteen pulp detective magazines from the 30s-early 50s on eBay in the last couple of days. I know they're probably not as good as Chandler or Hammett...but that's where they started. There might be at least a couple of other good ones in there. And the covers are killer...

Anybody else have any suggestions or recommendations?

 

[havershaw]

more covers...

 

[havershaw]

one of my favorites...

 

[havershaw]

another great one...

 

[jamespowers]

Wow! You must have quite a collection by now. When does the library open? LOL LOL

Regards,

J

 

[havershaw]

Actually, all of the magazines I showed you I have won but not yet received, or I'm bidding on.

But I am getting a nice collection of books. I will post again later as to which authors I like the best.

But I'm interested in hearing recommendations other Loungers might have in terms of this kind of writing...any suggestions?

 

[STHill]

I love those titles ("Death Must Walk Sideways", "Poison for Her Illicit Love"). Sounds like they came out of a random word generator programmed with pulp fiction/film noir cliches.

 

[The Bingstress]

I actually just got a note from a reader about a new paperback imprint called Hard Case Crime, and I posted something about it on the Daily News at RetroRadar.com. Here's the item:

New York, NY, September 6 - From World War II through the 1960s, paperback crime novels were one of the fastest-selling categories in book publishing. Now, a new imprint called Hard Case Crime is reviving the genre of hardboiled crime fiction, ranging from lost noir masterpieces to new novels by today's most powerful writers, featuring original cover art in the grand pulp style. Authors include award-winning modern masters, like Lawrence Block, Max Allan Collins and Donald E. Westlake; Golden-Age pulp stars, like Erle Stanley Gardner, Day Keene and Wade Miller; and newcomers predicted to be the next generation of hardboiled bestsellers. Pick up a copy for your back pocket.

I've asked the publisher to send reviewers copies of new titles for RetroRadar.com , so if anyone here is a big pulp fiction buff and interested in writing something for our site, please drop me a line. There's no pay, but you'll get a free book and plenty of fame and glory.

Hugs & blessings,
The Bingstress

 

[jamespowers]

I checked out what I have sitting around and only found a Official Detective Stories Magazine dated December 1954. The cover story is: "Massachusetts' Teen-Age Tragedy: The Sitter, the Baby and The Nice Boy Down the Street." I am going to have to read this to see exactly what I am dealing with here. LOL LOL


Regards to all,

J

 

[RedFalcon]

I would highly recommend Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries.

Start with his first published novel, Fer de Lance , and go from there. Stout uses the same formula of familiarity that Arthur Conan Doyle did to bring Sherlock Holmes to life.

After reading a few of the books you'll be as familiar with Wolfe's quirks and profundities, Archie Goodwin's humor and Inspector Cramer's begrudging reliance on Wolfe's brain as if you had lived alongside of them in the old brownstone all these years.

I'm a prolific reader, and I must say that I like Stout's work as much as Chandler's. He is as good an example of the American school of detective fiction as you are apt to find.

I have about twenty-five vintage paperback copies of his books....all well thumbed. I hope to have more soon! And I sincerely hope that I can start finding them in hardcover.

 

[LuckyLighter]

My avatar says it all: Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. You can find anthology editions of his stuff, with three or four novels in a collection. I've seen them at all the major bookstores.

Another good crime writer--though not exactly vintage--is James Lee Burke. He writes about a New Orleans detective named Dave Robicheaux. Although the stories are for the most part modern, there style is very retro...a reviewer once said that the prose sounds as if it could have been spoken by Robert Mitchum. These are some great stories too; start with the first novel, "Heaven's Prisoners," which was made into a motion picture with Alec Baldwin and *drool* Teri Hatcher.

Teri Hatcher, mmmmmm!

 

[Black Dahlia]

I love vintage detective novels....by Hammett, Chandler...of course Sherlock Holmes, novels by Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, etc.
X
BD

 

[Talbot]

Just finished Darwyn Cooke's two graphic adaptations of the Parker novels by Richard Stark.

The first two novels, 'The Hunter' and 'The Outfit' are set in the early 60's.

Thes graphic novels are extremely well illustrated, and I recommend them.

 

[Kirk H.]

My avatar says it all: Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. You can find anthology editions of his stuff, with three or four novels in a collection. I've seen them at all the major bookstores.

Another good crime writer--though not exactly vintage--is James Lee Burke. He writes about a New Orleans detective named Dave Robicheaux. Although the stories are for the most part modern, there style is very retro...a reviewer once said that the prose sounds as if it could have been spoken by Robert Mitchum. These are some great stories too; start with the first novel, "Heaven's Prisoners," which was made into a motion picture with Alec Baldwin and *drool* Teri Hatcher.

Teri Hatcher, mmmmmm!

As far as Spillane goes, check out some of his unfinished stuff that Max Allan Collins finished. They are a good read. Also Collins has done some fictional work on Elliot Ness after he left Chicago as well as a another series involving a PI named Nate Heller that takes him through some famous cases. Also you might want to check out the Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps. It has a lot of the stories by the famous pulp authors of the Golden Era. And if you want to read a good non-fiction book on famous cases from the LAPD from the 30's 40's and 50's, check out Jack Webb's "The Badge"
Just my 2 cents worth and happy reading.

Regards

Kirk H.