William Marling,Ph.D. Professor of English, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
Bibliography: Authors' Primary Works
and Biographies
Classic Writers
Ross Macdonald (Kenneth Millar)
Development of Hard-Boiled Narrative
Early Female Authors of Hard-Boiled Writing
Chester Himes and Early Afro-American Detectives
Major Works
Red Harvest (1927) by Dashiell Hammett
The Maltese Falcon (1929) by Dashiell Hammett
The Glass Key (1931) by Dashiell Hammett
The Big Sleep (1939) by Raymond Chandler
Farewell, My Lovely (1940) by Raymond Chandler
The Long Goodbye (1953) by Raymond Chandler
The Galton Case (1959) by Ross Macdonald
The Underground Man (1971) by Ross Macdonald
Cotton Comes to Harlem (1965) by Chester Himes
Characteristics of the Genre
Imagery in Hard-Boiled Detective Fiction
Film Noir
Reactions against Early Crime Movies
More Film Noir (brief takes on The Glass Key (1942), Murder, My Sweet (1944), Farewell, My Lovely (1975), The Big Sleep (1946), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946, 1981), The Lady in the Lake (1947), The Lady From Shanghai (1949), Criss Cross (1949), D.O.A. ((1950), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), Sunset Boulevard (1950), Kiss Me Deadly (1955), Touch of Evil (1958), Chinatown (1974), Taxi Driver (1976), Body Heat (1981), and The Ususual Suspects (1995).
Works by Detective Novelists & Biographies About Them.
Scholarship about these Writers and Works
Burnett, W. R. The Asphalt Jungle. New York: Knopf, 1949.
Burnett. High Sierra. New York: Knopf, 1940.
Burnett. Little Caesar. Dial Press, 1929.
Burnett. Little Men, Big World. New York: Knopf, 1951.
Burnett. Vanity Row. New York: Knopf, 1952.
Cain, James M.. The Baby in the Icebox and Other Short Fiction. Editor, Roy Hoopes. New York. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1981.
Cain. Double Indemnity. New York: Knopf, 1936.
Cain. Mildred Pierce. New York: Knopf, 1941.
Cain. The Postman Always Rings Twice. New York: Knopf, 1934.
Cain. Serenade. New York: Knopf, 1937.
Cain. Three of a Kind. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1943. Contains "The Embezzler," and "Double Indemnity," with Cain's preface.
Cawelti, John. Adventure, Mystery, Romance Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1976)
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. New York: Knopf, 1939. Reprint New York:Vintage (Crime Series), 1992.
Chandler. Chandler Before Marlowe: Raymond Chandler's Early Prose and Poetry, 1908 -- 1912. Editor, Matthew J. Bruccoli. Columbia: University of
South Carolina Press, 1973.
Chandler. Farewell, My Lovely. New York: Knopf, 1940; Reprint New York:Vintage (Crime Series), 1992.
Chandler. The High Window. New York: Knopf, 1942; Reprint New York: Vintage(Crime Series), 1992.
Chandler. Killer in the Rain. Editor, Philip Durham. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,1964. Reprint: New York: Ballantine, 1964.
Chandler. The Lady in the Lake. New York: Knopf, 1943;. Reprint New York: Vintage (Crime Series), 1988,1992.
Chandler. The Little Sister. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1949; Reprint New York: Vintage (Crime Series), 1988.
Chandler. The Long Goodbye. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1954. Reprint NewYork: Vintage (Crime Series), 1988, 1992.
Chandler. Playback. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1958; Reprint New York: Pocket Books,1960; New York: Vintage (Crime Series), 1988.
Chandler. Poodle Springs (unfinished). in Raymond Chandler Speaking. Boston:Houghton Mifflin, 1962; Completed by Robert B. Parker. New York; Putnam,
1989; Berkeley, 1990.
Chandler. Selected Letters of Raymond Chandler. Editor, Frank MacShane. NewYork: Columbia University Press, 1981.
Chandler. The Simple Art of Murder. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1950; Reprint:New York: Ballantine, 1950; Vintage (Crime Series), 1988.
Clurman, Robert. Editor. Nick Carter, Detective: Fiction's Most Celebrated Detective.New York: Macmillan, 1963.
Collins, Max Allan, and Traylor, James L. One Lonely Knight: Mickey Spillane's MikeHammer. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press,1984.
Daley, Carroll John. Daley. The Adventures of Race Williams. New York:Mysterious Press, 1989.
Daley. The Snarl of the Beast. New York: Clode, 1927.
Durham, Philip. Down These Mean Streets a Man Must Go: Raymond Chandler's Knight. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1963.
