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Miami Noir
“For such a sun-stoked place, Miami sure is shady . . . this batch of dirty deep South Florida fiction might just send you packing . . . your own heat.” —SunPost Don’t let the fabulous weather, the beach bodies, and the high-end boutiques fool you. There is a darkness to Miami that can hit just as hard as a hurricane. If by day, the streets are lined with tourists, at night the gangsters, drug dealers, and desperate come out to play. It’s this Miami that has captured the imagination of some of the city’s best writers. Miami Noir includes stories by James W. Hall, Barbara Parker, John Dufresne, Paul Levine, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Tom Corcoran, Christine Kling, George Tucker, Kevin Allen, Anthony Dale Gagliano, David Beaty, Vicki Hendricks, John Bond, Preston Allen, Lynne Barrett, and Jeffrey Wehr. “For different reasons these stories cultivate a little something special, a radiance, a humanity, even a grace, In the midst of the noir gloom, and thereby set themselves apart. Variety, familiarity, mood and tone, and the occasional gem of a story make Miami Noir a collection to savor.” —The Miami Herald “Murder is nothing new in Miami—or any other big city, for that matter. But seldom has it been so entertaining as it is in the 16 short stories included in Miami Noir.” —Palm Beach Daily News “This well-chosen short story collection isn’t just a thoughtful compilation of work by some of South Florida’s best and upcoming writers. Each Miami Noir story also is a window on a different part of Miami-Dade and its melting pot of cultures.” —South Florida Sun-Sentinel
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2006
66 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
James W. Hall
69 books488 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James W. Hall is an Edgar and Shamus Award-winning author whose books have been translated into a dozen languages. He has written twenty-one novels, four books of poetry, two collections of short stories, and two works of non-fiction. He also won a John D. MacDonald Award for Excellence in Florida Fiction, presented by the JDM Bibliophile.
He has a master’s degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in literature from the University of Utah. He was a professor of literature and creative writing at Florida International University for 40 years where he taught such writers as Vicky Hendricks, Christine Kling, Barbara Parker and Dennis Lehane.
James W. Hall is an Edgar and Shamus Award-winning author whose books have been translated into a dozen languages. He has written twenty-one novels, four books of poetry, two collections of short stories, and two works of non-fiction. He also won a John D. MacDonald Award for Excellence in Florida Fiction, presented by the JDM Bibliophile.
He has a master’s degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in literature from the University of Utah. He was a professor of literature and creative writing at Florida International University for 40 years where he taught such writers as Vicky Hendricks, Christine Kling, Barbara Parker and Dennis Lehane.
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October 3, 2017So, despite the fact that I've pretty much determined that, given my current reading list's structure, I'll probably never catch up with this anthology series, I still slotted two entries in it per "reading list" cycle. Because I like the idea (modern "noir" stories set in different cities - more on those quotes to follow), and I like to keep my hand in what's going on in modern short-fiction outside of my usual interests (horror/supernatural), so reading an entry in Akashic's "noir city" series is like picking up a random issue of a crime fiction magazine, if anyone even publishes those anymore...
And, as previously, the definition of "noir" is pretty flexible here - sometimes the real deal (gritty crime scenarios with morally conflicted characters), but just as often stories involving a "crime", or detective fiction, or even the occasional "dark" lit character piece. And this time out, it's Miami, a city to which I have never been and which, iirc, was the setting of the "so awful you had to love it" DEXTER serial-killer tv series.
Also as usual or the review structure, weak to strong: "Silence Of The Stone" by George Tucker has two academic archaeologists, both experts in the same ancient weapon, vying for the same job, until one turns up dead (murdered by said weapon, natch). This is a fairly routine murder mystery with only the archeological angle providing any real interest, while also serving to make the eventual outcome obvious. I found Carolina Garcia-Aguilera's "The Recipe" poorly written, sorry to say, as all details about a man killing his neighbor is related to us passively, after the fact, and just seemed kind of cheaply shocking. "Sawyers" by Kevin Allen is set in during the Great Depression and has a road-weary man and his daughter join the small crew at a remote logging camp, where their secrets are eventually revealed. I liked the setting of this, and the spare, deft character work but found it unsatisfying as a "noir" story. "Barbara Parker's "Machete" has research on a divorce case become unexpectedly complicated for a private eye when the husband is hacked to death with a machete. A solid mystery but nothing special.
