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USA Noir: Best of the Akashic Noir Series
"Hold the eggnog: What you need is a draft of 'edgy fatalism and sexy recklessness,' of flashy crime, gallows humor, and 'desperate deals with a variety of devils,' served up every year since 2004 by the editors of Akashic Books' brilliant noir anthologies. From Brooklyn to Boston, from Phoenix to pre- and post-Katrina New Orleans, each volume in the series reveals a city's distinctive inner darkness."—O, The Oprah Magazine
Contributors include: Dennis Lehane, Don Winslow, Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, Susan Straight, Jonathan Safran Foer, Laura Lippman, Pete Hamill, Joyce Carol Oates, Lee Child, T. Jefferson Parker, Lawrence Block, Terrance Hayes, Jerome Charyn, Jeffery Deaver, Maggie Estep, Bayo Ojikutu, Tim McLoughlin, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Reed Farrel Coleman, Megan Abbott, Elyssa East, James W. Hall, J. Malcolm Garcia, Julie Smith, Joseph Bruchac, Pir Rothenberg, Luis Alberto Urrea, Domenic Stansberry, John O'Brien, S.J. Rozan, Asali Solomon, William Kent Krueger, Tim Broderick, Bharti Kirchner, Karen Karbo, and Lisa Sandlin.
Launched with the summer 2004 award-winning bestseller Brooklyn Noir, the groundbreaking Akashic Noir series now includes over sixty volumes and counting. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct location within the city or region of the book. This is the first "best of" volume and it powerfully conveys what the series has accomplished.
Johnny Temple is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Akashic Books. He won the 2013 Ellery Queen Award from the Mystery Writers of America and the 2010 Jay and Deen Kogan Award for Excellence in Noir Literature. He is the chair of the Brooklyn Literary Council, which works with Brooklyn's borough president to plan the annual Brooklyn Book Festival. Temple also plays bass guitar in the band Girls Against Boys, which has toured extensively across the globe and released numerous albums on independent and major record companies.
Contributors include: Dennis Lehane, Don Winslow, Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, Susan Straight, Jonathan Safran Foer, Laura Lippman, Pete Hamill, Joyce Carol Oates, Lee Child, T. Jefferson Parker, Lawrence Block, Terrance Hayes, Jerome Charyn, Jeffery Deaver, Maggie Estep, Bayo Ojikutu, Tim McLoughlin, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Reed Farrel Coleman, Megan Abbott, Elyssa East, James W. Hall, J. Malcolm Garcia, Julie Smith, Joseph Bruchac, Pir Rothenberg, Luis Alberto Urrea, Domenic Stansberry, John O'Brien, S.J. Rozan, Asali Solomon, William Kent Krueger, Tim Broderick, Bharti Kirchner, Karen Karbo, and Lisa Sandlin.
Launched with the summer 2004 award-winning bestseller Brooklyn Noir, the groundbreaking Akashic Noir series now includes over sixty volumes and counting. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct location within the city or region of the book. This is the first "best of" volume and it powerfully conveys what the series has accomplished.
Johnny Temple is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Akashic Books. He won the 2013 Ellery Queen Award from the Mystery Writers of America and the 2010 Jay and Deen Kogan Award for Excellence in Noir Literature. He is the chair of the Brooklyn Literary Council, which works with Brooklyn's borough president to plan the annual Brooklyn Book Festival. Temple also plays bass guitar in the band Girls Against Boys, which has toured extensively across the globe and released numerous albums on independent and major record companies.
546 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
168 people are currently reading
772 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Lehane
81 books14.5k followersDennis Lehane (born Aug 4th, 1966) is an American author. He has written several novels, including the New York Times bestseller Mystic River, which was later made into an Academy Award winning film, also called Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon (Lehane can be briefly seen waving from a car in the parade scene at the end of the film). The novel was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award and won the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, and France's Prix Mystere de la Critique.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
March 3, 2019
Stories selected from the first forty Noir Series books set in US locales. First up is the Dennis Lehane story expanded for The Drop (film).
I didn't love all of them but there is a lot of good reading here.
http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/u...
I didn't love all of them but there is a lot of good reading here.
http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/u...
March 4, 2025
American Noir
Review of the Akashic eBook (October 14, 2013) collecting a selection of stories from the Akashic Noir series 2004-2012.
[2.86 average rating for the 37 stories, rounded up to a GR 3 star]
This was an extremely long anthology collection and without taking notes it likely would have been difficult to remember individual stories. Akashic Noir Books started in 2004 with the first of the Brooklyn Noir series and in 20+ years it has grown to contain 120+ titles. About 70 of those are centred in US cities and 50 or so are set in international cities and countries.
My ratings range all over from 1s to 5s. The 1s are primarily stories that I found distasteful due to issues such as animal abuse or wanton murder. I'll admit that my noir preferences lean more to hardboiled detectives regardless of whether the endings are wins or loses. Still there was a terrific variety here and several new names to me were impressive.
The anthology is not in chronological order but rather in groups of 6 or so stories each into 6 broad categories. My individual ratings and synopses are below. I have not spoiler blocked them as I do not give away the endings (although some are implied).
Part I: True Grit
1. Animal Rescue **** by Dennis Lehane, Dorchester, Boston Noir (2009). A sometime bar worker adopts an abused dog off the street and takes him in with the help of a woman. Later, a shady character shows up and demands $10,000 for the dog and says there is a way to get it at the bar. Great twist ending to this one.
2. The Confidential Informant *** by George Pelecanos, Park View, NW, DC Noir (2006). A ne’er do well is hoping to make a minor score via the award for snitching on a murderer. But no one in the neighbourhood likes a snitch. Good atmosphere on this one, but very depressing otherwise.
3. The Golden Gopher **** by Susan Straight, Downtown, Los Angeles Noir (2007). Travel writer hears that a childhood friend has been murdered. She flashes back to their early teenage year together. A clue to the murderer may be at The Golden Gopher nightclub. Excellent atmosphere and backstory on this one, with the crime almost as an afterthought.
4. The Book Signing *** by Pete Hamill, Park Slope, Brooklyn Noir (2004). An author returns to his old Brooklyn neighbourhood for a book signing. Years earlier he had abandoned his girlfriend and went west to become a writer. But memories are long and resentments linger.
5. Run Kiss Daddy *** by Joyce Carol Oates, Kittatinny Mountains, New Jersey Noir (2011). This is an odd one. A divorced older man is remarried to a younger woman with 2 young kids. He keeps fretting about not making any mistakes with his 2nd marriage, as he did with his 1st. But then while digging the grounds around their vacation cabin he discovers signs of a possible crime.
6. Still Air ** by Terrance Hayes, East Liberty, Pittsburgh Noir (2011). A teenager thinks that he saw the murderers who killed a friend of his. He frets about whether to go to the police or whether to incite private retribution. An inconclusive ending made this one feel like it just gave up.
7. White Trash *** by Jerome Charyn, Claremont/Concourse, Bronx Noir (2007). A robber / murderer has escaped jail and is on a crime spree until they take refuge with someone in the Bronx. But are they really safe there?
Part II: American Values
8. Alice Fantastic *** by Maggie Estep, Aqueduct Racetrack, Queens Noir (2008). A professional gambler is getting tired of her sometime boyfriend but invites him along for a day at the racetrack which has unexpected results. This was often on the crude side for no purpose.
9. The Gospel of Moral Ends * by Bayo Ojikutu, 77th & Jeffery, Chicago Noir (2005). It was difficult to discern the story in this one. A cabdriver bagman for a corrupt preacher is finally fed up with the hypocrisy and reaches a breaking point. A lot of this was verbatim sermonizing from behind the pulpit which grew really tiresome.
10. When All This Was Bay Ridge **** Tim McLoughlin, Sunset Park, Brooklyn Noir (2004). After the passing of his retired policeman father, a man goes to a cop bar to try to discover secrets from his dad’s past and hears a shocking story of police brutality and coverup.
11. Crazy for You *** by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Costa Mesa, Orange County Noir (2010). A former school teacher is roped into a grifting scam by her younger boyfriend, but finds there might be a way out by taking a few drastic measures.
12. Mastermind **** by Reed Farrel Coleman, Selden, Long Island Noir (2012). A punk enforcer dreams of making a big score and showing up his boss who constantly demeans his capabilities. A jewelry store heist seems to go off perfectly but there are other factors in play.
13. The Clown and Bard * by Karen Karbo, SE Twenty-Eighth Avenue, Portland Noir (2009). Rather distasteful story of a lying and cheating husband who tries to rationalize his actions after a fatal encounter.
Part III: Road Rage
14. Mulholland Dive *** by Michael Connelly, Mullholand Drive, Los Angeles Noir (2007). Not a Bosch story. An LA police forensic investigator seems a little too determined to declare a car fatality to be an accident. But karma is coming.
