What should I read next?

What about Raymond Chandler? I've read that Jonathan Lethem is a big fan of his novels, so it might be interesting to go back and see what appealed to Lethem in the Chandler books. I'd start with The Big Sleep, although The Long Goodbye is my favorite. If you tend to binge on authors like I do, though, then you'll want to read all of them--unfortunately he only wrote seven.

Timmy

I've been reading a lot of non-fiction, I feel like it's time for a fiction break but nothing jumps out at me.

My favorite novels/books:
The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien
Andre Dubus's stories esp. the novellas that comprised 'We Don't Live Here Anymore'
Fat City
Red Harvest
The Killer Inside Me
generally speaking, postwar American realism (Yates, Exley, etc.) and apocalyptic fiction.

Maybe John O'Hara's Appointment in Samarra?

all lovers of post-war american realism (yates, exley, etc) and apocalyptic fiction should read samuel r. delany's 'dhalgren'

What it I like Exley but never got on board with Yates?

"winesburg ohio", "american tabloid"

i tried to read dhalgren once but i felt too superior to its prose so i lacked motivation to stick with it

All those suggestions look good and my ex already downloaded Winesburg on to my Kindle apparently. Win.

I started on the True Detective guy's novel last night (40 pages in, it's good!), I think Dhalgren will be next.

that seems a very you way to have approached it, j.

Don Carpenter's Hard Rain Falling might be up your alley.

j - Dhalgren as a thing is beyond such measly matter like 'prose'.

Off that list Killer Inside Me jumps out at me.

Red Harvest is prob Hammett's best, but check the other novels published in his lifetime (haven't read the posthumously dredged pulp). Appointment In Samarra dishes the small town power structure dirt pretty good, but O'Hara was better when he moved up and around the food chain (for inst,how to handle "bimbo eruptions," as Bill Clinton's female campaign manager would say), and the main character here seems too hollow for prolonged scrutiny: I'd start with the short-story collections, from the 20s to maybe mid-60s (got real long-winded after that). But if you've got AIS, read it.
The Yates short stories I've read are good, though all have the same dank plot development, involving white collar drunks, hubris,etc.) Speaking of which, you might try Mamet, up through Glengarry Glen Ross (haven't read or seen much of his stuff since).
Cain! The Postman Always Rings Twice always spooks me, via the killer's POV, in the book and three movie versions.

flannery o'connor's "wise blood" (and her short stories) is well worth a read if you havent already. david gates' "preston falls" is probably the best suburban angst novels ive ever read. manages to be both hilarious and relentlessly grim.

Don Carpenter's Hard Rain Falling might be up your alley.

holy shit this is good