Need a good hard-boiled book to warm my cockles during the coming cold months

[Lady Stardust]

Noir, not first person, highly recommended - Irish novelist, Booker Prize winner John Banville, writing under pen name Benjamin Black. His series about pathologist Quirke in 1950s Dublin.
Starting with the book Christine Falls

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Lady Stardust

Noir, not first person, highly recommended - Irish novelist, Booker Prize winner John Banville, writing under pen name Benjamin Black. His series about pathologist Quirke in 1950s Dublin.
Starting with the book Christine Falls

I'll find out some more information on this one.

Thanks.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

"Clea's Moon" by Edward Wright Update: Wright seems to have stopped selling ebooks!
"Cocaine and Blue Eyes" by Fred Zackle

The above are rather traditional "Noir" type novels

"Bangkok Burn" and "Bangkok Wet" by Simon Royle

Wonderful "noir" style books from the perspective of the criminals.

I think I learned about all of these through the various forums on mobileread.com

And for something a little different "The Last PI" series by Richard Bowker

Dover Beach
The Distance Beacons
Where All the Ladders Start


A wonderful set of novels set in a post apocalyptic Boston, MA. The hero, is addicted to hard boiled detective novels and sets up a Detective Agency, and in spite the crumbling world around him, he learns that human nature including Greed, Lust, Fear, and Hate seems to always be with us. This isn't a spoof or a comedy, it is done in a serious mystery novel manner.

The Fred Zackle book looks intriguing. I'll get more information on it.

I already had the Bowker book ("Dover Beach"), but I've never read it. I just now downloaded it and will check it out.

Too bad that the Edward Wright book is not available as an ebook. It sounds interesting.

Thanks.

[gunbad]

First let me say I am glad the James Hadley Chase books were suggested. That makes me happy.

Now your list of already read, been there, done that, really narrows things down and hurts my head.

In fact the only author I can think of is Ace Atkins. I would start with his book “Devil’s Garden”. Atkins uses Dashiell Hammett as his main character during his days working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. This is a really unique take on a gumshoe story that I really liked.

Next I would recommend Atkins “Infamous”. The main character in this one is not a private detective but a special agent of the newly formed FBI when all the rules didn't apply. This is hard boiled as any detective story I have ever read. Has all the gangsters and tough guys you know and love.

Atkins has written lots of books for you to explore.

Ok...I think my head has stopped hurting now.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by gunbad

First let me say I am glad the James Hadley Chase books were suggested. That makes me happy.

Now your list of already read, been there, done that, really narrows things down and hurts my head.

In fact the only author I can think of is Ace Atkins. I would start with his book “Devil’s Garden”. Atkins uses Dashiell Hammett as his main character during his days working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. This is a really unique take on a gumshoe story that I really liked.

Next I would recommend Atkins “Infamous”. The main character in this one is not a private detective but a special agent of the newly formed FBI when all the rules didn't apply. This is hard boiled as any detective story I have ever read. Has all the gangsters and tough guys you know and love.

Atkins has written lots of books for you to explore.

Ok...I think my head has stopped hurting now.

That's an author I'm totally unfamiliar with.

I'll go and get some information (and maybe download a sample to check it out).

Thanks!

-----Although I am not a doctor (and have never played one in a commercial), I understand that aspirins can sometimes mitigate the pain due to that 'headacy' feeling.

[Cinisajoy]

Hi. Since you want hard boiled and to keep warm.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Hard-Boil...dp/B00BQ0DIOS/

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Hi. Since you want hard boiled and to keep warm.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Hard-Boil...dp/B00BQ0DIOS/

No, no, no! An OT recipe book will be posted AFTER I chose my ebook from the many wonderful suggestions.

Remember: OT = cookbook

Let's not hatch our eggs before we boil the little critter!

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

The Fred Zackle book looks intriguing. I'll get more information on it.

