A fusion of gothic fiction and the detective story, the American “noir” novel is both a distinctive contribution to the mystery novel and an impressive genre in its own right. Simultaneously dreamlike and realistic, the Noir Novel’s mean streets and nightmare alleys, along with their world-weary heroes and femme fatales have evolved into literary and cultural symbols with archetypal resonance. We will explore these novels as expressions of social and political protest and commentary, but also as aesthetically satisfying depictions of an entire psychology, or even as a manifestation of a singular type of existential philosophy. Readings include major American precursors of noir as well as modern noir classics: Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep; Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon and The Glass Key; James M. Cain, The Postman Always Rings Twice; Cornell Woolrich, The Bride Wore Black; Dorothy B. Hughes, The Expendable Man; William Lindsay Gresham, Nightmare Alley; Patricia Highsmith, Deep Water; Kenneth Fearing, The Big Clock.