Sometimes I think Daniel Woodrell is the crime writer's writer; much like how Richard Yates has his following among literary writers, but failed to reach a broader audience. Of course Woodrell is very much alive, whereas Yates is pretty much dead (well, more than pretty much; he is dead), and Woodrell is still capable of breaking through to a mass audience. I think his The Death of Sweet Mister is a must read if you want to be a serious noir writer.
I just finished Give Us a Kiss and it only reaffirms by belief that Woodrell is probably one of the best, if not the best, modern noir writers. Maybe this comes from growing up in the country and being able to relate to and sympathize with the characters who populate his books, whereas I can only appreciate and empathize with those in more urban noir novels.
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