Portland Noir

by Kevin Sampsell

In a city full of police controversies, hippie artist punk houses, and overzealous liberals, Portland, Oregon, is a place where even its fiction blurs with its bizarre realities.Brand-new stories Gigi Little, Justin Hocking, Christopher Bolton, Jess Walter, Monica Drake, Jamie S. Rich (illustrated by Joelle Jones), Dan DeWeese, Zoe Trope, Luciana Lopez, Karen Karbo, Bill Cameron, Ariel Gore, Floyd Skloot, Megan Kruse, Kimberly Warner-Cohen, and Jonathan Selwood.Editor Kevin Sampsell is a bookstore employee and writer. He is the author of a short story collection, Creamy Bullets (Chiasmus Press), and the upcoming memoir The Suitcase (HarperPerennial, summer 2009). He is also the editor of The Insomniac Reader (Manic D Press) and the publisher of the micropress Future Tense Books.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Noir, Anthologies, Thriller

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2009

About the author

I am the publisher of Future Tense Books in Portland, Oregon. I work at Powell's Books and also make collage art. I have written reviews and articles for various papers and mags. I have a few books out. My memoir, A Common Pornography, was published by Harper Perennial and my novel, This Is Between Us, was published by Tin House Books. I also edited Portland Noir, a book of crime fiction published by Akashic Books. My book of collage art and poetry, I Made an Accident, came out in 2022 from Clash Books.

Here's a few links to some stuff:
My essay on the loss of a friend, the loss of a book, and depression
My Tumblr of collage!
Flash Fiction on X-R-A-Y
My essay on Prince nostalgia and going to see The Revolution
My essay about coronavirus closing down Powell's
Short story at Hobart
The sad history of my football fandom
Flash Fiction on Wigleaf
My Paper Trumpets collage column at The Rumpus
Excerpts from This Is Between Us
My Longreads essay about my mom's Alzheimer's.
My Salon essay about suicide.
Short story on Joyland
Short fiction at The Rupture
Memoir excerpt on Smith Magazine.
I Know Who You Raped Last Summer.
My essay on bookselling and winning a Patterson bonus
On my first three kisses
Poems on Ink Node
Flash memoirs at 3am Magazine
Bookslut Interview
Flash Memoir pieces on McSweeney's
Fiction piece ("Options") on Identity Theory

Interview on The Rumpus

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I edited this really fun and gritty collection of literary crime fiction for Akashic. It comes out in early June. Some great Portland lit stars like Monica Drake, Ariel Gore, and Zoe Trope team up with seasoned mystery authors like Jess Walter ad Bill Cameron. But a couple of my favorite pieces came from lesser-known Portlanders like Dan DeWeese and Megan Kruse.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Portland Noir will give you false impressions of Portland, Oregon. This town's not nearly as uniformly seedy as these pages portray. Nor is it as smoky, especially after the indoor-smoking ban went through, a year or more after most of these stories were written. Nor will you be tripping over a body every block or so in real life here. Honestly, I know... this is the town where I live.

However, Kevin Sampsell's book does contain a wealth of local color—the gray of drizzle and the green of moss; the rich, dark browns of strong roasted coffee and microbrewed porter—and those details all ring true to me. Or true enough, anyway; storytellers lie to us, you know, dark and beautiful lies that we invite with our eyes... and that's just what you'll get here: dark and beautiful lies, though the beauty's often in the shine of a bruise or the slick of rain-washed blood under a streetlight.

Each story is keyed to a particular area of Stumptown, and there's even a map at the front to show you where each one lies. Oregonian readers (and others) will recognize Floyd Skloot's name among the contributors; the other names didn't ring many bells with me, but their work stands on its own: every story is consistently strong and emotionally charged.

If I had to pick three favorites, it'd be very tough to do. Sampsell did a stunning job assembling this book. Looking back over the Table of Contents... the new homeowner who turns amateur detective in Luciana Lopez's "Julia Now"; Bill Cameron's "Coffee, Black" from the Crooks & Cops section, with its adroit mix of global and local politics; and the graphic (as in, black-and-white art) story "Gone Doggy Gone," by Jamie S. Rich and Joëlle Jones. And oh, okay, toss in Jonathan Selwood's "The Wrong House," which 'happened' just up the street from me.

I suppose it's unfair of me to complain about the fact that all of these stories are dark; it is a noir anthology, after all. Happy endings aren't in the cards. The most you can hope for is bittersweet. And for that reason I would recommend reading this book in small doses, one or two tales at a time, rather than all at once—unless you think you're tough enough to handle it.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another anthology, this one based in Portland Oregon. Not bad. There's a graphic story included that helps make this one stand out a little.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should be required reading for the Portland State Univ. Pop Culture cluster... course titled “Olde Portland” if there was one.

[Elvira · Rating 1 out of 5]

since this is a series of short stories - each written by a different author, I kept reading think that the next one HAS to be better than the one I just finished. NOPE! they all were horrible.