15. Our Eyes Couldn’t Stop Opening *** by Megan Abbott, Alter Road, Detroit Noir (2007). A reminiscence about a high school girl who took a ride on the wild side. Doesn’t really feel like noir, more of a youthful misadventure Story.
16. Public Transportation ** by Lee Child, Chandler, Phoenix Noir (2009). Not a Reacher story. A policeman relates the story of an investigation involving a criminal’s escape by bus. The case was closed but the solution left him unsatisfied. The reporter who hears the story happens to know the real truth.
17. Too Near Real ** by Jonathan Safran Foer, Princeton, New Jersey Noir (2011). Somewhat surreal story about a professor put of sabbatical leave due to sexual harassment accusations. He begins to obsess about Google Maps street view and seeing himself photographed by the Google street camera.
18. Ride Along *** by James W. Hall, Coconut Grove, Miami Noir (2006). A writing teacher who is looking for material for his next crime novel rides along with one of his students on rather dangerous field trips.
19. Second Chance * by Elyssa East, Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Noir (2011). Disturbing animal and bird torture in this one. Otherwise a story of juvenile delinquents sent to work off a one year sentence at an island work camp under an ex-Marine.
Part IV: Homeland Security
20. After Thirty * by Don Winslow, Pacific Beach, San Diego Noir (2011). Yet another brutal domestic abuse tale. In 1945 a girl friend tries to convince a soldier on AWOL to go back to the service before he becomes a deserter after 30 days.
21. Missing Gene * by J. Malcolm Garcia, Troost Lake, Kansas City Noir (2012). Various bar flies meet and share tales. The lead character obsesses over a homeless man Gene who has gone missing. In the end some sort of PTSD causes him to erupt. Again distasteful and disturbing.
22. Loot **** by Julie Smith, Garden District, New Orleans Noir (2007). A story of looting during Hurricane Katrina with some surprising twists. One of my favourites so far in this collection.
23. The Prison *** by Domenic Stansberry, North Beach, San Francisco Noir (2005). Set in 1946 when there was a riot on Alcatraz Island Prison. Otherwise the prison doesn’t play any part in this. Instead a man travels to San Francisco to see his mother but also to take revenge.
24. Helper **** by Joseph Bruchac, Adirondacks, Indian Country Noir (2010). A hunting guide is the target of an apparent hit squad due to old history, but he has a plan to take revenge.
25. Easy as A-B-C *** by Laura Lippman, Locust Point, Baltimore Noir (2006). A home renovator takes on the job of renovating his childhood home for a possible house flipper. An affair starts but it all ends badly. The tension built throughout but a lot of it didn’t make sense.
26. The Rose Red Vial **** by Pir Rothenberg, Museum District, Richmond Noir (2010). Another favourite here. Two Edgar Allen Poe obsessives try to out game each other over the possession of some Poe artifacts including a perfume vial apparently gifted by Poe to his wife Virginia.
Part V: Under the Influence
27. Amapola *** by Luis Alberto Urrea, Paradise Valley, Phoenix Noir (2009). A high school punk falls for the younger sister of his punk friend. But the girl’s father doesn’t approve and his family “business” on the Mexican border is a dangerous one which the punk will learn about to his regret.
28. The Tik * by John O’Brien, Scotch 80s, Las Vegas Noir (2008). Another despicable one. Under the influence of a drug called “Tik”, a man is driven to murderous acts.
29. Lighthouse **** by S.J. Rozan, St. George, Staten Island Noir (2012). This one was at least unique. A schizophrenic who hears voices in his head and thinks of them as aliens from another world who crash landed on earth. At least one of them is provoking him into evil acts.
30. Secret Pool ** by Asali Solomon, West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Noir (2010). It is all fun and games at a secluded University pool club until suddenly there is a death involved.
31. Bums **** by William Kent Kruger, West Side, St. Paul, Twin Cities Noir (2006). A down and out alcoholic hears that his sometime homeless friend has been killed in an apparent home invasion. Suspecting foul play (because of an earlier story he heard) he sets out to solve the crime.
Part VI: Street Justice
32. Vic Primeval **** by T. Jefferson Parker, Kearny Mesa, San Diego Noir (2011). A police detective is friends with an ex-wrestler who now works as a bouncer. The detective suspects that the bouncer is being grifted and sets out to investigate. Another favourite story in this collection!
33. Feeding Frenzy * by Tim Broderick, 40 Wall Street, Wall Street Noir (2007). A drawn graphic novel / comics story about some sort of scandal at a Wall St. firm with various office workers turning on each other. Didn’t make a lot of sense.
34. Promised Tulips ** by Bharti Kirchner, Wallingford, Seattle Noir (2009). When a friend goes missing, a woman begins to suspect foul play by the husband. She wants to start an investigation but it just seems to fizzle out by the end. An Unsatisfactory Ending Alert!
35. If You Can’t Stand the Heat *** by Lawrence Block, Clinton, Manhattan Noir (2006). A man approaches a woman in a bar and starts a conversation telling her about the Clinton neighbourhood, previously known as Hell’s Kitchen. He may be looking for a one-night-stand, but turnabout is fair play.
36. Phelan’s First Case ***** by Lisa Sandlin, Beaumont, Lone Star Noir (2010). This one is absolutely my style, more in the hardboiled detective vein. As the title says it is a short story introducing Sandlin’s occasional series featuring Tom Phelan and Delpha Wade. Private detective Phelan hires secretary Wade and starts a search for a missing highschooler.
37. A Nice Place to Visit ***** by Jeffery Deaver, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan Noir (2006). A small time thug, his Irish mob boss and a corrupt cop fall into a grifter scam. In trademark Deaver style the twist reveal at the end makes it all worthwhile. This is actually the final story in the collection, the rest being author biographies and promotional advertising.
Trivia and Links
There is a Goodreads Listopia for the Akashic Noir series which you can see here.
A complete list is available at the publisher Akashic Books own website here and that includes some forthcoming titles which are yet to be published.
Review of the Akashic eBook (October 14, 2013) collecting a selection of stories from the Akashic Noir series 2004-2012.
[2.86 average rating for the 37 stories, rounded up to a GR 3 star]
This was an extremely long anthology collection and without taking notes it likely would have been difficult to remember individual stories. Akashic Noir Books started in 2004 with the first of the Brooklyn Noir series and in 20+ years it has grown to contain 120+ titles. About 70 of those are centred in US cities and 50 or so are set in international cities and countries.
My ratings range all over from 1s to 5s. The 1s are primarily stories that I found distasteful due to issues such as animal abuse or wanton murder. I'll admit that my noir preferences lean more to hardboiled detectives regardless of whether the endings are wins or loses. Still there was a terrific variety here and several new names to me were impressive.
The anthology is not in chronological order but rather in groups of 6 or so stories each into 6 broad categories. My individual ratings and synopses are below. I have not spoiler blocked them as I do not give away the endings (although some are implied).
Part I: True Grit
1. Animal Rescue **** by Dennis Lehane, Dorchester, Boston Noir (2009). A sometime bar worker adopts an abused dog off the street and takes him in with the help of a woman. Later, a shady character shows up and demands $10,000 for the dog and says there is a way to get it at the bar. Great twist ending to this one.
2. The Confidential Informant *** by George Pelecanos, Park View, NW, DC Noir (2006). A ne’er do well is hoping to make a minor score via the award for snitching on a murderer. But no one in the neighbourhood likes a snitch. Good atmosphere on this one, but very depressing otherwise.
3. The Golden Gopher **** by Susan Straight, Downtown, Los Angeles Noir (2007). Travel writer hears that a childhood friend has been murdered. She flashes back to their early teenage year together. A clue to the murderer may be at The Golden Gopher nightclub. Excellent atmosphere and backstory on this one, with the crime almost as an afterthought.
4. The Book Signing *** by Pete Hamill, Park Slope, Brooklyn Noir (2004). An author returns to his old Brooklyn neighbourhood for a book signing. Years earlier he had abandoned his girlfriend and went west to become a writer. But memories are long and resentments linger.
5. Run Kiss Daddy *** by Joyce Carol Oates, Kittatinny Mountains, New Jersey Noir (2011). This is an odd one. A divorced older man is remarried to a younger woman with 2 young kids. He keeps fretting about not making any mistakes with his 2nd marriage, as he did with his 1st. But then while digging the grounds around their vacation cabin he discovers signs of a possible crime.
6. Still Air ** by Terrance Hayes, East Liberty, Pittsburgh Noir (2011). A teenager thinks that he saw the murderers who killed a friend of his. He frets about whether to go to the police or whether to incite private retribution. An inconclusive ending made this one feel like it just gave up.
7. White Trash *** by Jerome Charyn, Claremont/Concourse, Bronx Noir (2007). A robber / murderer has escaped jail and is on a crime spree until they take refuge with someone in the Bronx. But are they really safe there?
