Advice on pulp crime authors to explore...
 

I've read a lot of works from Weird Tales, but now I'm looking for a place to begin reading the crime pulps. I recently finished Hammett's "Red Harvest" and Chandler's "The Big Sleep," but those are the two big names in crime I know.

I'm not opposed to reading more pulp novels, but I'd really like a place to start for stories. I know there's a lot on Munseys.com and Pulpgen, but I don't know where to start. I've also got collections of Chandler and Hammett stories, have downloaded all the samplers on here I could find, now I'd just like some direction...


Thanks,
Andy

Andy, welcome! I recommend that you start with...

The Black Lizard Big Book of Black Mask Stories
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Lizard-S...k+mask+stories

and

Hard-Boiled Detectives
http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Boiled-De...led+Detectives

These are anthologies of the two most respected crime pulp mags, Black Mask and Dime Detective.

I'm confident that you will find a number of authors whom you will want to read more of.

I second GA Russell.

Also Black mask online has about 500 free pulps.

Helen

Exceptionally talented, but generally not well known, pulp writers are Charles Willeford and John McPartland. A good introduction to Willeford is Cockfighter, a ribald and violent novel set in the rural south. McPartland's Tokyo novels, set in post-war occupied Japan, are excellent.

I really enjoyed the various Masters of Noir anthologies from Wonder Publishing. You might also check out the "megapack" collections from Wildside Press in the pulp fiction category; these are public domain collections but they only cost a buck and it's nice to have the stories in one place. Also, the MR library has a lot of pulp fiction anthologies.

Still would love more recommendations anyone has. Thanks for the advice everyone, there's a lot of free stuff out there, just don't know where to start.

Jim Thompson, if you haven't already - just tonight re-reading 'After Dark, My Sweet'.

Seconding the other suggestions already mentioned, along with David Goodis, Donald E. Westlake, Patricia Highsmith, Ed Lacy, Dorothy B. Hughes and John D MacDonald.

Hard Case Crime has old titles from the Pulp era, mixed in with modern takes also.

Cornell Woolrich is one of the greats

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Woolrich

Personally, I'd say better than anyone except Hammett (and I'm a big Chandler, so I don't say that lightly).