Ellroy, James. American Tabloid. New York: Knopf, 1995.
Ellroy. The Big Nowhere. New York: Warner, 1988
Ellroy. The Black Dahlia. New York: Knopf, 1987.
Ellroy. Blood on the Moon. New York: Warner,1983.
Ellroy. Brown's Requiem. New York: Twilight Books, 1981
Ellroy. Dick Contino's Blues. New York: Knopf, 1994.
Ellroy. Hollywood Nocturnes. New York: Dell, 1994.
Ellroy. My Dark Places. New York: Knopf, 1996.
Ellroy. L.A. Confidential. New York: Knopf, 1990.
Ellroy. White Jazz. New York: Warner, 1992.
Gardner, Erle Stanley. The Case of the Curious Bride. New York: Morrow, 1934.
Gardner. The Case of the Lame Canary. New York: Morrow, 1937.
Gardner. The Case of the Velvet Claws. New York: Morrow, 1933.
Gardner. (Pseudo. A.A. Fair). The Bigger They Come. New York: Morrow, 1939.
Gardner. (Pseudo. A.A. Fair). Fools Die on Friday. New York: Morrow, 1947.
Grafton, Sue. "A " Is for Alibi. New York: Holt, 1982.
Grafton. "B "Is for Burglar. New York: Holt, 1985.
Grafton. "C" Is for Corpse. New York: Holt, 1986.
Grafton. "D' Is for Deadbeat. New York: Holt, 1987.
Grafton. "E" Is for Evidence. New York: Holt, 1988.
Grafton. "F" Is for Fugitive. New York: Holt, 1989.
Grafton. "G' Is for Gumshoe. New York: Holt, 1990.
Grafton. "H" Is for Homicide. New York: Holt, 1991.
Grafton. "I" Is for Innocent. New York: Holt, 1992.
Grafton. "I" Is for Judgment. New York: Holt, 1993.
Grafton. "K" Is for Killer. New York: Holt, 1994.
Grafton. "L " Is for Lawless. New York: Holt, 1995.
Grafton. "M" Is for Malice. New York: Holt, 1996.
Grafton. "N" Is for Noose. New York: Holt, 1998.
Hammett, Dashiell. The Big Knockover. Edited and introduced by Lillian Hellman. New York: Random House, 1966.
Hammett. The Continental Op. Edited and introduced by Stephen Marcus. NewYork: Random House, 1974.
Hammett. The Dain Curse. New York: Knopf, 1929.
Hammett. The Glass Key. New York: Knopf, 1931.
Hammett. The Maltese Falcon. New York, Knopf, 1930.
Hammett. Red Harvest. New York: Knopf, 1929.
Hammett. The Thin Man. New York: Knopf, 1934.
Higgins, George V. Bomber's Law. New York: Holt, 1993.
Higgins. A Change of Gravity. New York: Holt, 1997.
Higgins. A Choice of Enemies. New York: Knopf, 1984.
Higgins. A City on a Hill. New York: Knopf, 1975.
Higgins. Cogan's Trade. New York: Knopf, 1974.
Higgins. Defending Billy Ryan. New York: Holt, 1992.
Higgins. The Digger's Game. New York: Knopf, 1973.
Higgins. Dreamland. Boston: Little, Brown, 1977.
Higgins. The Friends of Eddie Coyle. New York: Knopf, 1972.
Higgins. Impostors. New York: Holt, 1986.
Higgins. The Judgment of Deke Hunter. Boston: Little, Brown, 1976.
Higgins. Kennedy for the Defense. New York: Knopf, 1980.
Higgins. The Mandeville Talent. New York: Holt, 1991.
Higgins. Outlaws. New York: Holt, 1987.
Higgins. The Patriot Game. New York: Knopf, 1982.
Higgins. Penance for Jerry Kennedy. New York: Knopf, 1985.
Higgins. The Rat on Fire. New York: Knopf, 1981.
Higgins. Sandra Nichols Found Dead. New York: Holt, 1996.
Higgins. The Sins of Their Father. London: Deutsch, 1988.
Higgins. Swan Boats at Four, New York: Holt, 1995.
Higgins. Trust.. New York: Holt, 1989.
Higgins. Victories. New York: Holt, 1990.
Higgins. Wonderful Years, Wonderful Years. New York: Holt, 1988.
Higgins. A Year or So with Edgar. New York: Harper & Row, 1979.
Himes, Chester. All Shot Up. New York: Avon, 1960; reprinted., Chatham, NJ.: Chatham Bookseller, 1973.
