Being bad can feel so right sometimes. Just ask any of the protagonists in noir novels. These main characters partake in some crazy crimes (anything from petty thefts to callous murders) only to come out on top—at least for a little while. And the reader is along for the ride watching as everything unfolds up close, which in hindsight might make you feel a little dirty, but I dare you to look away.
Honestly, who says you can’t love the bad guys? Sure, traditional heroes with their bleeding hearts and a need to conquer all evil are fine, but antiheroes who stop at nothing to get what they want (no matter how twisted) are all the more interesting, simply because us law-abiding citizens cannot do the same, no matter how much we may fantasize about it. Whether they kill for the fun of it or steal to survive, there is something alluring about a villain that is cool, calm, and collected no matter what pickle they get themselves into. Maybe it’s the professionalism they show when involved in such heinous acts, or maybe we love their chaotic freedom—giving a big “screw you” to society. Of course, there’s also nothing like watching someone overcoming relatable everyday hardships and misfortunes—even if they do so in the most appalling way.
Here are 12 noir reads with bad guys you’re bound to root for.
Vic—Patricia Highsmith, Deep Water
Vic has a totally messed up marriage. His wife doesn’t seem to love or respect him—unless shamelessly flirting with other men in front of him is a sign of affection. But Vic doesn’t let it get him down. That’s because the duo have a zany pact that allows her to engage in numerous affairs as long as they keep their family together. Say, what? Yes, Vic helped bring this situation upon himself, but we feel for the guy. He’s kind of a pushover—at least in the beginning. His wife degrades him, never helps with their young daughter, and is just downright mean to Vic even though he lets her do whatever she damn well pleases. Naturally, we want to see him finally show some emotion or hell, get angry at his wife for taking a stranger to bed (in their home) again. So when Vic dabbles in murder to sway his wife back (and finally show his authority), we know we should say “oh no” but we were all about shouting “oh yes.”
Jazz Bashara—Andy Weir, Artemis
Step into the only city located on the moon, Artemiss and you’ll find Jazz Bashara. We shouldn’t necessarily like Jazz since she is a criminal, but can’t help enjoy her funny shrewdness especially when she gets into one mess after another. She’s not necessarily malicious, she just has to smuggle contraband to help pay the bills. And we readers get that. We even mentally encourage Jazz to partake in a new risky crime that could make her tons of dough so she can finally live like we all want to—ahem, rich. We’re so engrossed with Jazz and her illegal work, that we’re cool with her risking her life to get the money she needs all while uncovering a hidden conspiracy that could destroy her and everyone else living on the moon.
Mark Berman—Jason Starr, Cold Caller
Author Jason Starr is known to have some dubious characters—Savage Lane’s obsessive and sinister Mark Berman, anyone?—and Bill Moss in Cold Caller is no exception. Like the title suggests, Mark is a cold caller in a Times Square-based telemarketing company. This gives us reason to dislike him right off the bat but we don’t, not completely. Here’s the thing: we kind of want him to get a second chance at life. As a former top dog at an ad agency, he now works here with very little motivation, that is until he gets fired. We completely get why Bill would be upset, and when his supervisor is murdered and Bill starts going completely ballistic, we appreciate him even more.
Roderick Macrae—Graeme Macrae Burnet, His Bloody Project
This is a unique book, as it reads like a true crime story but is indeed fiction—a total caper noir. The fictional story is about Roderick Macrae, a seventeen-year-old Scottish crofter who is arrested for killing three people. You know, normal teenage stuff. Roderick is guilty, and has no problem confessing, but what baffles authorities (and the curious reader) is why he did it. As the story takes us deep into each murder (thanks to the help of police statements, a trial reports, and Roderick’s own prison memoir), our minds flip flop from thinking this teen is a cold-blooded killer to a mentally ill kid who never received proper treatment.
The Continental Op—Dashiell Hammett, Red Harvest
Red Harvest takes us into a violent world of corruption and mayhem in this first-rate noir crime novel. Enter Poisonville where you meet the mysterious detective dubbed “Continental Op” and who recently tracked down the barbaric street gang who was terrorizing the town. It’s a classic case of good cop versus bad cop, and there’s no question where Continental Op comes in, until he suddenly takes a real liking to murder. After countless dreams of killing innocent people, he wakes up clenching an ice pick that is slathered in blood, making us think this guy is much more interesting (and more like the felons he demolishes) than once thought.