Paul Levine' "Solomon & Lord Drop Anchor" has his series characters (I presume), a married lawyer couple, escort a scam artist (who took 3 million from their client) into international waters in an attempt to put some pressure on him. But things don't go as planned. A fun, breezy little character romp. In "The Last Of Lord Jitters," a hurricane threatens the safety of a couple just returned from a vacation, as does the presence of the husband's ne'er-do-well junkie brother and his associate with a clouded past who claims to be a British Lord. David Beaty's story was well-written and engaging, but has a somewhat anticlimactic ending. Preston Allen's "Swap Out" is told entirely in a dialogue between two inmates, and is thin but enjoyable as the one man tells of his problems with his brother-in-law - would make good audio.
Next are all the totally solid, "good" stories. "Ride Along" by James W. Hall has a crime author request access to the real world of criminals from one of his writing class students, a loose-cannon thug. But who's using who in this nasty little piece? Christine Kling's "Dead Storage" has a bright but troubled 16 year old girl, who resides in a trailer park/marine storage yard with her alcoholic, molester father, prove that she's not stupid. There's some nice locale work and character detail in this familiar story. In "Blown Away", a teacher, wandering after a devastating hurricane, fiends himself befriended by a cop on a mission through the rubble. A bleak, cold, sad and effective story by Anthony Dale Gagliano. Tom Corcoran, in "Another Man Ceiling," has an ex-con contacted about aiding some money launderers, but plans go awry. I liked the rather flat, prosaic way in which the aging criminals do business in this one. Another bleak one (about a family annihilator who interviews with a police consultant who has a knack for reading people) is found in "The Timing Of Unfelt Smiles" by John Dufresne. On a slightly more humorous tip, Vicki Hendricks' "Boozeanne, Lemme Be" features an extremely small man who sets himself up with the perfect, rent-free life, until his love for a barfly leads him astray. Cute. In "T-Bird", a professional gambler makes an unusual deal to assist a couple in pulling a settlement scam, but his ability to read odds does not help him expect a predicament. An engaging read by John Bond.
Two stories here were outstanding. Lynne Barrett's "The Noir Boudoir" features "magpies" - deceased estate "pickers" with specific expertise ("we'd be mere hoarders if we didn't sell") descending on the perfectly preserved holdings in the apartment of a decades-past, notorious femme fatale with two dead husbands to her "fame". But after everything is carted off, they find themselves subject to burglaries as long passed history begins to impinge on the present day. A well-done mystery with an interesting milieu, characters and semi-nostalgic tone. On the flip side, "The Swimmers" by Jeffrey Wehr painstakingly illustrates the desperate experiences of Haitian refugees fleeing their country through the auspices of human smugglers, who leave them stranded on a sandbar just offshore. An excellent example of "survival horror" that I may purchase for the Pseudopod podcast.
And, as previously, the definition of "noir" is pretty flexible here - sometimes the real deal (gritty crime scenarios with morally conflicted characters), but just as often stories involving a "crime", or detective fiction, or even the occasional "dark" lit character piece. And this time out, it's Miami, a city to which I have never been and which, iirc, was the setting of the "so awful you had to love it" DEXTER serial-killer tv series.
Also as usual or the review structure, weak to strong: "Silence Of The Stone" by George Tucker has two academic archaeologists, both experts in the same ancient weapon, vying for the same job, until one turns up dead (murdered by said weapon, natch). This is a fairly routine murder mystery with only the archeological angle providing any real interest, while also serving to make the eventual outcome obvious. I found Carolina Garcia-Aguilera's "The Recipe" poorly written, sorry to say, as all details about a man killing his neighbor is related to us passively, after the fact, and just seemed kind of cheaply shocking. "Sawyers" by Kevin Allen is set in during the Great Depression and has a road-weary man and his daughter join the small crew at a remote logging camp, where their secrets are eventually revealed. I liked the setting of this, and the spare, deft character work but found it unsatisfying as a "noir" story. "Barbara Parker's "Machete" has research on a divorce case become unexpectedly complicated for a private eye when the husband is hacked to death with a machete. A solid mystery but nothing special.