Himes. The Big Gold Dream. New York: Avon, 1960; reprinted., Chatham, NJ.:Chatham Bookseller, 1973.
Himes. Blind Man with a Pistol. New York: William Morrow, 1969. Published as Hot Day Hot Night. New York: Dell, 1970.
Himes. A Case of Rape. Washington, D.C.: Howard University Press, 1984.
Himes. Cast the First Stone. New York: New American Library, 1952.
Himes. Cotton Comes to Harlem. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1965. Reprinted Chatham, NJ.: The Chatham Bookseller, 1965.
Himes. The Crazy Kill. New York: Avon Books, 1959; reprinted., Chatham, N.J.: Chatham Bookseller, 1973.
Himes. For Love of Imabelle. New York: Fawcett, 1957. Published as A Rage in Harlem. New York: Avon, 1965; reprinted., Chatham, NJ.: Chatham Bookseller, 1973.
Himes. The Heat's On. New York: G. P. Putnam's, 1966. Published as Come Back, Charleston Blue. New York: Dell, 1967.
Himes. If He Hollers Let Him Go. New York: Doubleday, 1945.
Himes. Lonely Crusade. New York: Knopf, 1947.
Himes. My Life of Absurdity. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1976.
Himes. Pinktoes. New York: G. P. Putnam's, 1965.
Himes. The Primitive. New York: New American Library, 1955.
Himes. The Quality of Hurt. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1972.
Himes. The Real Cool Killers. New York: Avon, 1959. Reprint: Chatham, N.J.: Chatham Booksellers, 1973.
Himes. The Third Generation. New York: World Publishing, 1954.
Himes. Run Man Run. New York: G. P. Putnam's, 1966.
Hoopes, Roy. Cain, The Biography of James M. Cain. New York: Holt, Rhinehart and Winston, 1982.
Hughes, Dorothy B. Erle Stanley Gardner: The Case of the Real Perry Mason. New York: Morrow, 1978.
Johnson, Diane. Dashiell Hammett: A Life. New York: Random House, 1983.
Kaufman, Natalie Hevener, and Kay, Carol McGinnis. "G" Is for Grafton. New York: Holt, 1997.
Layman, Richard. Shadow Man: The Life of Dashiell Hammett. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1981.
Leonard, Elmore. Bandits. New York: Arbor House, 1987.
Leonard. Cat Chaser. New York: Arbor House, 1982.
Leonard. City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit. New York: Arbor House, 1980.
Leonard. Cuba Libre. New York: Delacorte, 1998.
Leonard. Forty Lashes Less One, New York: Bantam, 1972.
Leonard. Freaky Deaky. New York: Arbor House, 1988.
Leonard. Get Shorty. New York: Delacorte, 1990.
Leonard. Glitz. New York: Arbor House, 1985.
Leonard. Gold Coast. New York: Bantam, 1980.
Leonard. Gunsights. New York: Bantam, 1979.
Leonard. Killshot. New York: Arbor House, 1989.
Leonard. LaBrava. New York: Arbor House, 1983.
Leonard. Maximum Bob. New York: Delacorte, 1991.
Leonard. Mr. Majestyk. New York: Dell, 1974.
Leonard. Out of Sight. New York: Delacorte, 1996.
Leonard. Pronto. New York: Delacorte, 1993.
Leonard. Riding the Rap. New York: Delacorte, 1995
Leonard. Rum Punch. New York: Delacorte, 1992.
Leonard. Split Images. New York: Arbor House, 1981.
Leonard. Stick. New York: Arbor House, 1983.
Macdonald, Ross (Kenneth Millar). Barbarous Coast. New York: Knopf, 1956. Reprint: Banton, 1967.
Macdonald. Black Money. New York: Knopf, 1966; Bantam, 1967.
Macdonald. The Blue Hammer. New York: Knopf, 1976.
Macdonald. The Chill. New York: Knopf, 1964; Bantam, 1965.
Macdonald. The Doomsters. New York: Knopf, 1958.
Macdonald. The Drowning Pool. By "John Ross Macdonald." New York: Knopf, 1949. Reprint: Bantam, 1970.
Macdonald. The Far Side of the Dollar. New York: Knopf, 1965.
Macdonald. The Ferguson Affair. New York: Knopf, 1960; Bantam, 1963.
Macdonald. Find a Victim. By "John Ross Macdonald." New York: Knopf, 1954; Reprint: Bantam, 1955.
Macdonald. The Galton Case. New York: Knopf, 1959. Reprint 1970.
Macdonald. The Goodbye Look. New York: Knopf, 1969.
