Hard-boiled/noir/whatever

[mrissa]

So you have the blonde walking into the cynical detective's office. You have some "broad" in an evening gown singing torch songs in a club that's maybe on the edge of sketchy. You have probably some thugs somewhere, somebody covering up something horrible for someone they love.

What else have you got? What are your favorite stock elements for this kind of story? Tell me, that I may warp them!

(I'm heading down to St. Pete for lunch as soon as I get my shoes on, so I won't be able to respond to answers right away.)

Comments

[palinade.livejournal.com]

Some misdirection, an object of desire, redeemable characters who believe they are beyond redemption, and protagonists who will go to any lengths to "get the job done".

(Mickey Spillane, Leonard Elmore, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammet are all really good noir authors.)

[whipsmartgirl.livejournal.com]

Don't forget Jim Thompson for your ultra-violent type noir. "The Grifters" and "Hell of a Woman" are prime examples.

However, most of Thompson's characters are *far* from redeemable.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I'm not up for ultra-violent, I'm afraid.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Mickey Spillane, Leonard Elmore, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammet are all really good noir authors.

Yep, I was going to reread some Chandler. (Elmore Leonard or Leonard Elmore?)

[palinade.livejournal.com]

Elmore Leonard... call me slightly dyslexic. erm. heheh.