Part II: American Values
8. Alice Fantastic *** by Maggie Estep, Aqueduct Racetrack, Queens Noir (2008). A professional gambler is getting tired of her sometime boyfriend but invites him along for a day at the racetrack which has unexpected results. This was often on the crude side for no purpose.
9. The Gospel of Moral Ends * by Bayo Ojikutu, 77th & Jeffery, Chicago Noir (2005). It was difficult to discern the story in this one. A cabdriver bagman for a corrupt preacher is finally fed up with the hypocrisy and reaches a breaking point. A lot of this was verbatim sermonizing from behind the pulpit which grew really tiresome.
10. When All This Was Bay Ridge **** Tim McLoughlin, Sunset Park, Brooklyn Noir (2004). After the passing of his retired policeman father, a man goes to a cop bar to try to discover secrets from his dad’s past and hears a shocking story of police brutality and coverup.
11. Crazy for You *** by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Costa Mesa, Orange County Noir (2010). A former school teacher is roped into a grifting scam by her younger boyfriend, but finds there might be a way out by taking a few drastic measures.
12. Mastermind **** by Reed Farrel Coleman, Selden, Long Island Noir (2012). A punk enforcer dreams of making a big score and showing up his boss who constantly demeans his capabilities. A jewelry store heist seems to go off perfectly but there are other factors in play.
13. The Clown and Bard * by Karen Karbo, SE Twenty-Eighth Avenue, Portland Noir (2009). Rather distasteful story of a lying and cheating husband who tries to rationalize his actions after a fatal encounter.
Part III: Road Rage
14. Mulholland Dive *** by Michael Connelly, Mullholand Drive, Los Angeles Noir (2007). Not a Bosch story. An LA police forensic investigator seems a little too determined to declare a car fatality to be an accident. But karma is coming.
15. Our Eyes Couldn’t Stop Opening *** by Megan Abbott, Alter Road, Detroit Noir (2007). A reminiscence about a high school girl who took a ride on the wild side. Doesn’t really feel like noir, more of a youthful misadventure Story.
16. Public Transportation ** by Lee Child, Chandler, Phoenix Noir (2009). Not a Reacher story. A policeman relates the story of an investigation involving a criminal’s escape by bus. The case was closed but the solution left him unsatisfied. The reporter who hears the story happens to know the real truth.
17. Too Near Real ** by Jonathan Safran Foer, Princeton, New Jersey Noir (2011). Somewhat surreal story about a professor put of sabbatical leave due to sexual harassment accusations. He begins to obsess about Google Maps street view and seeing himself photographed by the Google street camera.
18. Ride Along *** by James W. Hall, Coconut Grove, Miami Noir (2006). A writing teacher who is looking for material for his next crime novel rides along with one of his students on rather dangerous field trips.
19. Second Chance * by Elyssa East, Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Noir (2011). Disturbing animal and bird torture in this one. Otherwise a story of juvenile delinquents sent to work off a one year sentence at an island work camp under an ex-Marine.
Part IV: Homeland Security
20. After Thirty * by Don Winslow, Pacific Beach, San Diego Noir (2011). Yet another brutal domestic abuse tale. In 1945 a girl friend tries to convince a soldier on AWOL to go back to the service before he becomes a deserter after 30 days.
21. Missing Gene * by J. Malcolm Garcia, Troost Lake, Kansas City Noir (2012). Various bar flies meet and share tales. The lead character obsesses over a homeless man Gene who has gone missing. In the end some sort of PTSD causes him to erupt. Again distasteful and disturbing.
22. Loot **** by Julie Smith, Garden District, New Orleans Noir (2007). A story of looting during Hurricane Katrina with some surprising twists. One of my favourites so far in this collection.
23. The Prison *** by Domenic Stansberry, North Beach, San Francisco Noir (2005). Set in 1946 when there was a riot on Alcatraz Island Prison. Otherwise the prison doesn’t play any part in this. Instead a man travels to San Francisco to see his mother but also to take revenge.
24. Helper **** by Joseph Bruchac, Adirondacks, Indian Country Noir (2010). A hunting guide is the target of an apparent hit squad due to old history, but he has a plan to take revenge.
25. Easy as A-B-C *** by Laura Lippman, Locust Point, Baltimore Noir (2006). A home renovator takes on the job of renovating his childhood home for a possible house flipper. An affair starts but it all ends badly. The tension built throughout but a lot of it didn’t make sense.
26. The Rose Red Vial **** by Pir Rothenberg, Museum District, Richmond Noir (2010). Another favourite here. Two Edgar Allen Poe obsessives try to out game each other over the possession of some Poe artifacts including a perfume vial apparently gifted by Poe to his wife Virginia.
Part V: Under the Influence
27. Amapola *** by Luis Alberto Urrea, Paradise Valley, Phoenix Noir (2009). A high school punk falls for the younger sister of his punk friend. But the girl’s father doesn’t approve and his family “business” on the Mexican border is a dangerous one which the punk will learn about to his regret.
28. The Tik * by John O’Brien, Scotch 80s, Las Vegas Noir (2008). Another despicable one. Under the influence of a drug called “Tik”, a man is driven to murderous acts.
29. Lighthouse **** by S.J. Rozan, St. George, Staten Island Noir (2012). This one was at least unique. A schizophrenic who hears voices in his head and thinks of them as aliens from another world who crash landed on earth. At least one of them is provoking him into evil acts.
30. Secret Pool ** by Asali Solomon, West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Noir (2010). It is all fun and games at a secluded University pool club until suddenly there is a death involved.
31. Bums **** by William Kent Kruger, West Side, St. Paul, Twin Cities Noir (2006). A down and out alcoholic hears that his sometime homeless friend has been killed in an apparent home invasion. Suspecting foul play (because of an earlier story he heard) he sets out to solve the crime.
Part VI: Street Justice
32. Vic Primeval **** by T. Jefferson Parker, Kearny Mesa, San Diego Noir (2011). A police detective is friends with an ex-wrestler who now works as a bouncer. The detective suspects that the bouncer is being grifted and sets out to investigate. Another favourite story in this collection!
33. Feeding Frenzy * by Tim Broderick, 40 Wall Street, Wall Street Noir (2007). A drawn graphic novel / comics story about some sort of scandal at a Wall St. firm with various office workers turning on each other. Didn’t make a lot of sense.
34. Promised Tulips ** by Bharti Kirchner, Wallingford, Seattle Noir (2009). When a friend goes missing, a woman begins to suspect foul play by the husband. She wants to start an investigation but it just seems to fizzle out by the end. An Unsatisfactory Ending Alert!
35. If You Can’t Stand the Heat *** by Lawrence Block, Clinton, Manhattan Noir (2006). A man approaches a woman in a bar and starts a conversation telling her about the Clinton neighbourhood, previously known as Hell’s Kitchen. He may be looking for a one-night-stand, but turnabout is fair play.
36. Phelan’s First Case ***** by Lisa Sandlin, Beaumont, Lone Star Noir (2010). This one is absolutely my style, more in the hardboiled detective vein. As the title says it is a short story introducing Sandlin’s occasional series featuring Tom Phelan and Delpha Wade. Private detective Phelan hires secretary Wade and starts a search for a missing highschooler.
37. A Nice Place to Visit ***** by Jeffery Deaver, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan Noir (2006). A small time thug, his Irish mob boss and a corrupt cop fall into a grifter scam. In trademark Deaver style the twist reveal at the end makes it all worthwhile. This is actually the final story in the collection, the rest being author biographies and promotional advertising.
Trivia and Links
There is a Goodreads Listopia for the Akashic Noir series which you can see here.
A complete list is available at the publisher Akashic Books own website here and that includes some forthcoming titles which are yet to be published.
March 25, 2017
Definitely a mixed bag, but that's often the case with both noir detective & short stories. There's a fine line between noir (dark) & horror both for the author & the reader. Other times the situation isn't really noir, just stupid & sad, so there will be failures to hit the correct balance. Most of these stories were either really good or so bad I didn't want to finish them. I abandoned a handful, but really liked most, especially the very last.
Short stories are also an art form alien to many authors today. I grew up reading pulps. Some of the best of this genre got started in the pulps which weeded out the worst of the 'describers'; authors that are compelled to set the mood with long, detailed descriptions. That's not what I read a short story for. I want the setting drawn quickly, the action packed in, & the point made with a twist.
Somehow I missed 2 of the stories in this collection in the audio book I got from the library. Looks like all the files are there, so I'm not sure if the TOC I found elsewhere online is wrong or if there is a difference between the print & audio versions.
Table of Contents
Part I: True Grit
Dennis Lehane, “Animal Rescue,” Dorchester, Boston Noir - 4 stars. Wow. Great character & excellent story & ending.
George Pelecanos, “The Confidential Informant,” Park View, NW, DC Noir - Somehow I missed this one. Perhaps a bad file transfer? I'll try to remember to go back to it later.
