What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Nice Guys
Shane Black · Film · 2016
If you loved The Nice Guys, start with The Good Guys (Matt Nix, 2010) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 1 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Nice Guys across media.
You loved the way The Nice Guys balanced bleak, cynical crime investigations with the sharp, irreverent banter of mismatched, flawed protagonists.
Books on the same thread
The Nice and the Good
Iris Murdoch · Book · 1978
Shares a thread with The Nice Guys: Moral ambiguity.
Like The Nice Guys, this novel uses the investigation of a suspicious suicide to expose the rotting moral core of the elite, blending dark mystery with biting social critique.
The Black Ice
Michael Connelly · Book · 2002
Explores: Police corruption, Cross-border crime, Lone wolf investigator.
Fans of The Nice Guys will appreciate how this gritty procedural mirrors the relentless pursuit of truth through a labyrinth of corruption, institutional rot, and high-stakes criminal conspiracies.
The Big Sleep
Raymond Chandler · Book · 2017
Shares a thread with The Nice Guys: Moral ambiguity.
This foundational noir provides the cynical, atmospheric blueprint for the private eye tropes that The Nice Guys deconstructs, offering a darker look at the corruption behind urban glamour.
The Bad Guys
Aaron Blabey · Book
Explores: Redemption, Unlikely friendships, Subverting tropes.
If you enjoyed the subversion of crime tropes in The Nice Guys, you will appreciate how this series uses an unlikely crew of anti-heroes to lampoon traditional villain archetypes.
Series on the same thread
The Good Guys
Matt Nix · Series · 2010
Shares 2 threads with The Nice Guys: Buddy Cop, Action Comedy.
This show captures the exact mismatched buddy cop dynamic seen in The Nice Guys, pairing washed-up detectives against a backdrop of retro nostalgia and bumbling, high-stakes police work.
Podcasts on the same thread
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
Much like the tonal shifts in The Nice Guys, this podcast masterfully balances the grim reality of forensic crime analysis with the sharp, comedic chemistry of its two hosts.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
This series reflects the dark humor found throughout The Nice Guys by finding the absurd, scandalous comedy buried deep within the tragic and often lawless behavior of public figures.
Common questions
Is The Nice Guys a mystery film?
Yes, The Nice Guys is a mystery film set in 1970s Los Angeles. The plot centers on a private eye who investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star, ultimately uncovering a larger conspiracy throughout the course of his investigation.
What is the setting of The Nice Guys?
The Nice Guys takes place in 1970s Los Angeles. The film utilizes this specific historical setting as the backdrop for a private eye who investigates the death of a fading porn star and subsequently uncovers a conspiracy involving various elements of the city.
Who directed The Nice Guys?
The Nice Guys was directed by Shane Black and released in 2016. The film follows a private eye navigating a conspiracy in 1970s Los Angeles after he is hired to investigate the death of a fading porn star.
Does The Nice Guys feature a conspiracy plot?
Yes, the plot of The Nice Guys involves a private eye who begins by investigating the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles. As he delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a conspiracy that drives the narrative of the film.