Walter (and Phyllis)—James M. Cain, Double Indemnity
An oldie but a goodie, Double Indemnity was originally published back in 1935 and follows a man named Walter Huff who will do whatever it takes to get the girl. But don’t be fooled, this is anything but a typical romance. The woman’s name is Phyllis and she is married to a man who is worth more dead than alive. That’s where Walter comes in. Walter is a man in love and willing to do whatever it takes for Phyllis to get the insurance money they both think she deserves. And even though we can’t believe what Walter risks for a woman he hardly knows, there’s no looking away when he dips into creepy obsession, major crimes, and festering guilt that might eat him alive.
Julie Killeen—Cornell Woolrich’s The Bride Wore Black
A mysterious woman with no known past waltzes into the lives of men, seduces them with her charming wit and impeccable beauty, and soon they all turn up dead. With us so far? We thought so. Everyone loves a good femme fatale, and Julie Killeen—if that is her real name—is one for the books, or at least this book, The Bride Wore Black. It’s unknown why this woman feeds off the lives of men, but it’s fun to read about. What we love about her—besides her being a total badass—is that she’s an ideal: beautiful, crafty, clever, and a complete chameleon. No one seems to be able to catch her, and with each flip of the page, we hope no one ever will.
Harry Madox—Charles Williams, The Hot Spot
Charles Williams was an American crime fiction mastermind back in the fifties with books that include Hill Girl, Hell Hath No Fury, and this stunner called The Hot Spot. Harry Madox is bored of his everyday mundane life (some of us can relate) so when he wants to make a change we’re excited for him. But there’s a catch: he’s also a natural-born criminal. When he meets a beautiful woman his inner delinquent kicks in and he happily accepts a plan to rob a bank for an easy 15,000 dollars. Who wouldn’t? It’s then that his humdrum lifestyle takes a twisty turn with sex, lies, and murder, and we’re invested every step of the way—we’re just thankful it’s not us.
Jim Vanning—David Goodis’s Nightfall
Jim Vanning is a complicated character. He could be a starving artist who found a satchel of cash (a measly $300,000) or he could possibly be a diabolical killer who is trying to get away with heinous crimes. No one seems to know, especially the reader which makes Nightfall a turbulent journey worth being on. There are violent villains after him, no doubt looking for the money, and poor Jim can’t remember where he put it. And because of that, we get to see what he will do to help save his life and his freedom no matter the stakes—and there are some big ones. The villains, like Jim himself, are also pretty unreliable. Take John, the leader of the pack and romantic at heart. He acts like a tough guy but dreams of falling in love with a girl and living on a tropical island making him relatable and much less gangster.
Frank Mansfield—Charles Willeford’s Cockfighter
We may know Charles Willeford for his Hoke Moseley novels, but Cockfighter is pretty different. This novel takes us into the world of professional cockfighting told by the viewpoint of pro cockfighter Frank Mansfield, a man with one goal: to win the Cockfighter of the Year Award. Frank is a thug and not a nice one (if there is such a thing), but when he loses everything to his rival, it’s hard not to feel his pain. Willeford does a solid job showing Frank’s passion and intense pursuit in a lifelong dream, so much that we almost forget the character’s enthusiasm relates to an illegal blood sport.
John Vincent Dolan—Craig Clevenger’s The Contortionist’s Handbook
Guys like John Vincent Dolan don’t come around often. His is an 11-fingered mathematical genius with a talent for forging documents. Too bad he’s also a drug addict who may or may not have crippling migraines that kick in at the worst possible time—with a guy like him, it’s hard to tell what’s real and fake. He is always getting into trouble but finds a way to slip through the cracks by disguising himself so he doesn’t get locked away in prison or worse, a psych ward. Did we mention he’s a little nuts? Vincent’s unique talents and run from authority is truly captivating, and when things start getting more rumpled, we find ourselves saluting John right to the very end.
Lou Ford—Jim Thompson’s The Killer Inside Me
Lou Ford is well-liked in Texas. He is the deputy sheriff who puts away the troublemakers and leaves the rest of the community at ease. But with a title like The Killer Inside Me by a popular crime novelist, you know there’s something dark lurking inside this golden boy. After his brother falls to his death, Lou stops at nothing to find the killer who pushed him—even when he has to murder good people in the process. This novel provides an intimate portrayal into a serial killer’s mind, almost humanizing the man by showcasing the difficulties of hiding one’s true self to society.