Susan Straight, “The Golden Gopher,” Downtown, Los Angeles Noir - I'm not sure what happened. After 20 minutes (which felt longer) of scattered story, I skipped to the next. 1 star
Pete Hamill, “The Book Signing,” Park Slope, Brooklyn Noir - was kind of long for the pay off. Not bad, though. 3 stars
Joyce Carol Oates, “Run Kiss Daddy,” Kittatinny Mountains, New Jersey Noir - took a while to set up, but then hit hard & left me wondering. 4 stars
Terrance Hayes, “Still Air,” East Liberty, Pittsburgh Noir - never grabbed me - DNF. 1 star
Jerome Charyn, “White Trash,” Claremont/Concourse, Bronx Noir - weird, but short. Never really understood part of it, though. 2 stars
Part II: American Values
Maggie Estep, “Alice Fantastic,” Aqueduct Racetrack, Queens Noir - I don't know whether to laugh or cry about this one. Opportunist very well done. 4 stars
Bayo Ojikutu, “The Gospel of Moral Ends,” 77th & Jeffery, Chicago Noir - religious ramblings for 45 min? Nope. Yuck. DNF, 1 star
Tim McLoughlin, “When All This Was Bay Ridge,” Sunset Park, Brooklyn Noir - Wow, you never really know your parents & the Blue Brotherhood. Loved the 'Irish' bar/cop thing. 5 stars
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, “Crazy for You,” Costa Mesa, Orange County Noir - was another excellent story. She tells the story so sympathetically, yet what a bad girl. 4 stars
Reed Farrel Coleman, “Mastermind,” Selden, Long Island Noir - LOL! Perfect! Timing is everything. 4.5 stars
Karen Karbo, “The Clown and Bard,” SE Twenty-Eighth Avenue, Portland Noir - OK, but just kind of sick. 2 stars
Part III: Road Rage
Michael Connelly, “Mulholland Dive,” Mullholand Drive, Los Angeles Noir - Could have been an excellent chilling story. As it was, it was memorable for a huge logic error I didn't like the addition of the supernatural bit at the end, either. 2 stars
Megan Abbott, “Our Eyes Couldn’t Stop Opening,” Alter Road, Detroit Noir - moody piece, got bored after 20 minutes of it. DNF 1 star
Lee Child, “Public Transportation,” Chandler, Phoenix Noir - chilling in several respects, but it could have been drawn together a bit better with a slightly longer story. As it was, the big reveal was dumped in without enough setup & seemed like cheating. 2 stars
Jonathan Safran Foer, “Too Near Real,” Princeton, New Jersey Noir - not really sure where reality starts & stops with this one, but didn't really care. 2 stars
James W. Hall, “Ride Along,” Coconut Grove, Miami Noir - nice twist, but somehow it didn't really grab me. I never really connected with any of the characters & found the end silly. 2 stars
Elyssa East, “Second Chance,” Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Noir - interesting & sad. Some boys deserve a second chance, others are beyond salvation. 5 stars
Part IV: Homeland Security
23) Don Winslow, “After Thirty,” Pacific Beach, San Diego Noir - was very well painted, definitely noir! 4 stars
J. Malcolm Garcia, “Missing Gene,” Troost Lake, Kansas City Noir - left me hanging. Just pointless & sad like the character. 2 stars
Julie Smith, “Loot,” Garden District, New Orleans Noir - was OK (another New Orleans storm story) until the end & then it was fantastic. 4 stars
Domenic Stansberry, “The Prison,” North Beach, San Francisco Noir - was good in a lot of ways, but the motivation was a bit too murky for me. 3 stars
Joseph Bruchac, “Helper,” Adirondacks, Indian Country Noir - very good with a lot packed into it. Great MC. 4 stars
Laura Lippman, “Easy As A-B-C,” Locust Point, Baltimore Noir - hit a lot of similarities with me: pretty customer, remodeling, Baltimore, & marriage. Then it went off into a great, unexpected ending. Real punch. 5 stars
Pir Rothenberg, “The Rose Red Vial,” Museum District, Richmond Noir - way longer than it should have been, but interesting in a lot of ways. I'd give it 4 stars if it was half the length. 2.5 stars as is.
Part V: Under the Influence
Luis Alberto Urrea, “Amapola,” Paradise Valley, Phoenix Noir - slowly sucked in, too slowly. Skipped through it to the end which didn't do anything for me. 1.5 stars
John O’Brien, “The Tik,” Scotch 80s, Las Vegas Noir - pointless violence. I listened to it all the way through waiting for something meaningful. Nothing. At least it was short. 1.5 stars
S.J. Rozan, “Lighthouse,” St. George, Staten Island Noir - just a sick guy. What a shame. Not worth the time it took. 1.5 stars
Asali Solomon, “Secret Pool,” West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Noir - Kids make dumb decisions for dumb reasons, doesn't matter the color or neighborhood. This took far too long a time to make that prosaic point. 1.5 stars
William Kent Kruger, “Bums,” West Side, St. Paul, Twin Cities Noir - very well done. Fully developed & yet short & to the point. Perfect noir MC. 5 stars
Part VI: Street Justice
T. Jefferson Parker, “Vic Primeval,” Kearny Mesa, San Diego Noir - great characters in a small, well drawn package. 5 stars
Tim Broderick, “Feeding Frenzy,” 40 Wall Street, Wall Street Noir - missed this one in my copy.
Bharti Kirchner “Promised Tulips,” Wallingford, Seattle Noir - not worth the time. No payoff & it took a long time not to make it, but I did listen to it all the way through - barely. 1.5 stars
Lawrence Block, “If You Can’t Stand the Heat,” Clinton, Manhattan Noir - great setup & twist. 4 stars
Lisa Sandlin, “Phelan’s First Case,” Beaumont, Lone Star Noir - was very well set up & while that made the ending less surprising, it was even more satisfactory. 4.5 stars
Jeffery Deaver, “A Nice Place to Visit,” Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan Noir - was icing on the cake. Fantastic! Perfect characters & such twists!!! The best story of the bunch.
Short stories are also an art form alien to many authors today. I grew up reading pulps. Some of the best of this genre got started in the pulps which weeded out the worst of the 'describers'; authors that are compelled to set the mood with long, detailed descriptions. That's not what I read a short story for. I want the setting drawn quickly, the action packed in, & the point made with a twist.
Somehow I missed 2 of the stories in this collection in the audio book I got from the library. Looks like all the files are there, so I'm not sure if the TOC I found elsewhere online is wrong or if there is a difference between the print & audio versions.
Table of Contents
Part I: True Grit
Dennis Lehane, “Animal Rescue,” Dorchester, Boston Noir - 4 stars. Wow. Great character & excellent story & ending.
George Pelecanos, “The Confidential Informant,” Park View, NW, DC Noir - Somehow I missed this one. Perhaps a bad file transfer? I'll try to remember to go back to it later.
