Hardboiled American Crime and Worldwide Noir Fiction discussion

I think rather than create a new topic every month we can just keep reusing this one.

So, who has a suggestion for May's group read? Let's keep it on hardboiled authors we have not yet read for the first year of our group's existence. Nominations for May's group read will be open through April 15, the same day the tax man cometh.

Hello, Dan. Would William F. Buckley Jr. and his Blackford Oates series fill the noire requirements?


Zain

Hi, Dan. Did I read somewhere that The Last Stand is our April group-read? I sure hope so, since I have just purchased the book.

Zain

Never mind me, Dan. Just found the link for the comment about The Last Stand as our group-read. Told you I have a terrible memory.


Zain

Would anyone like to nominate a hardboiled author whose work we have not yet read for May? I will keep nominations open for three more days and start a poll on 4/22.

Zain wrote: "Hello, Dan. Would William F. Buckley Jr. and his Blackford Oates series fill the noire requirements?"

Sorry to be so late in replying, Zain. I was not familiar with the author or his series, but looked it up in Wikipedia. It looks like a great spy series, but not what I'd think of as hardboiled detective crime fiction. Am I mistaken?

Okay. I’m finished with my vote. Pop. 1280.

Zain

It's getting to be time to run another poll soon. Like five days from now May 15 or 16. Does anyone have a hard boiled work they'd like to nominate for next month? Please make it an author we have not read yet (check our bookshelf) and let me know in this topic by May 15.

On the back of my copy of Pop. 1280 (I do indeed have the edition pictured second in our group's masthead, by the way), the blurb says, "If Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and Cornell Woolrich could have joined together in some ungodly union and produced a literary offspring, Jim Thompson would be it...." Now, we've read two of these fine folks, but who in the world is Cornell Woolrich?

If you want to find out with me, then vote for my nomination next poll: The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich. There were other good Woolrich candidates to consider, but this one seemed the most accessible.

Scott wrote: "The Bride Wore Black was good. I didn't think it quite lived up to its legendary reputation, but it was good."

I'd like to update the title nominated to Rendezvous in Black instead. Same author. Rendezvous gets a slightly higher rating, is even less expensive as a Kindle, and its top category is mystery - noir instead of just mystery.