Macdonald. The Instant Enemy. New York: Knopf, 1968; Warner Books, 1991.
Macdonald. The Ivory Grin. By "John Ross Macdonald." New York: Knopf, 1952.
Macdonald. The Moving Target. By "John Macdonald." New
Macdonald. Sleeping Beauty. New York: Knopf, 1973.
Macdonald. The Way Some People Die. By "John Ross Macdonald." New York: Knopf,
Macdonald. Meet Me at the Morgue. By "John Ross Macdonald." New York: Knopf,
Macdonald. The Underground Man. New York: Knopf, 1971. Reprint. Vintage, 1996.
Macdonald. The Wycherly Woman. New York: Knopf, 1961; Bantam, 1963.
Macdonald. The Zebra-Striped Hearse. New York: Knopf, 1962. New York: Knopf, 1949; Bantam, 1970.
MacShane, Frank. The Life of Raymond Chandler. New York: Dutton, 1976.
Marling, William. The American Roman Noir. Athens: University of Georgia Press,1995.
Marling. Dashiell Hammett. Boston: Twayne, 1983.
Marling. Raymond Chandler. Boston: Twayne, 1986.
Mosley, Walter. Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned: The Socrates Fortlow Stories. New York: Norton, 1997.
Mosley. Black Betty. New York: Norton, 1994.
Mosley. Devil in a Blue Dress. New York: Norton, 1990.
Mosley. R. L.'s Dream. New York: Norton, 1995.
Mosley. A Red Death. New York: Norton, 1991
Mosley. White Butterfly. New York: Norton, 1992
Nolan, Tom. Ross Macdonald. 1999.
Nolan, William. The Black Mask Boys. New York: William Morrow, 1985.
Nolan. Hammett: A Life at the Edge. New York: Congdon and Weed, 1983.
Paretsky, Sara. Bitter Medicine. New York: Morrow, 1987.
Paretsky. Blood Shot. New York: Delacorte, 1988.
Paretsky. Burn Marks. New York: Delacorte, 1990.
Paretsky. Deadlock. New York: Dial, 1984.
Paretsky. Ghost Country. New York: Delacorte, 1998.
Paretsky. Guardian Angel. New York: Delacorte, 1992.
Paretsky. Indemnity Only. New York: Dial, 1982.
Paretsky. Killing Orders. New York: Morrow, 1985.
Paretsky. A Taste of Life and Other Stories. London: Penguin, 1995.
Paretsky. Tunnel Vision. New York: Delacorte, 1994.
Paretsky. Windy City Blues. New York: Delacorte, 1995.
Paretsky. A Woman's Eye. New York: Delacorte, 1991.
Parker, Robert. All Our Yesterdays. New York: Putnam, 1994.
Parker. A Catskill Eagle, New York: Dell, 1985.
Parker. Ceremony. New York: Dell, 1982.
Parker. Chance. New York: Putnam, 1996.
Parker. Crimson Joy. New York: Dell, 1988.
Parker. Double Deuce. New York: Putnam, 1992.
Parker. Early Autumn. New York: Dell, 1981.
Parker. God Save the Child. New York: Dell, 1974.
Parker. The Godwulf Manuscript. New York: Dell, 1973.
Parker. The Judas Goat. New York: Dell, 1978.
Parker. Looking for Rachel Wallace. New York: Dell, 1980.
Parker. Love and Glory. New York: Dell, 1983.
Parker. Mortal Stakes. New York: Dell, 1975.
Parker. Night Passage. New York: Putnam, 1997.
Parker. Pale Kings and Princes. New York: Dell, 1987.
Parker. Paper Doll. New York: Putnam, 1993.
Parker. Pastime. New York: Putnam, 1991.
Parker. Perchance to Dream. New York: Putnam, 1990.
Parker. Playmates. New York: Putnam, 1989.
Parker. Poodle Springs (with Raymond Chandler). New York: Putnam, 1989.
Parker. Promised Land. New York: Dell, 1976.
Parker. A Savage Place. New York: Dell, 1981.
Parker. Small Vices. New York: Putnam, 1997.
Parker. Stardust. New York: Putnam, 1990.
Parker. Sudden Mischief. New York: Putnam, 1998.
Parker. Taming a Sea-horse. New York: Dell, 1986.
Parker. Thin Air. New York: Putnam, 1995.
Parker. Three Weeks in Spring (with Joan Parker). New York Dell, 1977.
Parker. Valediction. New York: Dell, 1984.
Parker. Walking Shadow. New York: Putnam, 1994.