Susan Straight, “The Golden Gopher,” Downtown, Los Angeles Noir - I'm not sure what happened. After 20 minutes (which felt longer) of scattered story, I skipped to the next. 1 star
Pete Hamill, “The Book Signing,” Park Slope, Brooklyn Noir - was kind of long for the pay off. Not bad, though. 3 stars
Joyce Carol Oates, “Run Kiss Daddy,” Kittatinny Mountains, New Jersey Noir - took a while to set up, but then hit hard & left me wondering. 4 stars
Terrance Hayes, “Still Air,” East Liberty, Pittsburgh Noir - never grabbed me - DNF. 1 star
Jerome Charyn, “White Trash,” Claremont/Concourse, Bronx Noir - weird, but short. Never really understood part of it, though. 2 stars
Part II: American Values
Maggie Estep, “Alice Fantastic,” Aqueduct Racetrack, Queens Noir - I don't know whether to laugh or cry about this one. Opportunist very well done. 4 stars
Bayo Ojikutu, “The Gospel of Moral Ends,” 77th & Jeffery, Chicago Noir - religious ramblings for 45 min? Nope. Yuck. DNF, 1 star
Tim McLoughlin, “When All This Was Bay Ridge,” Sunset Park, Brooklyn Noir - Wow, you never really know your parents & the Blue Brotherhood. Loved the 'Irish' bar/cop thing. 5 stars
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, “Crazy for You,” Costa Mesa, Orange County Noir - was another excellent story. She tells the story so sympathetically, yet what a bad girl. 4 stars
Reed Farrel Coleman, “Mastermind,” Selden, Long Island Noir - LOL! Perfect! Timing is everything. 4.5 stars
Karen Karbo, “The Clown and Bard,” SE Twenty-Eighth Avenue, Portland Noir - OK, but just kind of sick. 2 stars
Part III: Road Rage
Michael Connelly, “Mulholland Dive,” Mullholand Drive, Los Angeles Noir - Could have been an excellent chilling story. As it was, it was memorable for a huge logic error I didn't like the addition of the supernatural bit at the end, either. 2 stars
Megan Abbott, “Our Eyes Couldn’t Stop Opening,” Alter Road, Detroit Noir - moody piece, got bored after 20 minutes of it. DNF 1 star
Lee Child, “Public Transportation,” Chandler, Phoenix Noir - chilling in several respects, but it could have been drawn together a bit better with a slightly longer story. As it was, the big reveal was dumped in without enough setup & seemed like cheating. 2 stars
Jonathan Safran Foer, “Too Near Real,” Princeton, New Jersey Noir - not really sure where reality starts & stops with this one, but didn't really care. 2 stars
James W. Hall, “Ride Along,” Coconut Grove, Miami Noir - nice twist, but somehow it didn't really grab me. I never really connected with any of the characters & found the end silly. 2 stars
Elyssa East, “Second Chance,” Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Noir - interesting & sad. Some boys deserve a second chance, others are beyond salvation. 5 stars
Part IV: Homeland Security
23) Don Winslow, “After Thirty,” Pacific Beach, San Diego Noir - was very well painted, definitely noir! 4 stars
J. Malcolm Garcia, “Missing Gene,” Troost Lake, Kansas City Noir - left me hanging. Just pointless & sad like the character. 2 stars
Julie Smith, “Loot,” Garden District, New Orleans Noir - was OK (another New Orleans storm story) until the end & then it was fantastic. 4 stars
Domenic Stansberry, “The Prison,” North Beach, San Francisco Noir - was good in a lot of ways, but the motivation was a bit too murky for me. 3 stars
Joseph Bruchac, “Helper,” Adirondacks, Indian Country Noir - very good with a lot packed into it. Great MC. 4 stars
Laura Lippman, “Easy As A-B-C,” Locust Point, Baltimore Noir - hit a lot of similarities with me: pretty customer, remodeling, Baltimore, & marriage. Then it went off into a great, unexpected ending. Real punch. 5 stars
Pir Rothenberg, “The Rose Red Vial,” Museum District, Richmond Noir - way longer than it should have been, but interesting in a lot of ways. I'd give it 4 stars if it was half the length. 2.5 stars as is.
Part V: Under the Influence
Luis Alberto Urrea, “Amapola,” Paradise Valley, Phoenix Noir - slowly sucked in, too slowly. Skipped through it to the end which didn't do anything for me. 1.5 stars
John O’Brien, “The Tik,” Scotch 80s, Las Vegas Noir - pointless violence. I listened to it all the way through waiting for something meaningful. Nothing. At least it was short. 1.5 stars
S.J. Rozan, “Lighthouse,” St. George, Staten Island Noir - just a sick guy. What a shame. Not worth the time it took. 1.5 stars
Asali Solomon, “Secret Pool,” West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Noir - Kids make dumb decisions for dumb reasons, doesn't matter the color or neighborhood. This took far too long a time to make that prosaic point. 1.5 stars
William Kent Kruger, “Bums,” West Side, St. Paul, Twin Cities Noir - very well done. Fully developed & yet short & to the point. Perfect noir MC. 5 stars
Part VI: Street Justice
T. Jefferson Parker, “Vic Primeval,” Kearny Mesa, San Diego Noir - great characters in a small, well drawn package. 5 stars
Tim Broderick, “Feeding Frenzy,” 40 Wall Street, Wall Street Noir - missed this one in my copy.
Bharti Kirchner “Promised Tulips,” Wallingford, Seattle Noir - not worth the time. No payoff & it took a long time not to make it, but I did listen to it all the way through - barely. 1.5 stars
Lawrence Block, “If You Can’t Stand the Heat,” Clinton, Manhattan Noir - great setup & twist. 4 stars
Lisa Sandlin, “Phelan’s First Case,” Beaumont, Lone Star Noir - was very well set up & while that made the ending less surprising, it was even more satisfactory. 4.5 stars
Jeffery Deaver, “A Nice Place to Visit,” Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan Noir - was icing on the cake. Fantastic! Perfect characters & such twists!!! The best story of the bunch.
July 8, 2023
July 2023
Got out the book and am reading stories I haven’t yet read. Reed Farrell Coleman’s “Mastermind” with its deeply flawed narrator and Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Too Near Real” that’s not far from what is. Love these stories…
And...my story, "Crazy for You," originally published in Orange County Noir, is included in this anthology. Am I thrilled? YES!
Got out the book and am reading stories I haven’t yet read. Reed Farrell Coleman’s “Mastermind” with its deeply flawed narrator and Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Too Near Real” that’s not far from what is. Love these stories…
And...my story, "Crazy for You," originally published in Orange County Noir, is included in this anthology. Am I thrilled? YES!
November 9, 2013
This is another entry in the Akashic noir series-and an excellent one. The collection is edited by Johnny Temple and are amazingly and consistently excellent. They are written by some of the top writers in the country working today and were culled from other collections as the best of. The writers include Joyce Carol Oates, Dennis Lehane, Lawrence Block, Jonathan Safran Foer, Pete Hamill, Lee Child, and Laura Lippman-all terrific writers both from the mystery/noir genre and general fiction as well.
Particular favorites of mine include a beautiful, moody piece by Bharti Kirchner (from Seattle Noir), a punchy work by one of my favorite writers, Lawrence Block (Manhattan Noir), an excellent Foer (New Jersey Noir), a strong work by Megan Abbott, author of thriller Dare Me and... well, I clearly have too many favorites to name. My biggest problem with this book was focusing on which story to read next (my not being someone who likes to read collections in order). Oh, and I also loved the graphic contribution, Feeding Frenzy by Tim Broderick which I read several times.
This is a great book to dip into and read a story or two, confident that the odds are in your favor of getting a good read! I strongly recommend it to fans of crime as well as noir literature.
Particular favorites of mine include a beautiful, moody piece by Bharti Kirchner (from Seattle Noir), a punchy work by one of my favorite writers, Lawrence Block (Manhattan Noir), an excellent Foer (New Jersey Noir), a strong work by Megan Abbott, author of thriller Dare Me and... well, I clearly have too many favorites to name. My biggest problem with this book was focusing on which story to read next (my not being someone who likes to read collections in order). Oh, and I also loved the graphic contribution, Feeding Frenzy by Tim Broderick which I read several times.
This is a great book to dip into and read a story or two, confident that the odds are in your favor of getting a good read! I strongly recommend it to fans of crime as well as noir literature.
February 22, 2023
This was a lot of stories. Looking through hours of the audiobook - 22 hours, or 535 pages. Some stories were excellent, some of them I didn't really understand with all the plot-twists, some had a great potential and then the author ruined it for me in the end, etc.
If I consider all the stories, and mentally count the average grade, it would be three stars.
I found out there's a book called Zagreb Noir and I'm really interested to read it because I want to see how the foreigners see my country.
If I consider all the stories, and mentally count the average grade, it would be three stars.
I found out there's a book called Zagreb Noir and I'm really interested to read it because I want to see how the foreigners see my country.
June 5, 2018
The best USA-based stories in the Akashic noir series, compiled into one volume and edited by Johnny Temple!
WE ARE EXITE!
Push the link for full list of stories and authors, the book is divided into 6 different... well, not parts, more like themes:
True Grit (life's a bitch and then you die).
American values (good old apple pie).
Road Rage (they see me rollin they hatin).
Homeland Security (the one with all the stars and stripes).
Under the Influence (oooover the rainboooow).
Street Justice (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you).
Some stories are shiny black diamonds, some are less good, a mixed lot overall. Some cross from noir to horror (Joyce Carol Oates, “Run Kiss Daddy” heebe jeebies for life), some are ludicrously funny (Reed Farrel Coleman, “Mastermind” and James W. Hall, “Ride Along”) and yes, quite a few are out of this world boring (Bayo Ojikutu, “The Gospel of Moral Ends" - religion bla bla moralz moar bla bla or Megan Abbott, “Our Eyes Couldn’t Stop Opening” - omg, I fell asleep, such bore).
Why I chose to read this book? Why, Pinky, because of Lee Child's “Public Transportation”. Chilling, but alas - too short. 3* maybe?
My favorites from the whole bunch, in no particular order:
Dennis Lehane's “Animal Rescue”: The first in the selection and totally wowed me.
5 stars, great character studies, excellent storytelling and that ending. I was chilled, shocked and in awe.
Joyce Carol Oates's “Run Kiss Daddy”: Noir meets horror.
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett's “Crazy for You”: Good girl bad girl dead boy. Go girl.
Reed Farrel Coleman's “Mastermind”: Just like a Guy Ritch comedy and James W. Hall's “Ride Along,” with some true floridian crazy added. Love.
Jeffery Deaver, “A Nice Place to Visit”: An absolute favorite. Semper Fi, motherfuckers.