I already had the Bowker book ("Dover Beach"), but I've never read it. I just now downloaded it and will check it out.

Too bad that the Edward Wright book is not available as an ebook. It sounds interesting.

Thanks.

Yes, "Clea's Moon" is really good! I'm glad I got it a couple of years ago as an ebook. It's good enough, I think, to consider temporarily suspending your ebook only rule.

[drjd]

James Hadley Chase is the first author which pops up in the mind suitable to your choice. Which Issybird has already recommended. I too started reading Chase novels during last months. They are outstanding hard boiled thrillers.

Another name which I can recommend is Earl Stanley Gardner. His Perry Mason series is undoubtedly superb, involving courtroom drama. But his another series written under the pseudonym - A.A. Fair, published during '40s to '60s depicting private invetigators Bertha Cool & Donald Lam, seems perfect to your taste. You may give it a try if not alread read.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

No, no, no! An OT recipe book will be posted AFTER I chose my ebook from the many wonderful suggestions.

Remember: OT = cookbook

Let's not hatch our eggs before we boil the little critter!

I don't suppose you would believe I misread your first post.

I thought about Russell Blake's Black series but I don't think it is as hard boiled as you are looking for. Too modern.

[BenG]

I suppose you've read Richard Stark's (aka Donald Westlake) Parker books. If not, it starts with The Hunter which has been made into four movies including Lee Marvin's Point Blank and Mel Gibson's Payback. The Hunter is more of a revenge story, the rest of the books are heist novels.
In any case Parker is as hard-boiled as they get.

[BenG]

Parker’s Rules

Don’t ever show a gun to a man you don’t want to kill.
Don’t talk to the law.
Always split the money fair.
Each man for himself.
Don’t kill somebody unless you have to. It puts the law on you like nothing else.
Never leave a guy alive who’d like to see you dead.
Don’t let yourself be framed in a lit doorway.
Don’t meet in a town where you’re going to make a hit.
Don’t stay in the hotel where you’re going to make a hit.
Don’t take a job on consignment.
Don’t work with anyone you can’t trust or don’t respect.
When there’s no place to hide, stay where you are.
Any job that requires more than five guys to be pulled can’t be pulled.
For a big enough score, any rule can be broken.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Apache

I recommend the Garrett, P.I. series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_P.I.

Garrett, P.I.
1. Sweet Silver Blues (1987)
2. Bitter Gold Hearts (1988)
3. Cold Copper Tears (1988)
4. Old Tin Sorrows (1989)
5. Dread Brass Shadows (1990)
6. Red Iron Nights (1991)
7. Deadly Quicksilver Lies (1994)
8. Petty Pewter Gods (1995)
9. Faded Steel Heat (1999)
10. Angry Lead Skies (2002)
11. Whispering Nickel Idols (2005)
12. Cruel Zinc Melodies (2008)
13. Gilded Latten Bones (2010)
14. Wicked Bronze Ambition (2013)

Except for being Fantasy this series meets all of your requirements and has humor, although it is not comedy. Give it a try.
Apache

Here is the correct link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_P.I.

[JSWolf]

There is another series that fits. It's by Kevin J. Anderson

Dan Shamble, Zombie PI
1. Death Warmed Over (2012)
1.5. Stakeout at the Vampire Circus (2013)
2. Unnatural Acts (2012)
2.5. Road Kill (2013)
3. Hair Raising (2013)
3.5. Naughty and Nice (2013)
4. Slimy Underbelly (2014)
5. Working Stiff (2015)

Yes, he's a zombie, but he's old school hard boiled.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BenG

I suppose you've read Richard Stark's (aka Donald Westlake) Parker books. If not, it starts with The Hunter which has been made into four movies including Lee Marvin's Point Blank and Mel Gibson's Payback. The Hunter is more of a revenge story, the rest of the books are heist novels.
In any case Parker is as hard-boiled as they get.

But is he dead (or rather undead)?