William R. Burnett was an American author known for his crime fiction novels. His most famous works include Little Caesar and The Asphalt Jungle, which were both adapted into successful Hollywood films.
If you enjoy reading books by William R. Burnett then you might also like the following authors:
Dashiell Hammett is a master of tough, no-nonsense detective fiction. He sets his gritty crime stories on city streets and populates them with sharp dialogue and morally ambiguous characters.
Readers who like Burnett's rough-and-tumble plots might enjoy Hammett's tense, tightly written novel The Maltese Falcon, featuring the classic detective Sam Spade.
Raymond Chandler writes crime fiction that combines elegant prose and richly detailed urban settings. His detective stories, such as The Big Sleep, feature witty, reflective narration from private investigator Philip Marlowe.
If you enjoy the dark atmosphere and carefully constructed plots of William R. Burnett, Chandler's stylish storytelling could be an excellent fit.
James M. Cain creates tense, taut narratives filled with passion, betrayal, and gritty realism. His crime novels often focus on ordinary people caught up in dangerous ambitions and forbidden desires.
The Postman Always Rings Twice stands out as a swift-moving drama of desperation and crime, great for those who enjoy the realistic struggles and stark characterization found in Burnett's books.
Horace McCoy is known for his intense, bleak stories that highlight desperate characters facing tough circumstances. His classic work They Shoot Horses, Don't They? reveals the darker side of the American Dream, exploring themes of disillusionment and moral decay.
Like Burnett, McCoy provides powerful portrayals of flawed characters in gripping, deeply human stories.
Jim Thompson's novels are known for their psychological depth and hard-hitting depiction of criminal minds and disturbing behaviors. His novel The Killer Inside Me features a seemingly ordinary protagonist leading a horrifying double life.
Fans of William R. Burnett's tough, unflinching exploration of criminal motivation and gritty drama may find Thompson's work equally absorbing.
Cornell Woolrich writes atmospheric crime fiction known for dark suspense and psychological tension. His books typically explore paranoia, fate, and desperate characters in bleak urban settings.
A notable example is Rear Window, the story of a man confined to his apartment who suspects a neighbor of murder, later adapted into Alfred Hitchcock's classic film.
David Goodis specializes in moody, down-and-out characters caught up in harsh situations. His novels often examine themes of doomed romance, poverty, and despair, illustrated vividly in Dark Passage.
The book tells the story of an escaped convict trying to clear his name, capturing the reader with a gritty realism.
Paul Cain offers sharp, action-driven crime stories marked by gritty narratives and hard-edged dialogue. His style is lean and fast-paced, and his characters are firmly entrenched in the dangerous underworld they inhabit.
One notable work is Fast One, an aggressive, hard-boiled thriller centered around rivalries and violence in the criminal underworld.
Ross Macdonald creates complex mysteries featuring deep psychological insight and layered characters. His books explore family secrets, moral ambiguity, and emotional trauma beneath seemingly ordinary lives.
A classic in his Lew Archer detective series is The Chill, in which Archer uncovers buried secrets linking past tragedies to present-day crimes.
Elmore Leonard is celebrated for crisp, realistic dialogue, quirky characters, and smart storytelling. He avoids unnecessary detail and lets his lively personalities drive the plot.
His crime novels often blend wry humor with sudden violence, as seen in his standout book Get Shorty, where a loan shark enters the Hollywood movie business with comedic and thrilling results.
George V. Higgins writes crime fiction full of sharp dialogue and realistic characters. His novel The Friends of Eddie Coyle gives a gritty view of criminals and informants in 1970s Boston.
Higgins shows both criminals and cops as complicated, believable people dealing with everyday struggles, similar to the rough realism William R. Burnett fans appreciate.
Donald E. Westlake mixes cunning characters with clever storytelling, often adding humor to his crime stories. In The Hot Rock, Westlake introduces the charming thief John Dortmunder, whose heists never go exactly as planned.
Readers who like Burnett's sharp characters but appreciate lighter humor will enjoy Westlake's storytelling.
Charles Willeford has a knack for quirky, tough characters on the fringe of society. His novel Miami Blues features the unpredictable criminal Junior Frenger and weary detective Hoke Moseley navigating the chaotic corners of Miami.
Fans of Burnett who appreciate rough-edged characters and darkly ironic situations will find a lot to enjoy here.
Chester Himes captures the gritty and violent atmosphere of mid-20th-century Harlem in his crime novels. In Cotton Comes to Harlem, Himes pairs detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones as they untangle scams and track down criminals in their neighborhood.
Readers who appreciate Burnett's exploration of crime with vivid, fast-paced storytelling will enjoy Himes's vivid characters and dynamic plots.
John D. MacDonald tells crime stories closely focused on his characters and their moral struggles. In his famous novel The Deep Blue Good-by, MacDonald's hero Travis McGee is a smart, thoughtful problem-solver who helps people recover stolen property and lost lives.
Fans of Burnett's insightful approach to character and crime will connect with MacDonald's thoughtful style and compelling narratives.