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Quick answer: If you like Raymond Chandler, read Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon, James M. Cain, Ross Macdonald and Walter Mosley. All write hard-boiled crime with cynical narrators, sharp dialogue and moody cities.
Raymond Chandler wrote The Big Sleep, Farewell, My Lovely and The Long Goodbye, introducing private eye Philip Marlowe and shaping the hard-boiled detective story. His prose is witty, atmospheric and full of memorable similes. The books below offer similar noir, from classic masters to modern writers.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Big Sleep | Raymond Chandler | Adult | the start |
| Farewell, My Lovely | Raymond Chandler | Adult | Marlowe again |
| The Long Goodbye | Raymond Chandler | Adult | Chandler's longest |
| The Maltese Falcon | Dashiell Hammett | Adult | hard-boiled classic |
| Red Harvest | Dashiell Hammett | Adult | brutal city |
| The Thin Man | Dashiell Hammett | Adult | witty mystery |
| The Postman Always Rings Twice | James M. Cain | Adult | noir tragedy |
| Double Indemnity | James M. Cain | Adult | insurance murder |
| The Chill | Ross Macdonald | Adult | family secrets |
| Devil in a Blue Dress | Walter Mosley | Adult | Black Los Angeles noir |
| L.A. Confidential | James Ellroy | Adult | corrupt police |
| The Black Dahlia | James Ellroy | Adult | true-crime noir |
| The Last Good Kiss | James Crumley | Adult | tough and funny |
| March Violets | Philip Kerr | Adult | Nazi Berlin noir |
| The Black Echo | Michael Connelly | Adult | modern procedural |
1. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
Marlowe is hired by a wealthy general to deal with a blackmailer. Stylish, twisty and cynical.
Best for: the start.
2. Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler
Marlowe follows a huge man searching for his lost girlfriend. Rich and atmospheric.
Best for: Marlowe again.
3. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
Marlowe befriends a troubled man and is pulled into a murder. Often named his best.
Best for: Chandler's longest.
4. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
Sam Spade pursues a priceless statue. The model for modern private eye fiction.
Best for: hard-boiled classic.
5. Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett
An agent cleans up a corrupt town and leaves chaos. Violent and cynical.
Best for: brutal city.
6. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett
A retired detective and his wife solve a mystery over cocktails. Light and sparkling.
Best for: witty mystery.
7. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
A drifter and a married woman plot a murder. Short and savage.
Best for: noir tragedy.
8. Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
An insurance salesman helps a woman kill her husband. Tight and cold.
Best for: insurance murder.
9. The Chill by Ross Macdonald
Lew Archer looks into a missing wife and a murder. Psychological and subtle.
Best for: family secrets.
10. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
Easy Rawlins is hired to find a woman in 1948 Los Angeles. Sharp and rich.
Best for: Black Los Angeles noir.
11. L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy
Three LAPD officers get entangled in corruption in the 1950s. Brutal and complex.
Best for: corrupt police.
12. The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy
Two cops investigate a notorious murder. Dark and obsessive.
Best for: true-crime noir.
13. The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley
A drunken detective hunts a missing woman. Wild and poetic.
Best for: tough and funny.
14. March Violets by Philip Kerr
Bernie Gunther is a Berlin detective in 1936. Dark and witty.
Best for: Nazi Berlin noir.
15. The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
Detective Harry Bosch investigates a body in a drain. A tight modern classic.
Best for: modern procedural.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Raymond Chandler: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more Chandler read the Marlowe novels in order. For earlier noir choose Hammett or Cain. For psychological depth pick Ross Macdonald. For modern LA noir try Walter Mosley, James Ellroy or Michael Connelly. For historical noir read Philip Kerr. Chandler's prose is the draw, so choose books that let the narrator's voice shine. Many of these books were made into classic films, and watching the film after reading the book can be a fun comparison. If you want atmosphere, the audiobooks of Chandler are a treat, since the narrators bring out Marlowe's wry voice. If you want a faster plot, Hammett and Cain are shorter. If you want modern equivalents, Connelly and Mosley write in the same city with fresh eyes. Many readers find the best way to read noir is a few chapters at a time, so you can enjoy the prose.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Philip Marlowe?
A private detective in Raymond Chandler's novels.
Which Chandler book should I read first?
The Big Sleep or The Long Goodbye.
Do I need to read in order?
Not strictly, but the first few are a good place to start.
What is hard-boiled fiction?
A style of crime writing that is tough, cynical and unsentimental.
Are Chandler's books violent?
There is violence, but the focus is on voice and atmosphere.
Is Chandler dated?
Some attitudes are, but the writing remains sharp.
Is there a film of The Big Sleep?
Yes, a 1946 film starring Humphrey Bogart.
What should I read next?
Try The Maltese Falcon or Devil in a Blue Dress.
Is The Long Goodbye better than The Big Sleep?
Many critics prefer it, though others say The Big Sleep is tighter.
Where should I start with noir?
The Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep are the usual first picks.