Paul Levine' "Solomon & Lord Drop Anchor" has his series characters (I presume), a married lawyer couple, escort a scam artist (who took 3 million from their client) into international waters in an attempt to put some pressure on him. But things don't go as planned. A fun, breezy little character romp. In "The Last Of Lord Jitters," a hurricane threatens the safety of a couple just returned from a vacation, as does the presence of the husband's ne'er-do-well junkie brother and his associate with a clouded past who claims to be a British Lord. David Beaty's story was well-written and engaging, but has a somewhat anticlimactic ending. Preston Allen's "Swap Out" is told entirely in a dialogue between two inmates, and is thin but enjoyable as the one man tells of his problems with his brother-in-law - would make good audio.
Next are all the totally solid, "good" stories. "Ride Along" by James W. Hall has a crime author request access to the real world of criminals from one of his writing class students, a loose-cannon thug. But who's using who in this nasty little piece? Christine Kling's "Dead Storage" has a bright but troubled 16 year old girl, who resides in a trailer park/marine storage yard with her alcoholic, molester father, prove that she's not stupid. There's some nice locale work and character detail in this familiar story. In "Blown Away", a teacher, wandering after a devastating hurricane, fiends himself befriended by a cop on a mission through the rubble. A bleak, cold, sad and effective story by Anthony Dale Gagliano. Tom Corcoran, in "Another Man Ceiling," has an ex-con contacted about aiding some money launderers, but plans go awry. I liked the rather flat, prosaic way in which the aging criminals do business in this one. Another bleak one (about a family annihilator who interviews with a police consultant who has a knack for reading people) is found in "The Timing Of Unfelt Smiles" by John Dufresne. On a slightly more humorous tip, Vicki Hendricks' "Boozeanne, Lemme Be" features an extremely small man who sets himself up with the perfect, rent-free life, until his love for a barfly leads him astray. Cute. In "T-Bird", a professional gambler makes an unusual deal to assist a couple in pulling a settlement scam, but his ability to read odds does not help him expect a predicament. An engaging read by John Bond.
Two stories here were outstanding. Lynne Barrett's "The Noir Boudoir" features "magpies" - deceased estate "pickers" with specific expertise ("we'd be mere hoarders if we didn't sell") descending on the perfectly preserved holdings in the apartment of a decades-past, notorious femme fatale with two dead husbands to her "fame". But after everything is carted off, they find themselves subject to burglaries as long passed history begins to impinge on the present day. A well-done mystery with an interesting milieu, characters and semi-nostalgic tone. On the flip side, "The Swimmers" by Jeffrey Wehr painstakingly illustrates the desperate experiences of Haitian refugees fleeing their country through the auspices of human smugglers, who leave them stranded on a sandbar just offshore. An excellent example of "survival horror" that I may purchase for the Pseudopod podcast.
January 23, 2012
After reading the LA Noir collection, I was reluctant to read the rest of the series. I mean, why bother? Noir was conceived, born, and raised in Los Angeles. Other cities don't count. And this held true until this book. Detroit? Not so much. Brooklyn? Yawn. But well done, Miami! The juxtaposition of darkness and hazy light is brilliant. Bright, brash colors and dark, deep crime. Hurrah for the birthplace of Dexter. Is it better than the LA collection? No, but it wins second place from a picky noir critic.
August 10, 2013
Abandoned this one about half way through. I've been reading "Florida stuff" as I'm going to be spending some time there later this year. This collection was.... eh. If I didn't know much about noir, I'd come away from the first half of Miami Noir thinking that incest was a plot requirement. Strange that there is so much of it here, and that it doesn't really add any depth to the narratives here - which are, admittedly, short stories so in need of quick resolution. Just all felt a bit hackneyed, so I got bored.