Parker. Widening Gyre. New York: Dell, 1983.
Parker. Wilderness. New York: Dell, 1979.
Ruhm, Herbert. Editor, The Hard Boiled Detective: Stories From Black Mask Magazine (1920-1951). New York: Vintage, 1971.
Schopen, Bernard A. Ross Macdonald. Boston, Twayne, 1990.
Spillane, Mickey. The Big Kill. New York: Dutton, 1951.
Spillane. Black Alley. New York: Dutton, 1996.
Spillane. Bloody Sunrise. New York: Dutton, 1965.
Spillane. The Body Lovers. New York: Dutton, 1967.
Spillane. The By-Pass Control. New York: Dutton, 1966.
Spillane. Day of the Guns. New York: Dutton, 1964.
Spillane. The Day the Sea Rolled Back. New York: Windmill, 1979.
Spillane. The Death Dealers. New York: Dutton, 1965.
Spillane. The Deep. New York: Dutton, 1961.
Spillane. The Delta Factor. New York: Dutton, 1967.
Spillane. The Erection Set. New York: Dutton, 1972.
Spillane. The Girl Hunters. New York: Dutton, 1962.
Spillane. I, the Jury. New York: Dutton, 1947.
Spillane. The Killing Man. New York: Dutton, 1989.
Spillane. Kiss Me, Deadly. New York: Dutton, 1952.
Spillane. The Last Cop Out. New York: Dutton, 1973.
Spillane. The Long Wait. New York: Dutton, 1951.
Spillane. My Gun Is Quick. New York: Dutton, 1950.
Spillane. One Lonely Night. New York: Dutton, 1951.
Spillane. The Ship That Never Was. New York: Bantam, 1982.
Spillane. The Snake. New York: Dutton, 1964.
Spillane. Survival ... Zero! New York: Dutton, 1970.
Spillane. The Twisted Thing. New York: Dutton, 1966.
Spillane. Vengeance Is Mine! New York: Dutton, 1950.
Thompson, Jim. After Dark, My Sweet. New York: Popular Library, 1955.
Thompson. The Getaway. New York: New American Library, 1959.
Thompson. The Grifters. Evanston, Ill.: Regency, 1963.
Thompson. Heed the Thunder. New York: Greenberg, 1946.
Thompson. A Hell of a Woman. New York: Lion, 1954.
Thompson. The Killer Inside Me. New York: Lion, 1952.
Thompson. Nothing More than Murder. New York: Harper, 1949.
Thompson. Now and on Earth. New York: Modern Age, 1942.
Thompson. Savage Night. New York: Lion, 1953.
Thompson. Pop. 1280. New York: Harper, 1964. CK
Van Dover. Centurions, Knights and Other Cops: The Police Novels of Joseph
Wambaugh. San Bernardino, CA.: Brownstone Books, 1995.
Wambaugh, Joseph. The Black Marble. New York: Delacorte, 1978.
Wambaugh. The Blooding. New York: Morrow, 1989.
Wambaugh. The Blue Knight. Boston: Atlantic-Little Brown, 1972.
Wambaugh. The Choirboys. New York: Delacorte, 1975.
Wambaugh. The Delta Star. New York: Morrow, 1983.
Wambaugh. Echoes in the Darkness. New York: Morrow, 1987.
Wambaugh. Finnegan's Week. New York: Morrow, 1993.
Wambaugh. Fugitive Nights. New York: Morrow, 1992.
Wambaugh. The Glitter Dome. New York: Morrow, 1981.
Wambaugh. The Golden Orange. New York: Morrow, 1990.
Wambaugh. Lines and Shadows. New York: Morrow, 1984.
Wambaugh, Joseph. The New Centurions. Boston: Atlantic-Little Brown, 1971.
Wambaugh. The Onion Field. New York: Delacorte, 1973.
Wambaugh. The Secrets of Harry Bright. New York: Morrow, 1985.
Woolrich, Cornell. Black Alibi. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1942.
Woolrich. The Black Angel. New York: Doubleday, 1943.
Woolrich. The Black Curtain. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1941.
Woolrich. The Bride Wore Black. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1940. Also published as Beware the Lady. New York: Pyramid, 1953.
Woolrich. Deadline at Dawn. By "William Irish." Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1947.
Woolrich. I Married a Dead Man. By "William Irish." Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1948.
Woolrich. Night Has a Thousand Eyes. By "George Hopley." New York: Farrar, 1945.
Woolrich. Phantom Lady. By "William Irish." Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1942.
Woolrich. Rear Window and Four Short Novels, New York: Ballantine, 1984.