 | Lisey's Story by Stephen King
Buy new: $18.48 / Used from: $0.01 One of the master's best books.
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 | Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe
Buy new: $15.61 / Used from: $9.87 Father of the mystery genre.
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 | Kiss Her Goodbye (Hard Case Crime) by Allan Guthrie
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $0.01 One of the best titles from Hard Case Crime publishers.
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 | Two-Way Split by Allan Guthrie
Buy new: $15.95 / Used from: $6.33 Edgar-nominee's debut novel is a literary noir set in Scotland.
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 | The Hot Spot by Charles Williams
Classic of a small town and double-crosses written by the leading pioneer of the Golden Age of Noir.
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 | The Men from the Boys by Ed Lacy
Buy new: $14.95 / Used from: $10.83 Ed Lacy (Len Zinberg) wrote this much overlooked noir classic. Fascinating and bittersweet.
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 | Rain Dogs by Sean Doolittle
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $2.90 Vivid rural setting and multi-layered plot by a young, masterful writer.
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 | Calibre (Inspector Brant Series) by Ken Bruen
Buy new: $11.01 / Used from: $2.25 Irish noir, hard-edged and excellent.
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 | The Crimes of Jordan Wise: A Novel by Bill Pronzini
Buy new: $19.16 / Used from: $0.01 Classic, literary hardboiled.
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 | Spiral (John Francis Cuddy Mystery Series) by Jeremiah Healy
Buy used from: $0.01 Articulate, tough-minded PI.
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 | Bad Blood: A Novel (Alexandra Cooper Mysteries) by Linda Fairstein
Buy new: $17.16 / Used from: $0.01 Complex, compassionate charaters. Worthy of study by all writers. Great read for readers.
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 | A Stolen Season: An Alex McKnight Novel (Alex McKnight Novels) by Steve Hamilton
Buy new: $13.36 / Used from: $0.48 Cold seasons and powerful P.I. working there.
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 | Bronx Angel by Ed Dee
Buy used from: $0.01 Hands down, best police procedural writer.
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 | Murder Among the OWLS (Sheriff Dan Rhodes Mysteries, No. 14) by Bill Crider
Buy new: $16.29 / Used from: $4.09 Versatile, perceptive, and witty. Always a joy to read.
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 | Shakedown: a novel of crime by Charlie Stella
Buy new: $24.00 / Used from: $2.69 Heir apparent to FRIENDS OF EDDIE DOYLE. Best "wise guys" writer working today.
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 | The Hunt Club: A Novel by John Lescroart
Buy new: $21.56 / Used from: $0.01 Multi-layered plots and stunning characters.
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 | Cold Granite (Logan McRae) by Stuart MacBride
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $2.48 Fresh, new voice. Stunning writer.
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 | The Big Blind by Ray Banks
Buy new: $15.95 / Used from: $7.60 Accomplished, original writer of outstanding abilities.
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 | The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais
Buy new: $16.47 / Used from: $0.01 Implausible premise made believable and exciting.
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 | Radio Activity by Bill Fitzhugh
Buy new: $7.50 / Used from: $0.54 Hilarious, sardonic, and tender.
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 | Butchers Hill (Tess Monaghan Mysteries) by Laura Lippman
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $1.68 An early Tess outing.
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 | Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $0.01 Eloquent writer with a strong voice.
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 | New Orleans Beat by Julie Smith
Buy used from: $0.01 All the right vibe and heat.
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 | Tidewater Blood by William Hoffman
Buy new: $19.95 / Used from: $0.01 Has to be a minor classic by a vintage Virginia fiction author. Loved it.
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 | Sideswipe: A Hoke Moseley Detective Thriller by Charles Willeford
Buy new: $9.60 / Used from: $5.99 A first-rate, darkly funny detective thriller from author many consider the third part of the trinity of Hammett and Chandler.
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 | Dirty White Boys by Stephen Hunter
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $0.52 Mr. Hunter is one of the few writers who can sustain a powerful narrative drive throughout a longish book.
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 | When Last Seen Alive (An Aaron Gunner Mystery) by Gar Anthony Haywood
Buy used from: $0.07 One of the sweet PI series.
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| Back-Door Man by Rob Kantner
Buy used from: $0.32 Great story, great protagonist from the brass-knuckle school.
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 | Chinatown Beat (Detective Jack Yu) by Henry Chang
Buy new: $22.00 / Used from: $1.92 This crime novel is worth reading if just for the page-after-page of details on Chinese-American culture. The violence is restrained, and the story multi-layered. Recommended.
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 | Earthquake Weather: A Novel by Terrill Lee Lankford
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $0.01 Top-drawer, well-written Hollywood noir narrated by a tough, somewhat cynical script reader ("Creative Executive"). Skillful blend of exposing Hollywood's seedy underbelly with solving his boss' homicide. References to Chandler add to the enjoyment.
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 | The Blade Itself: A Novel by Marcus Sakey
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $0.01 Excellent, balanced debut crime fiction novel. Its title is a quotation from Homer. An old plot of a criminal getting out of the business, and going straight, is given a fresh, modern spin. Articulate and conflicted protagonist struggles to hold on to his new life and girlfriend after an old partner-in-crime gets paroled from prison. Gritty Chicago setting.
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 | Clockers by Richard Price
Buy used from: $12.07 Epic crime novel set in inner city project. Multiple voices, layered plots, detailed observations. A rich delight to read.
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 | Tell No One by Harlan Coben
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $0.33 This clever stand alone from Harlan Coben combines an intriguing plot with good writing. His best title I've read to date.
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 | Iron Lake (Cork O'Connor Mysteries) by William Kent Krueger
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $2.22 Mr. Krueger mixes powerful characters with a visceral setting and top-notch writing. Think Ross Macdonald goes to Minnesota. I've enjoyed reading this series.
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 | Cold Steel Rain by Kenneth Abel
Buy used from: $0.01 I've heard this title is by a pseudonym writer. At any rate, it's a fast-paced, vivid read set in New Orleans. Abel has been compared to James Lee Burke.
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 | Captains Outrageous by Joe R. Lansdale
Buy used from: $1.99 One of the Hap Collins and Leonard Pines series from a writer of considerable comedic and dramatic range. I've read several titles and enjoyed every one.
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 | Gorky Park: A Novel (Mortalis.) by Martin Cruz Smith
Buy new: $11.16 / Used from: $3.99 I saw the movie years ago, but the novel is better. Moscow setting is a strength. Arkady is a likeable, relentless crime investigator. Destined to become a classic crime fiction title.
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 | Matala: A Novel by Craig Holden
Buy new: $16.50 / Used from: $0.76 Stylish neo-noir set in Europe involving two grifters and a rich American girl. Nasty twists that involve some others as well. Remindful of Jim Thompson's best stuff but with more polish and nuance. Should satisfy dark noir fans.
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