Mohammed ’s Comments (group member since Dec 30, 2008)

Mohammed ’s comments from the Watching The Detectives group.

Andrew wrote: "I wouldn't say Spillane is forgotten. I came across The Goliath Bone on the shelf in my local Borders store a couple of weeks ago and just finished it this weekend. There are also th..."

I did not say Spillane is forgotten at all, i said his selling numbers was not a factor in how he is remembered. Outside US he is not as known as legendary noir writer because sales in paperback pulp era doesnt mean classic rep in comparison to classic authors today who sold much less.

We were talking about other bestsellers who are forgotten today and not Spillane himself.

I saw Stacy Keach as Mike Hammer in the 80s tv show. He was pretty hardcore. I would like to see if Spillane is good enough to read today.

Ryan wrote: "If they sold millions- why can't you find them in print anymore?"

Because why would publishers reprint forgotten authors ? You have to be important for modern readers and not only to 30s,50s readers. Spillane must be big in US to republished.

Ryan wrote: "I'd rather a few million people read something decent I wrote, than to have ten people read some amazing I wrote."

Not saying Spillane is forgotten but there are people who have sold more than the biggest classics that are sold millions today.

When i was new to older noir i listened to acclaim,fan rating of the greats. There are many who sold millions before and you cant find in print today unlike Hammets,James Cains etc

Only reason i want to try Spillane is because i like Max Allan Collins who saw him as important for his writing.

There is a reason i have not read Spillane yet while i read many noir writers of his days and earlier,after. History doesnt remember sales numbers but quality stories period.

As long as different types of noir are alive,kicking getting realesed im fine. Hard Case Crime,many other authors out there.

They have not died out many of those authors are hailed today but not to nr.1 bestseller level because formula,generic police,CSI,FBI books sell the best.

It has never been about sales numbers but quality for noir. For every Spillane there were many Hammetts,Stark,Block,Elmore Leonard etc


You have to go outside US to find great Noir these days, authors like Ken Bruen from Ireland.

Eduardo wrote: "I am starting to get really hooked up by american hardboiled fiction. I am relatively new to the whole genre, but my favorite so far is Raymond Chandler and his private eye: Philip Marlowe."

Have you read Hammett ? He is the writer who made Hardboiled detective fiction famous,important. The Continental OP,Sam Spade.

Try all great hardboiled writers. My first was Chandlar too but then i read many others.

Robert this topic is talking about criminals who star noir,crime books. James M Cain,Richard Stark,Goodis,David Thomspon etc. Or new books by Huston,Bruen(American Skin) etc

Have you read these older writers ?

They are essential if you like hardboiled crime with criminals or detectives.

Those kind of authors are my fav except Hammett,Stark.

James M Cain,Thompson,Bruen,Goodis are in top of my Noir list.Reading Killer Inside Me changed the kind of Noir reader i was forever. I find the criminal,mental stories more challenging.

Seeing your taste being similar in that kind of book Bruen was made for you too :)

You saw he is my top fav writers in Goodreads list ? Jack Vance,Westlake,Bruen,Howard,Hammett it is.

Hehe i meant Noir is a gold mine in book form. I can buy new books by Stark,Goodis,Thompson and co.

By the way have you read Ken Bruen ? His latest Jack Taylor book Taylor qouted and was reading Dark Passage.

If someone is the irish literary son of Thompson,Goodis its Bruen. Check out the critical acclaim for him. He is also like them about pyscological noir story and not about crime plot.

They dont respect Noir fiction in hollywood these days. There are interviews with Tarantino talking about Stark,Parker as inspiration for Pulp Fiotion but today.....


Who cares there are three brand new paperbacks coming from Chicago U. Parker 13,14,15.

The movies are horrible adapatations. Lee Marvin is great,hardcore,perfect Parker but the film is some arty,lame because of that. People who like it are the ones that didnt read the books first. Payback is terrible. Mel Gibson wanted Parker re-written for ice cold,sociopatic pro heister to a soft noir hero....

The books are in their own league. Inspiration to many authors,comic writers. I have read 12 of them and 30! of Westlake because Stark/Parker. Do you remember God Save the Mark ? I read this year and thought it was funny as hell. He is great comic writer too.

Killer Inside Me yes i know the film but its with Casey Affleck,Jessica Alba so no thank you. People diss the film because the director made more chauvanist,sexist than the book ever had scenes.

Margaret have you heard about Richard Stark name that is another name for Westlake ? Im surprised you havent read the most influential criminal noir series in crime fiction. Chicago U are reprinting the books because they are important.

Have you seen Payback and Point Blank with Lee Marvin ? The book version Parker is my fav character in fiction and the reason i love noir ficiton.

Yeah i agree about Wounded and Slain.

Have you read The Wounded and the Slain by Goodis ? A very good noir about a couple that are staying on vacation in Jamiaca. I liked his Jamica. Shoot the Piano Player is a true classic of his too.

John D McDonald im no expert on because i thought the first McGee book was dated alot,sexist. I will try one book more and see if the series gets better or not.

Margaret wrote: "Mohammed wrote: "The Big Sleep - i dont care about Chandler films i thought the script,Bogart and co was perfect adaptation. I even like it more than the novel. The Big Sleep novel is overrated in ..."

Why am i not surprised to hear you say that :) Your taste in Noir is exellent :)

If you know other great heist,criminal noir let me know.

The Big Sleep - i dont care about Chandler films i thought the script,Bogart and co was perfect adaptation. I even like it more than the novel. The Big Sleep novel is overrated in comparison to the second book in the series.

Sin City of course.

Otherwise i think heist,criminal noir is better usually.

The Asphalt Jungle
The Killing

Both with Sterling Hayden shining in his roles.

Rebus i found to be too generic flawed cop hero. I liked the setting,how scottish it was but the hero,his story,past was forced too much in the first two books i read.

Im in Sweden so swedish crime doesnt appeal too much. Too close to home but i did get first Beck book,First Wallander book recently.

My fav living crime author is from Ireland. Ken Bruen writes hardboiled PI,other types crime. His Jack Taylor books has many awards, He is very highly rated. He writes about serious things from his own culture,other than having great characters,black humour.

Nate Heller series i read only a month ago for the first time, it was a great novel. Good to see the series is still going strong.

I liked Rankin's setting,scottish style but Rebus himself felt dark in a generic way. Like a weak version of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch.


For me the year since i first wrote in this thread my favs are now in this order:

The OP
C.Augustine Dupin
Holmes
Lew Archer
Matt Scudder
Bosch
Kenzie/Gennaro


Marlowe i have lost taste for.