Classics:
* The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: Dorian's pursuit of beauty and youth leads him to a dark path, and his portrait bears the burden of his sins, while he remains eternally youthful and seemingly innocent.
* The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Jay Gatsby's grand schemes for love and redemption are ultimately futile, leaving him isolated and ultimately dead.
* The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien: While Sauron is defeated, the story also depicts the corruption of the Ring and the destruction of many innocent lives, with a sense of bittersweet victory.
Modern Fiction:
* Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: The "bad guy," Nick Dunne, escapes conviction for his wife's disappearance, but the ending leaves readers questioning his true motives and his ultimate "victory."
* The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood: The Gilead regime remains in power, depicting a dystopian future where women are subjugated and their rights are stripped away.
* The Road by Cormac McCarthy: The story is a bleak depiction of survival in a post-apocalyptic world. The protagonists, father and son, struggle to find meaning and hope in a world where evil has prevailed.
Genre-Specific:
* The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris: Hannibal Lecter, the brilliant cannibalistic serial killer, escapes and remains a looming threat.
* The Dark Knight Rises by Christopher Nolan (novelisation): Bane, the villain, succeeds in destroying Gotham City and achieving his own twisted vision.
* House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski: The "bad guy" in this book is the house itself, a labyrinthine and terrifying entity that traps and consumes its inhabitants.
Other Considerations:
* Anti-heroes: In stories featuring anti-heroes, the lines between good and bad are blurred. Sometimes, these characters might achieve their goals but at a significant moral cost.
* Moral ambiguity: Some stories might not have a clear "good guy" or "bad guy." The reader is left to interpret the events and decide who they believe to be the "winner."
Remember that even if a villain "wins" in a story, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a happy ending. It can be a thought-provoking exploration of morality, the nature of good and evil, and the consequences of actions.