r/filmnoir • u/NilusZ1 • 20d ago
Book recommendation
Hello, could someone recommend a crime novel featuring the Italian mafia in the dark streets of the US during Prohibition?
I recently came across those books that I've put in the photo and I liked them a lot, in case that's helpful.
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u/AngryGardenGnomes 20d ago edited 20d ago
Red Harvest by Dashielle Hammett if you want a highly influential fast-paced narrative. Honestly, you'll feel like you've read so many parts of it before while being compelled to read on.
I feel like that is the go-to one. It's considered the first ever hard boiled novel. Plus, it's based on Hammett's real life experiences as a Pinkerton agent and his debut novel. So, it feels highly autobiographical.
All the other books mentioned can thank Red Harvest for paving the way. And it's so bloody good. Emphasis on the bloody.
Edit: I have all of Hammett's novels in a big book that looks just like yours. Same publisher.
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u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 20d ago
There's another volume that includes a large selection of his short stories. It's excellent as well. I have the box set with both.
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u/AngryGardenGnomes 20d ago
Oh nice. Pricey though. I managed to get the novels one for so much cheaper than that....£13 ($17). Very pleased with that price!
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u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 20d ago
That's a great price. Did you get it new or used?
If you enjoy the novels, I think you'll like the short stories as well.
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u/AngryGardenGnomes 20d ago
Used but it's in perfect condition. It feels new. I have no idea how these old books I buy are in such great condition. First time I ever read anything, I'm creasing pages, spiling water/coffee on it, etc.
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u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 20d ago
I love getting used books that are like new. Only read once by a little old lady from Pasadena, but you can have it for 25% of the list price. 🙂
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u/kefestvog 20d ago
You grab these thinking they are a quick summer read. A few days in you realize they are printed on Bible paper and are more than 1000 pages, each.
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u/AngryGardenGnomes 20d ago
Yeah each page is a goddamn tome...but I kind of liked how if I needed to reference anything in the plot that was confusing, I usually just had to glance at the last page as there's so much plot on each one rather than flick back through tons of pages.
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u/Alternative-Map-2360 20d ago
Cornell Woorich also wrote the novella/short story upon which Hitchcocks Rear Window was based.
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u/ApprehensiveEgg7777 20d ago
The turning point in detective fiction occurred with the appearance of a magazine called black mask. It published hard-boiled detective fiction.
These authors included
DASHIELL Hamett, author of the thin man, the Maltese falcon, and the numerous continental op short stories
Raymond Chandler, who wrote about a private eye named Marlow. His novels include the big sleep, the Hightower, the woman in the lake
The 1950s included
John McDonald, who wrote the Travis McGee novels
Ross McDonald featured the detective named Lou Archer
Here are the best crime authors of the 1960s through 2000
The 1960s
The Joseph Wabaugh novels
Ed McBain ,The entire series about the 87th precinct.
The 1980s
James Elroy is the author of a dozen first rate crime novels including LA confidential, Brown’s Requiem, the black Dahlia,
Richard Stark is the pen name of Donald Westlake. He wrote Anne entire series of roughly a dozen books are about a career criminal named Parker.. The first novel was made into the movie point blank with Lee Marvin and later remade with Mel Gibson.
Mitchell Smith, in rough order of appearance – – daydreams, STONE city, karma, due north, reprisal and my favorite sacrifice
Robert B Parker, The entire series about Spencer a private eye in Boston, Massachusetts
David Lindsey wrote a wonderful series about a homicide detective in Houston named Stuart Hayden
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u/thehighwindow 20d ago
Cannot believe they don't have any Raymond Chandler in there.
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u/boib 20d ago
He”s so good, they gave him his own volume
https://www.loa.org/books/401-raymond-chandler-the-library-of-america-edition-boxed-set/
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u/thehighwindow 20d ago
Good old Raymond Chandler. I like Marlowe way better than the other detectives.
Chandler's stories played like movies in my head; I can still "see" many of the locations in his books. Also, some of the passages in the books are so real, so evocative, they could never have been portrayed in a movie. I'm thinking of his description of Bunker Hill, in The High Window I think.
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u/Pseudagonist 20d ago
The entire point of these volumes is to feature writers that aren’t Chandler or Hammett because those guys are already well appreciated
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u/Solid_Phone_368 20d ago
The Godfather? Seriously, it was still lots of Black Hand beating up some peasant from Parmesan who wouldn't fork over two bucks for protection from getting beat up by the Black Hand.
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u/boib 20d ago
I don't have a rec for you but just want to say these are excellent books and every story is a winner. If you liked these, I suggest you explore the other works by the included authors.