My Favorite Noir Novels

For sake of clarity about what a noir novel actually is I'll defer to the Otto Penzler definition that he posted several years back - Noir Fiction Is About Losers, Not Private Eyes.








So using the strict "Penzler" definition of noir, here are 10 of my favorites:

• So Young, So Wicked - Jonathan Craig 
• The Vengeful Virgin - Gil Brewer 
• .44 - H.A. DeRosso 
• Pick-Up - Charles Willeford 
• Pop. 1280 - Jim Thompson 
• Black Wings Has My Angel - Elliot Chaze 
• Brute in Brass - Harry Whittington 
• Sleep with the Devil - Day Keene 
• The Name of the Game is Death - Dan J. Marlowe 
• The Postman Always Rings Twice - James M. Cain 

Any thoughts?