Books about Noir
recommended by novelists and filmmakers
Last updated: March 11, 2025
Noir novels and films take a highly stylised approach to crime fiction. These stories are often dark and violent, featuring stock characters like femme fatales, corrupt politicians and hardboiled detectives or private investigators. Some of the most famous authors of noir fiction include Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye) and Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon); contemporary writers of noir include James Ellroy and Joe Ide.
The Best Noir Novels, recommended by Simon Hawkins
Noir is as much an aesthetic as it is a genre of book or movie, explains the film director Simon Hawkins; and though it might be set anywhere, Los Angeles is its spiritual home. Here, he recommends five of the best noir novels—each defined by their strong settings, seedy atmospheres and suspenseful plotting.
The Best Noir Crime Thrillers, recommended by Cory Doctorow
If you like your crime novels with a good dose of black humor, Canadian activist and author Cory Doctorow has some recommendations for you. He picks out five of his favorite noir thrillers, from urban fantasy to Jewish alt-history by way of ‘Vantablack’ noir.
The best books on Film Noir, recommended by Barry Forshaw
Film writer Barry Forshaw plunges us into a world of dangerous women in ankle bracelets, flawed heroes silhouetted against a dark rain-swept street, smoky jazz scores and very unhappy endings.
