The 20 Best Hardboiled Fiction Books of All Time

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 

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.  

The Big Sleep

When talking about hardboiled fiction novels, it is impossible to not mention The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. With so many double crossings and murder, the novel is chaos and a story you can’t put down. What seems like an easy case af first turns into a mess as private detective Phillip Marlowe finds himself in the middle of something much bigger than he originally thought.

The Postman Always Rings Twice

This is a short story and you can easily read it under two hours. It is a tale about love and murder and it was controversial when it was released in 1934. If you love a good murder novel, then The Postman Always Rinfs Twice is a must read. Critics loved and hated this novel but it is considered one of the best crime novels of the 20th century.

The Maltese Falcon

A novel that captures all of my favorite things about noir fiction is The Maltese Falcon. It is a detective novel written by Dashiell Hammett. The plot is fun and interesting and with so many plot twists, you won’t ever be bored. You will be transported back to the 1930’s trying to figure out who is lying and who can you trust?

The Talented Mr. Ripley

An author that I am a big fan is Patricia Highsmith. Her novels have questionable protagonists and the plots are always going to have you wondering what you just read. The Talented Mr. Ripley is a great example of that and yet, I could not stop reading it. Even if you have watched the classic movie, the novel is much better!

Conclusion 

That is all for our list of the 20 best hardboiled fiction books of all time. How many books on this list have you read? What books should we have included on the list? Let us know in the comments below! 

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