The Best American Noir of the Century (The Best American Series)

Name: The Best American Noir of the Century (The Best American Series)
Price: 1.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (684 reviews)
Author: James Ellroy

by James Ellroy

Mystery Thriller Literary Fiction

4.4 (684)

4.4 stars from 684 reviews. Top 93% of Mystery Thriller books we track.

$1.99KU88% off peak

Last checked: Jun 27, 2026

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Price history: $0.99 – $16.05

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Price range: $0.99 – $16.05

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Fans of these authors will like this...

Elmore Leonard
Patricia Highsmith
Dennis Lehane
James M. Cain

Fans of these books will like this...

The Best American Mystery Stories
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Perfect for you if...

You love noir fiction but haven't found a way to sample its full evolution from the 1920s to now without buying ten separate books.
You admire James Ellroy's work and want to understand the tradition he draws from, filtered through his own editorial eye.
You appreciate short stories that pack genuine menace and character depth rather than filler, and you want the real deal, not genre pastiches.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer uplifting or redemptive fiction where characters learn and grow.
You're looking for cosy mysteries or lighthearted crime capers.
You struggle with dense prose or stories that assume you know the genre's conventions and history.

About this book

This crime anthology spans a century of American greed, crime, and consequences, featuring work by major noir authors. James Ellroy, author of The Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential, collaborates with editor Otto Penzler to assemble this collection of stories ranging from the 1920s to the present day. The anthology traces noir's literary evolution across the genre's history. Early works include James M. Cain's "Pastorale," while the postwar period features Mickey Spillane and Evan Hunter. Contemporary selections include Elmore Leonard, Patricia Highsmith, Joyce Carol Oates, Dennis Lehane, and William Gay, with multiple stories from the 21st century.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$0.99 – $16.05

Currently on sale at $1.99 — 88% off peak. Price has dropped 43 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 50 days. Typically stays discounted for 35 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #36K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 54% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.4★ from 684 reviews

Gaining approximately 6 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.4 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $1.99. It typically returns to around $16.05.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.