Misery Loves Company
/The Dark Corners Of Noir
If you appreciate the thrillers and mysteries of today, you can be grateful to the tropes born out of classic crime noir fiction. The complex plots, dry and dark humor, cracked moral compasses, and breathless suspense are just a few of the elements that permeate the gloomy ambience in these novels.
Often set in a grim cityscape with disillusioned and sometimes amoral characters, this niche genre is not to be missed. The dialogue is sharp and gruff, the interactions are messy and thorny, and the mood is defeatist and brooding. These novels are not for the faint of heart or those looking for a happy ending. Or even a satisfying one. This quote from author Joyce Carol Oates sums it up well…
“It has been noted that noir isn’t a specific genre but rather a sort of dark music; a sensibility, a tune, an atmosphere. Starkly realist, free of romantic illusion, resigned.”
Here is a glimpse at some of the intrinsic components you can expect to see:
The PI (Private Investigator) – straight shooting figure whose quest to solve a mystery leads them into a shadowy world where the line between criminal and client is likely blurred.
The Femme Fatale – a women terrifying in her desires. For sex, money or escape!
The Haunted Past – characters trying to outrun or bury their personal demons or secrets. Unfortunately, they usually catch up with them.
The Gaslight Effect – a nefarious bit of trickery, one-character leads another to question their grip on reality. Inspiring paranoia and fear of one’s own faltering sanity.
An Unhappy Ending – while the mystery may be solved, the residual effects of the path to get there leave a sense of despair and dissatisfaction.
If after this, you are prepared to burrow deeper into the shadows…follow me.
Maltese Falcon – Dashiell Hammet
· No listing of this genre would be complete without this tour de force. A quintessential offering that gave birth to the grumpy private eye garbed in a trench coat and the cleavage flashing femme fatale.
The Postman Always Rings Twice – James M.Cain
· A young drifter meets a beautiful young woman unhappily married to an older man whom they decide to kill. Of course. Bleak, lustful and violent, this novel helped shaped the frameworks in this genre.
A Drink Before The War – Dennis Lehane
· There’s a degree of noir in all of Lehanes novels, but his debut most of all. A couple of private investigators look into a case of sickening child abuse while the city around them slides into an explosive period of gang warfare.
Savages – Don Winslow
· A bold establishment of noir in contemporary telling, two guys try to reinvent the drug trade and run afoul of every dark and disturbing cliché you can imagine.
A Simple Plan – Scott Smith
· Three men find millions and decide to keep it. Ultimately a plan not remotely simple as paranoia and greed creep into it.
Strangers On A Train – Patricia Highsmith
· Two strangers make a pact to rid the other of a troublesome person in their lives so no direct connection can be traced. A cascade of pesky troubles descends as it is revealed that they were not equally committed.
Bedelia – Vera Caspary
· The best noir has at its center the femme fatale. Newlywed Bedelia assumes her role as housekeeper and lover to her slightly clueless husband. As her boredom increases and he falls ill, a new neighbor looks very appealing.
The Vegetarian – Han Kang
· A different take on this sub-genre, Asian Noir (which is a spectacular subset all on its own), delves into the madness and obsession of the “crime” of being a carnivore!
The White Tiger – Aravind Adija
· A poor driver for a rich family in India murders his boss. Afterwards, he becomes a darkly comic and immoral philosopher of the class system.
Sunburn – Laura Lippman
· An homage to Double Indemnity, our main character cunningly manipulates the man her husband hired to find her. Bringing about the downfall of both, or is it all?
L.A. Confidential – James Ellroy
· A mass murder invades the lives of victims and victimizers on both sides of the law in this epic noir. Three lawmen are caught in a deadly spiral without a clear way out.
Money Shot – Christa Faust
· A release from the Hard Case Crime imprint (which is worth a thorough google search), a former porn star, convinced to do one more movie, is shot and left for dead. She proves less easy to kill then expected!
Tattoo Murder Case – Akimitsu Takagi
· Two brothers, a detective and a doctor, find themselves investigating the death and dismemberment of a tattooed woman. The doc was romantically involved with the victim whose limbs are discovered in a room that was locked from the inside!
The Bride Wore Black – Cornell Woolrich
· This book brings a whole new meaning to Black Widow. No one knows who the character is and why she commits these ghastly crimes.
Dope – Sara Gran
· A gritty thriller about a missing girl and the addict tasked with saving her. A journey into the dark underbelly of drug culture.