September 28, 2025
Like all short story collections some of the stories we just alright, some were great, and some fell In between.
I had hope they would have been more mystery driven or had a darker story, overall it was an enjoyable book.
I had hope they would have been more mystery driven or had a darker story, overall it was an enjoyable book.
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December 28, 2019About 5 good stories I liked
Standouts were (badly summarized by me)
Boozeanne, Lemme Be by Vicki Hendricks, a story of a sad squatter who found love and lost it all.
Ride Along by James Hall, a story that felt like Barry but is very much not Barry in a disturbing way. Glad they opened with this one, because there's a serious gap between this one and the rest of the stories I liked.
The Noir Boudoir by Lynne Barrett, the fantastic story of an antiquer ex-cop and an old starlet's estate.
Machete by Barbara Parker, a fun little whodunit with some supernatural flair.
T-Bird by John Bond that's a bit of a poker-themed twist on Double Indemnity. Not perfectly executed, but I liked the idea and the poker metaphors were fun.
Standouts were (badly summarized by me)
Boozeanne, Lemme Be by Vicki Hendricks, a story of a sad squatter who found love and lost it all.
Ride Along by James Hall, a story that felt like Barry but is very much not Barry in a disturbing way. Glad they opened with this one, because there's a serious gap between this one and the rest of the stories I liked.
The Noir Boudoir by Lynne Barrett, the fantastic story of an antiquer ex-cop and an old starlet's estate.
Machete by Barbara Parker, a fun little whodunit with some supernatural flair.
T-Bird by John Bond that's a bit of a poker-themed twist on Double Indemnity. Not perfectly executed, but I liked the idea and the poker metaphors were fun.
January 24, 2015
The first story, by James W. Hall, is worth the cost of the book. Brilliant writing and gritty funny tale. Other stories were less successful but my Florida obcession made me persevere.
July 14, 2017
A good entry in this series of city-based noir stories, that started a little on shaky ground, but finished strong. Standout stories by Lynne Barrett, Barbara Parker, and Vicki Hendricks, but every story here has at least some spark, twist, or unique voice that makes it worth the time it takes to read it.
February 1, 2019
Great stuff, I am not always a fan of the short stories, But Noir lends it self nicely to it.
I was surprised to discover this is one of 100 book series, Akashic noir Series
and I look forward to finding a few more of this series
I was surprised to discover this is one of 100 book series, Akashic noir Series
and I look forward to finding a few more of this series
May 29, 2020
I'm a big fan of the Akashic Noir series, but this entry was bad. The stories are consistently underwhelming, and the writing and editing seemed lazy. The editor made a point of declining to include any of his own work. Skip this entry and try one of the other Akashic Noir entries.
January 3, 2021
Hit and miss. Some stories are memorable but others are just okay. It's a good way to discover authors you may have missed. If you can get the ebook on a bargain deal it's well worth it. If I could give 3 & 1\2 I would.
October 25, 2020
Some very entertaining and engaging short stories in this collection focused in and around Miami. I also found some good authors to follow up on, with characters all based in Florida.
December 22, 2022
it was ok...