Elyssa East, “Second Chance”: not quite horror, interesting & tragic. Everybody deserves a second chance, some deserve more.
Julie Smith, “Loot”: a New Orleans storm story, started slow but quicly became fantastic.
Pir Rothenberg's “The Rose Red Vial”: A bit too long, as if author could not decide - just a short story or maybe a long long book. :D Yet, very interesting, would read more.
Joseph Bruchac's “Helper”: If you liked movie Walking Tall ,
you will love this story (and if you didn't like that movie, there's something really wrong with you).
William Kent Kruger's “Bums”: Broke my heart. For days. Perfect noir is perfect.
My favorites to hate:
Pete Hamill's “The Book Signing”: Revenge is a dish best served cold, but ingredients should not be so dumb and cocky.
Maggie Estep's “Alice Fantastic”: Read somewhere that author was inspired by Days of Heaven , so do yourself a favor and simply watch the movie (a bonus - young Richard Gere!). Story has no depth, no substance, blah.
Bayo Ojikutu's “The Gospel of Moral Ends”: I don't like religion. Like at all.
Bharti Kirchner's “Promised Tulips”: waste of time. No conclusion, no meaning, nothing.
Luis Alberto Urrea's “Amapola”: Lovely read at first, some interesting characters, but that ending was so dissapointing and broke the story for me.
Asali Solomon's “Secret Pool”: Dumb kids, dumb story. Really dumb. A pathetic try at some racial/social critique, but sadly, just dumb.
Overall, the book was very good, and I am pleased.
WE ARE EXITE!
Push the link for full list of stories and authors, the book is divided into 6 different... well, not parts, more like themes:
True Grit (life's a bitch and then you die).
American values (good old apple pie).
Road Rage (they see me rollin they hatin).
Homeland Security (the one with all the stars and stripes).
Under the Influence (oooover the rainboooow).
Street Justice (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you).
Some stories are shiny black diamonds, some are less good, a mixed lot overall. Some cross from noir to horror (Joyce Carol Oates, “Run Kiss Daddy” heebe jeebies for life), some are ludicrously funny (Reed Farrel Coleman, “Mastermind” and James W. Hall, “Ride Along”) and yes, quite a few are out of this world boring (Bayo Ojikutu, “The Gospel of Moral Ends" - religion bla bla moralz moar bla bla or Megan Abbott, “Our Eyes Couldn’t Stop Opening” - omg, I fell asleep, such bore).
Why I chose to read this book? Why, Pinky, because of Lee Child's “Public Transportation”. Chilling, but alas - too short. 3* maybe?
My favorites from the whole bunch, in no particular order:
Dennis Lehane's “Animal Rescue”: The first in the selection and totally wowed me.
5 stars, great character studies, excellent storytelling and that ending. I was chilled, shocked and in awe.
Joyce Carol Oates's “Run Kiss Daddy”: Noir meets horror.
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett's “Crazy for You”: Good girl bad girl dead boy. Go girl.
Reed Farrel Coleman's “Mastermind”: Just like a Guy Ritch comedy and James W. Hall's “Ride Along,” with some true floridian crazy added. Love.
Jeffery Deaver, “A Nice Place to Visit”: An absolute favorite. Semper Fi, motherfuckers.
Elyssa East, “Second Chance”: not quite horror, interesting & tragic. Everybody deserves a second chance, some deserve more.
Julie Smith, “Loot”: a New Orleans storm story, started slow but quicly became fantastic.
Pir Rothenberg's “The Rose Red Vial”: A bit too long, as if author could not decide - just a short story or maybe a long long book. :D Yet, very interesting, would read more.
Joseph Bruchac's “Helper”: If you liked movie Walking Tall ,
you will love this story (and if you didn't like that movie, there's something really wrong with you).
William Kent Kruger's “Bums”: Broke my heart. For days. Perfect noir is perfect.
My favorites to hate:
Pete Hamill's “The Book Signing”: Revenge is a dish best served cold, but ingredients should not be so dumb and cocky.
Maggie Estep's “Alice Fantastic”: Read somewhere that author was inspired by Days of Heaven , so do yourself a favor and simply watch the movie (a bonus - young Richard Gere!). Story has no depth, no substance, blah.
Bayo Ojikutu's “The Gospel of Moral Ends”: I don't like religion. Like at all.
Bharti Kirchner's “Promised Tulips”: waste of time. No conclusion, no meaning, nothing.
Luis Alberto Urrea's “Amapola”: Lovely read at first, some interesting characters, but that ending was so dissapointing and broke the story for me.
Asali Solomon's “Secret Pool”: Dumb kids, dumb story. Really dumb. A pathetic try at some racial/social critique, but sadly, just dumb.
Overall, the book was very good, and I am pleased.
Read
November 16, 2015Just finished Phelan's First Case, by Lisa Sandlin ("originally published in Lone Star Noir") which appears to be the prequel to The Do-Right. Entertaining and well-written short story, with great dialogue reminiscent of Raymond Chandler, for sure. The Texas Gulf Coast setting is a cool angle, and Beaumont is the perfect setup - gritty, industrial, and kind of defined by the interstate that runs through it. Hope to discover more great stories in this anthology - to be continued!
... I've read a few novels by T. Jefferson Parker. His story Vic Primeval here is just perfect.
... First graphic novel - short, short piece - I've encountered - Feeding Frenzy, by Tom Broderick. Didn't see that ending coming.
...White Trash, by Jerome Charyn. Gotta love a story that starts in Milledgeville, Georgia and ends up in the Bronx.
...
... I've read a few novels by T. Jefferson Parker. His story Vic Primeval here is just perfect.
... First graphic novel - short, short piece - I've encountered - Feeding Frenzy, by Tom Broderick. Didn't see that ending coming.
...White Trash, by Jerome Charyn. Gotta love a story that starts in Milledgeville, Georgia and ends up in the Bronx.
...
June 22, 2016
OK, so not every story is superb. But there are some fabulous stories, such as the scary Joyce Carol Oates's weird dad tale (wow) and the great Dennis Lehane's twisty crime story. I was entertained-- can't ask for more.
May 14, 2023
AMERIKA NOAR-Urednik DŽONI TEMPL
✒️"Jedini rad s moje početne liste poziva čiji rad nije ovde uključen jeste onaj kome nisam uspeo da uđem u trag:izdavač mi je objasnio da je pisac 'bukvalno u bekstvu'.
Džoni Templ-Uvod
🗂Nije lako biti Džoni😂
🗂 Templ je 1997.u Bruklinu osnovao izdavačku kuću Akashik books i posle nekoliko zbirki poezija i proze započet je serijal Noir koji sada,ako je verovati Goodreads-u–broji 123 zbirke pripovedaka. To je 123 gradova čiju tamnu stranu upoznajemo.
🗂Amerika noar je best of svih američkih gradova(sledeća me seli u Dablin). Upoznajemo njihove haustore,sumnjive lokale,istoriju,ne tako sjajnu prošlost i još tamniju sadašnjost. Mapa na sledećim slikama prikazuje koji su to gradovi.
🗂Moj best of priča iz ove knjige,po jedna iz svakog poglavlja koje sam vam već prikazala,sad samo sumiram. Redom kako se pojavljuju
🕶Dođi poljubi taticu-Džojs Kerol Ots-Najbolja pripovetka ako se gleda tehničko umeće građenja napetosti,i najjezivija tematski.
🕶Klovn i bard-Karel Kabo,najjači "šta sam to upravo pročitala" efekat.
🕶Nismo mogle da ne progledamo-Megan Abot-najšokantniji plot twist.
🕶Ružučasta fiola-Pir Rotenberg-omaž Edgaru Alanu Pou.
🕶Amapola-Luis Alberto Urea-najljubavnija priča.
🕶Filanov prvi slučaj-Liza Sandlin-ne opravdavam,ali razumem motive.
💅Činjenica da su ovde četiri autorke i samo dva autora potpuno je slučajna 😁
#7sensesofabook #knjige #bookstagram #readingaddict #literature
✒️"Jedini rad s moje početne liste poziva čiji rad nije ovde uključen jeste onaj kome nisam uspeo da uđem u trag:izdavač mi je objasnio da je pisac 'bukvalno u bekstvu'.
Džoni Templ-Uvod
🗂Nije lako biti Džoni😂
🗂 Templ je 1997.u Bruklinu osnovao izdavačku kuću Akashik books i posle nekoliko zbirki poezija i proze započet je serijal Noir koji sada,ako je verovati Goodreads-u–broji 123 zbirke pripovedaka. To je 123 gradova čiju tamnu stranu upoznajemo.
🗂Amerika noar je best of svih američkih gradova(sledeća me seli u Dablin). Upoznajemo njihove haustore,sumnjive lokale,istoriju,ne tako sjajnu prošlost i još tamniju sadašnjost. Mapa na sledećim slikama prikazuje koji su to gradovi.
