If you enjoy reading books by David Goodis then you might also like the following authors:
Jim Thompson writes gritty noir fiction full of tension and dark humor, often focusing on flawed and morally complex characters. His stories explore desperation and criminal impulses that lie just beneath ordinary lives.
His book The Killer Inside Me is a chilling look at the mind of a seemingly small-town sheriff hiding violent secrets.
Cornell Woolrich specializes in suspenseful, atmospheric stories filled with paranoia and dread. His characters often find themselves caught in circumstances beyond their control, moving inevitably toward tragedy.
In his novel Rear Window, adapted famously by Alfred Hitchcock, Woolrich masterfully depicts suspicion and intrigue unfolding in everyday surroundings.
Charles Willeford creates quirky, offbeat crime stories mixing dark comedy and incisive social commentary. His storytelling is direct and deceptively simple, filled with ironic observations.
Readers who appreciate David Goodis's gritty realism will enjoy Willeford’s novel Miami Blues, where he delivers sharp humor and unexpected twists within an engaging detective tale.
James M. Cain tells stark stories of human weakness and desire that quickly spiral into crime and tragedy. His approach is direct, powerful, and emotionally intense.
A good introduction is his novel The Postman Always Rings Twice, a short yet provocative tale of illicit passion leading to murder and ruin.
Horace McCoy writes unflinching narratives exposing the harsh realities and desperation of American life. He captures the struggles of people chasing the elusive American dream, only to find tragedy at every turn.
His novel They Shoot Horses, Don't They? vividly portrays characters crushed by despair during a brutal Great Depression-era dance marathon.
Kenneth Fearing writes noir stories full of dark twists and gritty realism. He often sets his stories in grim, urban landscapes with flawed characters caught up in crime and tragedy.
Readers who enjoy David Goodis's shadowy worlds will appreciate Fearing's tense, cynical style, especially in his notable thriller, The Big Clock.
Dorothy B. Hughes creates atmospheric, suspenseful novels featuring psychological tension and complex characters. Her stories usually revolve around deception, paranoia, and the hidden dangers beneath ordinary life.
If you're drawn to the emotional tension in David Goodis's books, you'll likely enjoy Hughes's classic thriller, In a Lonely Place.
Fredric Brown specializes in sharp, imaginative storytelling with clever twists. His narratives often mix suspense, crime, and surprising irony. Like Goodis, Brown develops ordinary people who get trapped by fate or their own choices.
A good entry point into Brown's work is his gripping noir mystery, The Screaming Mimi.
Paul Cain offers action-packed, gritty crime fiction filled with violence and desperation. He tells fast-paced, hard-hitting tales set in corrupt worlds inhabited by tough, morally ambiguous characters.
Fans of David Goodis’s bleak tone and raw style should try Cain's influential novel, Fast One.
William Lindsay Gresham explores dark human impulses, deception, and desperation. He writes vividly about flawed characters drawn to dangerous games and illusions.
If you like how Goodis shows the darker side of humanity, you'll likely appreciate Gresham's noir classic, Nightmare Alley.
Elliott Chaze writes hard-edged crime fiction that captures the desperation and gritty reality of life on the run. His fast-paced plots and morally complex characters keep readers absorbed.
His notable novel, Black Wings Has My Angel, follows a ruthless couple drawn together by greed and passion, leading them down a dark and dangerous path.
Gil Brewer's books are intense, filled with suspense and desperation, often showing characters caught up in schemes gone terribly wrong. His novels explore themes of greed, temptation, and moral decay.
In his gripping thriller The Red Scarf, a man finds himself entangled in violence and treachery when he becomes obsessed with a mysterious woman and stolen money.
Day Keene crafts fast-moving noir stories that linger on the dark side of human nature. He frequently portrays regular people making bad choices, trapping themselves in dangerous situations that quickly spiral out of control.
His novel Home Is the Sailor tells the tense story of a man who seeks a quiet new life but instead finds himself caught up in misleading identities and violence.
Harry Whittington earned his reputation for writing rapid-fire crime stories with relentless action and tension. His novels showcase desperate individuals who risk everything, often failing spectacularly in their pursuit of easy money or dangerous passion.
His novel A Ticket to Hell exemplifies this theme, following a tough reporter whose relentless ambition draws him deep into the underworld of violence and corruption.
Jonathan Latimer combines sharp, witty dialogue with tense suspense plots. He often portrays morally ambiguous characters navigating corrupt and violent worlds.
His entertaining mystery Solomon's Vineyard follows a tough private detective tackling murder, blackmail, and a sinister religious cult in a town filled with corruption and danger.