Martin M. Goldsmith

Martin M. Goldsmith (1913-1994) was an American novelist and screenwriter who primarily wrote crime fiction and noir thrillers during the 1930s-1950s. He gained recognition for his hard-boiled crime novels and their subsequent film adaptations during the film noir era of Hollywood. His most notable work was the 1938 novel "Detour," which was adapted into the acclaimed 1945 film noir of the same name directed by Edgar G. Ulmer. The film version of Detour is considered a quintessential example of low-budget noir filmmaking and has been preserved by the Library of Congress in the National Film Registry. Goldsmith's writing style was characterized by taut prose and psychological tension, often featuring protagonists trapped by circumstance and their own poor choices. His other works include "Double Jeopardy" (1938) and several screenplays for both film and television productions of the period. The author spent much of his career in Hollywood, contributing to various film projects while continuing to write fiction. Though not as widely known as some of his noir contemporaries, his influence on the genre is evident through the enduring impact of "Detour" and its film adaptation.

Readers consistently note Goldsmith's skills at building suspense and crafting tight noir plots, particularly in "Detour" which has 4.0/5 stars on Goodreads across 70+ ratings. Multiple Amazon reviewers highlight his "tense pacing" and "stark descriptions." Common praise: - Clear, economical writing style - Sharp dialogue - Dark psychological elements - Fast-moving narratives Common criticisms: - Limited character development - Abrupt endings - Writing can feel dated/stilted - Some plots rely on coincidences "Detour" gets the strongest reception of his works. One Goodreads reviewer called it "a relentless downward spiral into darkness," while another noted it's "sharper and meaner than the film version." His other novels receive less attention, with most averaging 3-3.5/5 stars across review platforms. Limited reviews exist for his later works, with many readers discovering him through the film adaptations rather than the original novels.

Detour (1938) A dark noir novel following Al Roberts, a piano player who hitchhikes to California and becomes entangled in a web of death, deception, and mistaken identity after accepting a ride from a mysterious stranger.

Cornell Woolrich wrote psychological crime thrillers with fatalistic protagonists in the 1940s noir tradition. His novels share Goldsmith's focus on characters trapped by circumstances beyond their control and were also frequently adapted into notable film noir productions.

David Goodis produced dark crime fiction centered on doomed characters and inevitable tragedy in Philadelphia's criminal underworld. His work parallels Goldsmith's exploration of psychological tension and downward spirals in novels that became influential noir films.

Kenneth Fearing crafted crime novels about ordinary people caught in webs of deception and paranoia during the 1940s-50s. His narratives mirror Goldsmith's interest in psychological suspense and characters making fatal mistakes.

Paul Cain wrote hardboiled crime fiction with stripped-down prose and morally ambiguous characters in the 1930s. His work shares Goldsmith's economic writing style and focus on criminal protagonists facing inescapable consequences.

Gil Brewer specialized in noir fiction about desperate characters making increasingly poor choices in 1950s Florida settings. His novels feature the same kind of trapped protagonists and mounting tension found in Goldsmith's work.