🗂Moj best of priča iz ove knjige,po jedna iz svakog poglavlja koje sam vam već prikazala,sad samo sumiram. Redom kako se pojavljuju
🕶Dođi poljubi taticu-Džojs Kerol Ots-Najbolja pripovetka ako se gleda tehničko umeće građenja napetosti,i najjezivija tematski.
🕶Klovn i bard-Karel Kabo,najjači "šta sam to upravo pročitala" efekat.
🕶Nismo mogle da ne progledamo-Megan Abot-najšokantniji plot twist.
🕶Ružučasta fiola-Pir Rotenberg-omaž Edgaru Alanu Pou.
🕶Amapola-Luis Alberto Urea-najljubavnija priča.
🕶Filanov prvi slučaj-Liza Sandlin-ne opravdavam,ali razumem motive.
💅Činjenica da su ovde četiri autorke i samo dva autora potpuno je slučajna 😁
#7sensesofabook #knjige #bookstagram #readingaddict #literature
May 9, 2020
I love this Noir series. This one didn’t disappoint! If you like the genre, and don’t have time, this is it! Short stories that can be read in tandem or in spurts.
March 16, 2017
predobro, pravo olakšanje nakon zadnje knjige
oštro, britko, crno, mračno, nasilno, psihološki zdrmano
pročitala dvije priče i obje ovakve
ova biblioteka me prosto oduševila, samim time što nisu ovi silni isprazni psihološki krimići koji se štancaju na kile
zadnjih 5 koje sam pročitala svi isti
noir je baš noir, "težak" i udara u sridu
ali svaku pričicu imate što razmišljati, malo teksta, kroz tri riječi u rečenici sve rečeno. Pogotovo su takve u prvoj priči Dona Winslowa, on i inače tako piše
ostatak nadopišem, ali ne mogu čitati više od 2-3 priče na dan, previše razmišljanja i crnjaka :)
oštro, britko, crno, mračno, nasilno, psihološki zdrmano
pročitala dvije priče i obje ovakve
ova biblioteka me prosto oduševila, samim time što nisu ovi silni isprazni psihološki krimići koji se štancaju na kile
zadnjih 5 koje sam pročitala svi isti
noir je baš noir, "težak" i udara u sridu
ali svaku pričicu imate što razmišljati, malo teksta, kroz tri riječi u rečenici sve rečeno. Pogotovo su takve u prvoj priči Dona Winslowa, on i inače tako piše
ostatak nadopišem, ali ne mogu čitati više od 2-3 priče na dan, previše razmišljanja i crnjaka :)
Read
February 8, 2014This book is not for the faint of heart, and it's not for anyone who likes to cuddle up with a cozy mystery and a hot cup of tea before bed. This collection of noir Americana, hand-picked from the already-stellar Akashic anthology series, features the work of top contemporary writers along the ranks of Lee Child and Laura Lippman, and is full of dark-hearted fare that'll haunt your dreams.
Each story hails from a different urban underbelly, but they all share a few commonalities. Setting is always a character, helping to set each story's gritty atmosphere, tone, and mood. Grisly urban details are used as a subtle form of foreshadowing between the damaged, often unlikable characters and their complicated, usually dysfunctional relationships. A lot of the main characters are unreliable or downright devious, and many harbor deep faults—desperation, irresponsibility, longing for youth—that drive every action. There's a feeling in each story of innocence lost, or of its impending loss, and the reader is helpless to stop it. Many of the stories are both romantically and sexually bleak, as the characters are incapable of experiencing anything resembling love. Issues of race and social strata divisions are prevalent.
But the stories aren't merely a series of depressing social essays on the human condition. Just when I would begin to feel like I needed to watch a Disney movie for some balance, along would come a story that surprised me. Like Julie Smith's New Orleans-set tale, which showed me noir can be a breath of fresh air, even if you fall in love with the character you feel certain will ultimately meet their doom. Or Megan Abbott's Detroit ditty, which showed me the suburbs can be just as scary as the darkest corners of the city. Or Karen Karbo's Portland story, which taught me I can root for a murderer, as long as he's got a sense of humor.
These stories will make you feel something. There's no doubt about that. It's just a matter of what. The book's already gleaning awards, and I can see why. Just don't expect a cozy read, and have a Disney flick on hand for balance.
--
Review by Tiffany Turpin Johnson
Check out more from this review at LitReactor (http://litreactor.com/reviews/booksho...)!
Each story hails from a different urban underbelly, but they all share a few commonalities. Setting is always a character, helping to set each story's gritty atmosphere, tone, and mood. Grisly urban details are used as a subtle form of foreshadowing between the damaged, often unlikable characters and their complicated, usually dysfunctional relationships. A lot of the main characters are unreliable or downright devious, and many harbor deep faults—desperation, irresponsibility, longing for youth—that drive every action. There's a feeling in each story of innocence lost, or of its impending loss, and the reader is helpless to stop it. Many of the stories are both romantically and sexually bleak, as the characters are incapable of experiencing anything resembling love. Issues of race and social strata divisions are prevalent.
But the stories aren't merely a series of depressing social essays on the human condition. Just when I would begin to feel like I needed to watch a Disney movie for some balance, along would come a story that surprised me. Like Julie Smith's New Orleans-set tale, which showed me noir can be a breath of fresh air, even if you fall in love with the character you feel certain will ultimately meet their doom. Or Megan Abbott's Detroit ditty, which showed me the suburbs can be just as scary as the darkest corners of the city. Or Karen Karbo's Portland story, which taught me I can root for a murderer, as long as he's got a sense of humor.
These stories will make you feel something. There's no doubt about that. It's just a matter of what. The book's already gleaning awards, and I can see why. Just don't expect a cozy read, and have a Disney flick on hand for balance.
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Review by Tiffany Turpin Johnson
Check out more from this review at LitReactor (http://litreactor.com/reviews/booksho...)!
June 17, 2015
This was a collection of the best of the akashic noir series. There were short stories by different authors, from many different cities in the United States. It had some excellent stories, all with a dark side to them. There were some that were somewhat humorous, while others were downright depressing. But most were quite good. Because of this book, I now want to read many more of the akashic noir series.
February 26, 2022
So many gritty, dark, bloody tales … Noir!
Love it
May 9, 2021
This anthology’s entertainment value does not surpass that of “Best American Noir of the Century”, edited by James Ellroy and Otto Penzler. Even so, “USA Noir” contains many stories well worth your time.
My absolute favorite piece was “Confidential Informant”, by George Pelecanos. I think the reason I enjoyed his story so much is it exposed me to a sub-culture into which I have very little insight (i.e., police informants). Others gems include:
— “Amapola” by Luis Alberto Urrea
— “Animal” Rescue by Dennis Lehane
— “A Nice Place to Visit” by Jeffrey Deaver
— “Alice Fantastic” by Maggie Estep
Personally, I found myself losing interest mid-way through this book. Thankfully its latter half proved redemptive, despite the story I enjoyed least: “Promised Tulips”, by Bharti Kirchner. (This story might be better suited for a noir anthology with an Indian-American or immigrant theme.)
“USA Noir” might appeal to you if you’re seeking escapism through literature, but you’re unsure where it is to which you’d like to escape. Thus, it may help you pinpoint what cities or landscapes you enjoy reading about most. For example, judging from this book alone, I seem to enjoy reading about the Northeast’s oldest neighborhoods and the desert Southwest. Powerful intel like this could help you fill your shelves and even select future travel destinations. For these reasons, I highly recommend this book to any fan of crime fiction and especially its noir sub-genre. But I also recommend reading reviews like this one, so you know which stories to prioritize and which ones to consider skipping.
Full disclosure: I would rate this book 3.5 stars if GoodReads allowed its users to rate books on a half-star scale.
My absolute favorite piece was “Confidential Informant”, by George Pelecanos. I think the reason I enjoyed his story so much is it exposed me to a sub-culture into which I have very little insight (i.e., police informants). Others gems include:
— “Amapola” by Luis Alberto Urrea
— “Animal” Rescue by Dennis Lehane
— “A Nice Place to Visit” by Jeffrey Deaver
— “Alice Fantastic” by Maggie Estep
Personally, I found myself losing interest mid-way through this book. Thankfully its latter half proved redemptive, despite the story I enjoyed least: “Promised Tulips”, by Bharti Kirchner. (This story might be better suited for a noir anthology with an Indian-American or immigrant theme.)
“USA Noir” might appeal to you if you’re seeking escapism through literature, but you’re unsure where it is to which you’d like to escape. Thus, it may help you pinpoint what cities or landscapes you enjoy reading about most. For example, judging from this book alone, I seem to enjoy reading about the Northeast’s oldest neighborhoods and the desert Southwest. Powerful intel like this could help you fill your shelves and even select future travel destinations. For these reasons, I highly recommend this book to any fan of crime fiction and especially its noir sub-genre. But I also recommend reading reviews like this one, so you know which stories to prioritize and which ones to consider skipping.