April 10, 2025
Definitely gloss over this edition if you're not a fan on rape, rape, rape
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2013
A good addition to the Noir series, Miami Noir is a collection of stories that take place in or around Miami. I found it to be a good solid collection. In James W Hall's "Ride along" a college creative writing professor gets more than he bargains for when he pairs up with a career criminal in order to get firsthand experience of violence for his writing. In Dead Storage, a teenager takes indirect revenge on he abusive father. Kevin Allen wrote the only story set in the past, about a poor father and son who have a run-in with a con man in his beautiful daughter. Paul Levine writes a story about a lawyer and his partner who end up in a life-and-death struggle with the criminal aboard his yacht. One of my favorite stories was the Last of Law Jitters by David Beaty, about a young wife whose is trapped in a hurricane with her husband and her husbands junkie brother and his friend, who both grow more unhinged as the storm rages outside. The Timing of Unfelt Smiles about a man who goes on a murder rampage, slaughtering his family and eventually ending up in a battle of wits with a psychiatrist. Vicki Hendricks writes a story of a slow man who is coerced into a brutal robbery by his scheming girlfriend. The last story was called the swimmers by Jeffrey Wehr, and was the saddest of the group, about an ill-fated boatload of illegal Cuban immigrants who try to reach the United States. Overall, this was a good collection
May 16, 2012
I love noir and apparently there's a series of noir with some known and not quite so known writers contributing. Just to name a few, there's Brooklyn Noir, D. C., LA and New Orleans, London, San Francisco, and many more. My edition had map of Miami area with places starred by palm tree where the stories were placed. Nice little touch!
Bought this one because it had so many of my favorite authors; James W. Hall, Paul Levine, Tom Corcoran, Barbara Parker and edited by Les Standiford whose writing I also love. One of my favorite stories though was an unknown to me author, Christine Kling, who I will put on my to-read list.
Most of the stories were good to much better than good, excellent. My two favorites would be Kling and Hall's short stories.
As a personal bonus, when Hall and Standiford were in St. Augustine last September (they were speakers at writing conference luncheon) I had opportunity to meet both and have them sign my edition.
What a great talk at lunch. Lunch, not so great, Hall and I agreed, but entertainment of those two going back and forth made up for the so-so lunch. That was the treat, listening to two great writers who know each other well and banter humorously over cold grilled chicken. That banter was delicious and unforgettable.
Bought this one because it had so many of my favorite authors; James W. Hall, Paul Levine, Tom Corcoran, Barbara Parker and edited by Les Standiford whose writing I also love. One of my favorite stories though was an unknown to me author, Christine Kling, who I will put on my to-read list.
Most of the stories were good to much better than good, excellent. My two favorites would be Kling and Hall's short stories.
As a personal bonus, when Hall and Standiford were in St. Augustine last September (they were speakers at writing conference luncheon) I had opportunity to meet both and have them sign my edition.
What a great talk at lunch. Lunch, not so great, Hall and I agreed, but entertainment of those two going back and forth made up for the so-so lunch. That was the treat, listening to two great writers who know each other well and banter humorously over cold grilled chicken. That banter was delicious and unforgettable.
January 2, 2013
I have recently discovered this whole genre of books that are short stories by current popular authors of mystery/thriller. They are collections of short stories by the authors from the particular city the book is named for???. ( For instance,"Miami Noir", is short stories from authors who live in Miami, and that are set in, Miami.) I have also read,"London Noir, San Francisco Noir, Los Angeles Noir,(1 & 2), and, Manhattan Noir,(1 & 2). They are a great way to find new authors and then read some of there novels. Plus I love reading short stories before I go to bed so I don't end up staying awake to late trying to get to a point in the book where I feel I can put it down till the next night.
August 24, 2011
One of the longer books in the series and full of good stories. Hurricanes are in several as well as white trash, an alligator, Haitans, Cubans, drugs, gamblers, runaways, and insane people. There are the usual ex-cops turned PI's as well as one who has become a collector from estate sales. Just a very interesting melange of stories and in some of them all the characters and elements merge.
October 11, 2010
I knew this anthology was going to be great because it's edited by Les Standiford, the director of the creative writing program at Florida International University. Standiford is an outstanding fiction and nonfiction writer. This book made me want to book a trip to Miami.
August 8, 2018
A little uneven, but many good stories.
December 26, 2009
The quality of stories was uneven, but the good ones were quick to grab your attention. A brisk and entertaining read.
Want to Read
July 29, 2015James Hall, Barbara Parker, John Dufresne, Paul Levine, and others reveal the dark and delicious side of Paradise.
**
November 5, 2015
Some of these were fantastic, others not so much, but overall the good ones made it definitely worth the read.
April 21, 2017
One or two good stories. The rest are absolute GARBAGE
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews