Science Fiction Mysteries for Classic Movie Fans

I'm always excited to see my varying interests combine in books/films/TV series, and the last few years have been generous to SFF readers who also know and love classic movies. This year I've read two particularly good science fiction novels that look to classic literary/movie detectives for inspiration, and I want to get the word out to other cinephiles who also enjoy science fiction and fantasy.

First up is Mary Robinette Kowal's 2022 book, The Spare Man, which takes heaps of inspiration from Nick and Nora Charles, the protagonists of Dashiell Hammett's 1934 novel, The Thin Man. Film fans know the hard-partying Nick and Nora from the series of films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, starting with The Thin Man (1934) and ending with Song of the Thin Man (1947). Although Kowal's novel is set on a luxury space liner with many creative updates and changes to the original characters, it still rewards readers who come to it with a deep appreciation for the originals. I especially like the way Kowal revises the Charles' dog, Asta, to create the adorable service Westie, Gimlet. This book is the perfect pick for any Nick and Nora fans who wonder what a futuristic version of the detective duo might look like.

If a darker noir mystery is more your speed, try Nick Harkaway's 2023 novel, Titanium Noir, which recalls Hammett's other iconic detective, Sam Spade, and the colorful characters of the 1930 novel, The Maltese Falcon. The most famous adaptation of the original novel is, of course, the 1941 version starring Humphrey Bogart, although it was actually the third time the story was adapted for film. Harkaway's protagonist, Cal Sounder, has a very Spade way of operating, including his world-weariness and his tendency to find trouble, but the character of Doublewide really evokes Sydney Greenstreet's performance as Kasper Gutman, aka "the fat man." In Titanium Noir, wealthy people gain immortality thanks to a drug that makes them young again but also causes them to grow into giant superhumans, which plays perfectly into noir's distrust of the powerful upper classes. Fans of tech noir films like Blade Runner (1982) and Dark City (1998) already know what to expect from a story like Titanium Noir, but Hammett readers will find this territory familiar, too.

While I'm recommending SFF books for classic movie fans, I have to add a mention for the 2022 dark fantasy, Siren Queen, written by Nghi Vo. The novel imagines 1930s Hollywood as a dangerous, magical place where aspiring stars make deals sealed in blood. With its Asian, lesbian protagonist, Siren Queen tackles many of the historical sins of the era, but it also treats stardom as a supernatural transformation that gives the stars eternal life. While the characters incorporate bits of personality and history from actual stars from the 1930s, Vo is more interested in recreating the atmosphere than any specific individuals. It does help, however, to know something about classic movie actress Anna May Wong.

Finally, if you haven't already, check out the 2024 television series, Monsieur Spade, which serves as a sequel to The Maltese Falcon. Clive Owen gives a terrific performance as an older and even wearier Spade, now living in France and looking after the daughter of the late Brigid O'Shaughnessy. If the science fiction and fantasy genres are outside your comfort zone, you'll feel right at home with this thoughtful, beautifully shot drama series that makes the most of its post-WWII French setting.