Someone recommend some good detective noir-esque books?

I recommend Benjamin Black's novels "Christine Falls" and "The Black Swan". They are Irish noir (and Black is the pen name of Booker Prize-nominated John Banville).

Ken Bruen is another British author you might want to look into.

Natsuo Kirino's "Out" is fascinating Tokyo noir.

And if you want classics, try Chandler and Hammett. Also, a publisher called Hard Case Crime releases reprints of older noir novels as well as new stuff by contemporary writers.

Some of Ben Elton's books are good reads if you like his humour. Two of his books that I can recommend for a crime theme are Past Mortem and Dead Famous. Also, Jeffrey Deaver writes exciting crimes. He has a few books with the same detective, Lincoln Rhyme, who's brilliant. Try reading The Vanished Man. There's not really any sex though, but a little bit of romance.

The Long Firm Trilogy by Jake Arnott.

Mostly set in the London gangland of the 60s. The first novel, The Long Firm, is based on the Kray empire and the excellent TV series is available on DVD.

JL

William Christopher Baer's Kiss Me Judas trilogy. Believe me, you will not regret it especially the last book called Hell's Half Acre. The writing is simple and straightforward. It begins with the main character waking up in a bathtub of ice with kidneys gone (I think, haven't read it in 2 years) and he has a note in his hand " Call 911". Soon, the story begins as he becomes obsess with a female James Bond-type assasin.