Hardboiled fiction books tend to be graphic and include a lot of violence. But they are also great detective novels that have more plot twists than most books. That is why we decided to list the 20 best hardboiled fiction books of all time.
The golden age of hardboiled fiction may have come and gone but the genre is still thriving. As more and more people rediscover this genre, there should be a jump in demand. Until then, you can visit the gems on this list.
The 20 Best Hardboiled Fiction Books of All Time
- The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
- Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett
- The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
- The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
- Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
- Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
- Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler
- The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
- A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane
- The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
- The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake
- Berlin Noir by Philip Kerr
- The Green Ripper by John D. MacDonald
- The Heat’s On by Chester Himes
- The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley
- The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett
- The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy
- The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson
- In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes
- Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith
Classic Hardboiled Fiction Novels
If you are a fan of hardboiled fiction novels, then many of these books will seem familiar. Authors such as Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and James M. Cain have helped push the genre to what it is.
Some of my favorite novels on this list include The Big Sleep, The Maltese Falcone, and The Postman Always Rings Twice. The encompass what is great about the genre and made me a fan.
Conclusion
That is all for our list of the 20 best hardboiled fiction books of all time. What books should we have included on the list? Let us know in the comments below!