Full disclosure: I would rate this book 3.5 stars if GoodReads allowed its users to rate books on a half-star scale.
April 26, 2020
Johnny Temple, destacado editor de la Editorial independiente Akashic Books y que ha puesto en el mapa a grandes autores norteamericanos contemporáneos, compila en este volumen una selección de cuentos del todo dispar y divididos según distintas regiones de los EEUU así como también temáticas relacionadas a su cultura. Dentro de todos los cuentos reunidos por Temple, los que más me llamaron la atención fueron "Corre y besa a papá" de Joyce Carol Oates, "Mulholland dive" de Michael Connelly, "Amapola" de Luis Alberto Urrea, "Promesa de tulipanes" de Bharti Kirchner, "El primer caso de Phelan" de Lisa Sandlin y "Un bonito lugar para ir de visita" de Jeffery Deaver. Con el resto de los relatos no logré conectarme o no me parecieron lo suficientemente relevantes como para ser incluidos en el libro. A pesar de esto, ha sido una lectura entretenida.
April 21, 2023
After perusing this mega-collection and having read many but not all of the stories, I have to say I think the Akashic Noir series works best in its original format - a smaller collection of tales tightly connected to a specific city or region. This was a mixed bag and the criss-crossing of the US didn't quite do it for me. That said, there were some good tales - Lee Child, a famous and vastly successful author and ironically one whose work I hadn't yet read, provides a five-page masterpiece. A couple of tales set on the Pacific coast during and immediately after World War II also stick in my memory, as does a sad tale told from the perspective of someone who hears voices and has guys in his head who coax him constantly. Several sucked, however, and I don't know how they made it into their original Akashic collection, let alone a best-of. But fiction is a subjective field.
May 27, 2023
"Animal Rescue": 9.5
- Sticks the landing ... and then doesn't. That is, though, an admittedly small consideration, as the great bulk of the story fires at an amazingly high level. A novel and film's worth of material is stuffed into these two dozen pages, which was an initial sentiment more correct than I could've imagined, as the story became the basis for precisely that: a subsequent Gandolfini movie and Lehane fixup. All the same, I can only imagine the inferior product that the novel is, considering all the "reveals" and intimations and blind alleys of the story had to have been padded and foreshadowed, if not directly explicated, whereas here they are both "hidden" and "unsealed" with such narrative dexterity that you don't quite realize until the realization comes.
- Sticks the landing ... and then doesn't. That is, though, an admittedly small consideration, as the great bulk of the story fires at an amazingly high level. A novel and film's worth of material is stuffed into these two dozen pages, which was an initial sentiment more correct than I could've imagined, as the story became the basis for precisely that: a subsequent Gandolfini movie and Lehane fixup. All the same, I can only imagine the inferior product that the novel is, considering all the "reveals" and intimations and blind alleys of the story had to have been padded and foreshadowed, if not directly explicated, whereas here they are both "hidden" and "unsealed" with such narrative dexterity that you don't quite realize until the realization comes.
October 13, 2024
9 Noir has been defined as ‘Of or relating to a genre of crime literature featuring tough, cynical characters and bleak settings.’ So naturally such an anthology is going to be emotionally draining and depressing. And then you have the borderline between Noir and just plain odd and depressing. A bit like the line between horror and sci-fi. Some stories from well known authors were disappointing. The ones I enjoyed the most: Tim McLoughlin, “When All This Was Bay Ridge,” Sunset Park, Joseph Bruchac, “Helper,” Adirondacks, Indian Country Noir, Lawrence Block, “If You Can’t Stand the Heat,” Clinton, Manhattan Noir.
February 11, 2022
In general, I prefer noir over straight mysteries. The shift from a focus on how clever a detective is to the internal world of the characters or the darker milieu is all it takes. It's less of a power fantasy, I should say. However, that said, the stories I've read in this book don't particularly stand out to me. It could very well be that the broad category of mystery doesn't generally appeal to me. I can recognize that there is very good writing present. But that's not always enough.
February 5, 2018
I have read several books in this Akashic Noir series, and this book is compilation of stories from each of the American cities. I would recommend reading this book rather than the whole series as this one is the cream of the crop. You can't go wrong with a book that starts off with Dennis Lehane and George Pelacanos.
November 14, 2019
Good Stuff
As is usual in an anthology, some stories work better than others. Won't say which ones didn't work for me, as everyone's taste differs. But I will say that cream does rise to the top, as the stories by the "known" authors in this collection particularly shine.
As is usual in an anthology, some stories work better than others. Won't say which ones didn't work for me, as everyone's taste differs. But I will say that cream does rise to the top, as the stories by the "known" authors in this collection particularly shine.
June 5, 2017
I enjoyed almost all the stories. Very highly recommended.
January 5, 2018
The short story format didn't quite keep me hooked like a noir novel.
April 11, 2019
This was a really good book. If like noir, this is your book.
July 25, 2020
A compendium from the city-based Noir series does not disappoint with excellent entries from Lawrence Block and Jeffrey Deavers.
September 16, 2020
The usual mix of good, bad, and mediocre
July 25, 2023
What a read! Very diverse cast of authors, with very different styles, but basically there was no weak story in this collection. Now I want to know more and read every other book from this series.
Read
July 29, 2015The 37 stories in this collection represent the best of the U.S.-based anthologies, and the list of contributors include virtually anyone who’s made the best-seller list with a work of crime fiction in the last decade…a must-have anthology.
New York Times Editors' Choice
Indie Books Roundup #1 Pick, Barnes & Noble Book Blog
One of "100 Best Books for Readers Young and Old," HispanicBusiness.com
"Readers will be hard put to find a better collection of short stories in any genre."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A must read for mystery fans, not just devotees of Akashic’s 'Noir' series, this anthology serves as both an introduction for newcomers and a greatest-hits package for regular readers of the series… There isn’t a weak story in the collection…Strongly recommended for readers who enjoy mysteries published by Hard Case Crime, as well as for fans of police procedurals."
--Library Journal (starred review)
"The 37 stories in this collection represent the best of the U.S.-based anthologies, and the list of contributors include virtually anyone who’s made the best-seller list with a work of crime fiction in the last decade…a must-have anthology."
--Booklist (starred review)
"It’s hard to imagine how the present anthology could be topped for sheer marquee appeal…Perhaps the single most impressive feature of the collection is its range of voices, from Joyce Carol Oates’ faux innocent young family to Megan Abbott’s impressionable high school kids to the chorus of peremptory voices S.J. Rozan plants in a haunted thief’s head. Eat your heart out, Walt Whitman: These are the folks who hear America singing, and moaning and screaming."
--Kirkus Reviews
"All the heavy hitters…came out for USA Noir…an important anthology of stories shrewdly culled by Johnny Temple."
--New York Times Book Review (Editor's Choice)
"This is, without question, a must-have collection that serves equally well as an introduction to each of the authors as it does the Noir series itself. Regardless if you read the stories in the order presented, or go directly to those by some of your favorites, you’ll find USA Noir on your nightstand or reading table for many nights."
--Bookgasm
"So, thanks a million to antho editor and Akashic Books head honcho Johnny Temple for doing such a crackerjack job of overloading my schedule with these dark and dirty pleasures."
--Austin Chronicle
"For Christmas, someone could give me USA Noir: Best of the Akashic Noir Series--a good way to offset all the goodwill and frivolity."
--The Observer (UK), a Book of the Year
"For those who prefer their crime closer to home, there is USA Noir, a veritable greatest hits of Akashic’s long-running, acclaimed noir anthology series, rounding up solid gold blackness of the bleakest and darkest kind…Like Chuck Berry sang, 'Anything you want, we got right here in the USA.'"
--Mystery Scene Magazine
Contributors include: Dennis Lehane, Don Winslow, Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, Susan Straight, Jonathan Safran Foer, Laura Lippman, Pete Hamill, Joyce Carol Oates, Lee Child, T. Jefferson Parker, Lawrence Block, Terrance Hayes, Jerome Charyn, Jeffery Deaver, Maggie Estep, Bayo Ojikutu, Tim McLoughlin, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Reed Farrel Coleman, Megan Abbott, Elyssa East, James W. Hall, J. Malcolm Garcia, Julie Smith, Joseph Bruchac, Pir Rothenberg, Luis Alberto Urrea, Domenic Stansberry, John O'Brien, S.J. Rozan, Asali Solomon, William Kent Krueger, Tim Broderick, Bharti Kirchner, Karen Karbo, and Lisa Sandlin.
Launched with the summer 2004 award-winning bestseller Brooklyn Noir, the groundbreaking Akashic Noir series now includes over sixty volumes and counting. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct location within the city or region of the book. This is the first "best of" volume and it powerfully conveys what the series has accomplished.
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