Ernest Tidyman was an American author known for his detective fiction. He created the popular character John Shaft in his novel Shaft and wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed film The French Connection.
If you enjoy reading books by Ernest Tidyman then you might also like the following authors:
Donald Goines writes gritty and authentic novels about urban crime, poverty, and struggles on the street. His stories hit hard and don't glamorize the violence or temptation his characters face.
If you enjoy Ernest Tidyman's raw style, you'll like Goines' Dopefiend, a harsh yet honest portrayal of addiction and despair in the city.
Chester Himes is a great choice if you want vivid stories set in tough, inner-city environments. He blends crime fiction with social commentary, addressing race and poverty directly in his narratives.
Check out A Rage in Harlem, which introduces a pair of detectives who navigate corruption and chaos in a colorful yet dangerous urban landscape.
Iceberg Slim draws on his own experiences to tell brutally honest tales of life on the streets. His writing explores the harsh realities of crime, survival, and power struggles within urban communities.
Start with Pimp: The Story of My Life, his gripping autobiography that openly portrays the dark side of crime, desperation, and street life.
Elmore Leonard crafts tight, fast-paced crime novels marked by sharp dialogue and morally ambiguous characters. His writing keeps readers on edge, never predicting clearly what's coming next.
Rum Punch is a fantastic entry point, mixing well-developed characters, twists, and straightforward storytelling—perfect for fans of Ernest Tidyman.
George V. Higgins excels at crime fiction filled with realistic dialogue and in-depth characterization, creating scenes that almost feel overheard rather than read. His writing delves deep into the everyday reality of criminals.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a standout novel, offering an unvarnished look at Boston's criminal underworld through believable characters and authentic interactions.
If you like Ernest Tidyman's gritty, street-wise storytelling, Dashiell Hammett is a great author to try. Hammett writes sharp, vivid narratives filled with morally complex characters navigating crime and corruption.
His novel The Maltese Falcon introduces Sam Spade, a tough private detective entangled in a web of deception, greed, and murder.
Raymond Chandler offers readers another kind of hard-boiled detective fiction that's stylish, witty, and effortlessly readable. His stories explore the darker sides of Los Angeles with vivid imagery and sharp, memorable dialogue.
One of his best-known novels, The Big Sleep, features private detective Philip Marlowe investigating a twisted case involving rich families, murder, and hidden secrets.
Fans of Ernest Tidyman's straightforward, action-heavy style will appreciate Mickey Spillane. He's known for writing highly entertaining, fast-paced mysteries full of violence and direct language that pulls you along.
Spillane's signature private eye, Mike Hammer, stars in I, the Jury—an exciting revenge-driven tale packed with intensity.
If you enjoy the gritty realism and psychological depth of Ernest Tidyman's writing, take a look at Jim Thompson. He explores the minds of flawed, dangerous people with unsettling clarity, often revealing how quickly lives unravel.
In his chilling classic The Killer Inside Me, Thompson portrays a disturbed deputy sheriff whose friendly demeanor hides shocking depths of violence and madness.
Walter Mosley's detective fiction combines crime-solving with insight into social and racial issues. Like Tidyman, Mosley captures the city environment vividly, mixing street realism and compelling characters.
His popular Easy Rawlins series begins with Devil in a Blue Dress, where the reluctant detective delves into a complex search for a missing woman, uncovering more than he bargained for in post-war Los Angeles.
Dennis Lehane writes gripping crime novels set in gritty urban landscapes. His plots often explore moral ambiguity and complex characters who straddle the line between right and wrong.
Readers who appreciate Tidyman's tough, streetwise style will likely enjoy Lehane's Mystic River, a tense psychological thriller centered around loyalty, friendship, and betrayal in a tight-knit Boston neighborhood.
George Pelecanos captures the authentic rhythms of city street life and realistic portrayals of gritty crime through vivid storytelling. His writing often focuses on working-class struggles and moral complexity.
Pelecanos's novel The Night Gardener combines a compelling mystery with thoughtful exploration of race, class, and the lasting effects of violence, qualities Ernest Tidyman readers will greatly appreciate.
Richard Stark is the pseudonym Donald Westlake used for his spare, no-nonsense, hardboiled crime fiction. His series about professional thief Parker, starting with The Hunter, appeals to readers who enjoyed Tidyman’s raw, direct approach to storytelling.
Stark delivers focused, action-driven plots featuring tough, independent characters who live by their own codes.
Ross Macdonald is known for influential detective fiction that focuses on psychological depth and the hidden secrets of everyday people. His novels, such as The Chill, feature intricate plots that reveal connections between past crimes and present tensions.
Fans of Ernest Tidyman may appreciate Macdonald's conversational yet probing style and his thoughtful exploration of human nature and moral dilemmas.
James M. Cain is famous for his sharply-written noir fiction, featuring characters whose desires draw them into crime and trouble. His storytelling style is clean, concise, and emotionally charged, capturing complex human relationships and dangerous ambition.
Cain's classic novel Double Indemnity explores betrayal and moral corruption, themes that will resonate strongly with readers familiar with Tidyman's gritty realism.