I love reading crime, especially the hard-boiled variety, which is, of course, partly why I write that style. Apart from reading the classics by Chandler, Macdonald, and others, I do love finding new (at least new for me) authors writing in the hard-boiled and noir style. I've been on a bit of a binge on searching out and trying new experiences in the last few months, and here are 4 authors whose books below have given me huge pleasure. I highly recommend them all for hard-boiled fans. The variety between the 4 is significant, both in style and origin - The US, Ireland, France and Britain. But they are all fantastic reads, and I have either bought or ordered more novels from all of them except Guillaume (unfortunately only one of his works has been translated into English, and my French, whilst passable in conversation, is not up to a full-on read!).
Cheers and Enjoy!!!
ABP
Cheers and Enjoy!!!
ABP
 | Money Shot - Christa Faust Christa Faust is an American author, amongst other talents. It's not a traditional PI setting, rather a former porn star who turns sleuth to sort some real bad people out. As you'd expect it is very sexy as well as hard-boiled. The protagonist, Angel Dare, is just great, a real kick-ass lady. Actually I reckon Angel Dare would partner up beautifully with my Harry Kenmare, and I reckon the sizzling would be heard on both sides of the Pacific! Excellent read in the wonderful American style. I'm waiting on the next one in the post! |
 | The Guards - Ken Bruen Ken Bruen is an Irish author and his PI, Jack Taylor, hails from Galway. Taylor is an ex-cop (garda in Irish) and a massive drinker. This was my first taste of Irish hard-boiled and I loved it. I've actually read the second in the series as well - equally as satisfying. I think it must appeal to my Irish ancestry, as well as my hard-boiled crime writing obsession. Oh, and did I mention the drinking??? Very Irish and very much its own style - fantastic. |
 | White Leopard - Laurent Guillaume Now I have read a number of French crime authors of various eras - it seems a constantly popular genre in France and they have produced some stunners. I actually heard about Laurent Guillaume's novel on the Amazon page for my own novel - you know where it says "readers who bought this also..."? Anyway, I did a bit of research and the book looked up my alley, so I took the plunge. And was I pleased I did. The main man is a PI, Solo Camara, an ex-cop from France who is back in Mali - he is of mixed Malian and French extraction. This is really great hard-boiled in the traditional way, but its Malian setting gives it an altogether unique flavour in the crime reading I've done. I loved this and went looking for more, but, alas, no other works from Guillaume have yet been translated. I hope they hurry up! |
 | He Died with His Eyes Open - Derek Raymond And the fourth is from the man widely regarded as the father of British noir. Derek Raymond died in 1994, but authored a wide range of works, including what was known as The Factory series, of which this is the first. No PI here - rather we have a very hard serving detective sergeant in London. Interestingly, our main man remains nameless throughout. This is brutal at times and a bloody good read, as is the second in the series which I've recently finished too. |
RSS Feed