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

i literally threw this book away after i had finished it because it was so terrible.

[Sonia · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a disappointment. The only worthwhile pieces are those of Jess Walter and Floyd Skloot. Others are so self-indulgent and overwritten that I was turned off from this whole series, and indeed from some of the local authors whose other works I was planning to read.

It's not my main complaint, but the fact that this is an all-white-but-one book is not only irresponsible but a missed opportunity.

[Jacob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cool to see stories in my favorite genre set in Portland. Felt uneven in quality and, much like the city, lacked diversity. A few standouts and a few clunkers.

[Joy Cartier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dim the lights, put on some slow-burning jazz, and loosen your tie as you take the craft of flash fiction writing and apply it to the seedy, crime-riddled world of noir fiction. Your job is to present an engaging story in 500 words or less in that grand tradition of Raymond Chandler, Patricia Highsmith, or Jim Thompson. This contest is a fundraiser for p:ear, a program for homeless and transitional youth, and will be judged by Kevin Sampsell, editor of the bestselling anthology, Portland Noir (Akashic Books). The top three stories will be read at p:ear noir the fundraising event on October 7th from 7-9p, benefiting p:ear, and located at 338 NW 6th Ave. Author of the winning story will receive a $50 gift certificate to Powell's Bookstore (available on line), a signed copy of Portland Noir, and a chapbook from IPRC containing the top 10 flash fiction entries.

Entry fee: $15, a mighty portion of the proceeds benefit p:ear.

Deadline: please submit Flash Fiction entries by September 11th online at www.pearmentor.org or wordstockfestival.com or mail them with check to Flash Fiction, p:ear, 338 NW 6th, Portland OR 97209

As in the rest of the series from Akashic, all the stories in Portland Noir are set in a specific city. If you live in Portland, OR read this book. If you don't live in Portland, read this book. It details the underbelly of any city. It's got everything - cops and robbers, otherworldly Twilight Zone stuff, and other stories that defy easy categorization in a voice that keeps you listening.

Portland Noir is so good and well, so darn fun I have to recommend the fund raiser that's being based on it for p:ear, a program for homeless youth in Portland (www.pearmentor.org). In collaboration with Wordstock (www.wordstockfestival.com) and Kevin Sampsell, the editor of Portland Noir, readers from the book and flash fiction contest winners will come together on October 7th from 7-9pm at p:ear to indulge in the dark and bring a little light into the lives of homeless kids. This is going to be good. Save the date.

[Carye Bye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book we read for the Hidden Portland book. It's a collection of 16 new short stories by local or localish authors who were asked to write on the theme of Noir. There are other Noir cities in the collection, but Portland has a great underbelly and fringe culture so it's a perfect fit. I'm not really a fiction writer, and I admit I got frustrated at time at how just when I was getting interested, the story was wrapped up ( sorta ) and then on to the next. I took notes about Portland mentions and enjoyed little snippets such as Extremo the Clown, the Portland Horse Project, Sam Adams campaign sign, a queen bee bag, that you know a lot about if you live here. Some authors did a great job describing locals such as Dots Cafe or the Oaks Bottom. Some were great at descriptions of people or good at getting under your skin, some seemed less noir and more erotica. Over all I may have not finished the book if not for book club but it gave me a sampling of local writers and editor Kevin Sampsell writes a really good intro. The book was published in 2009 and still does pretty well. Had a chance to talke with KS at our book club and he expressed an interest to do another and had ideas, but didn't know where or if he had the time or the publisher was interested in revisiting Portland again.

[Tiffani · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read an interview with Meghan Abbott recently in which she described noir as a story in which everyone is fallen, and right and wrong are not clearly defined and maybe not even attainable. That description certainly seems to fit the stories in the book. They're bleak and often bloody with little in the way of redemption or even justice. There are no heroes. With several of the stories, it felt less like reading a story with a beginning, middle, and end and more like a series of reports of crimes as told by the criminal.

This is the second book in the Akashic Books noir series that I've read and I'm beginning to think this series just isn't for me. While there were a couple of interesting stories, most of them didn't go anywhere, or least not anywhere I wanted to go. I almost put the book down after reading two stories in a row about men killing their wife or girlfriend and getting a way with it. I like dark stories but I guess I want there to be some sort of correction at the end so that the world doesn't seem worse at the end of the book.

[reading is my hustle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read (and such a good idea!) of short stories written by local authors. Noir is such a specific type of writing style that it took me a couple of stories to get over feeling that the authors were "overwriting." Once I got into it though I had SO MUCH FUN. Reading about all the places in Portland was great and being able to picture them added to the experience.

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great group of short stories by very talented Portland area writers. Ready to hit Powell's Books, Shanghai Tunnel, Tik Tok and Voodoo Doughnuts.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tried reading a couple of the stories and just couldn't get into them.

[Kyle Porter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was ultimately underwhelmed, but maybe that was due to having misplaced, too high expectations. I was expecting morally ambiguous, slow burning, tales of mystery and intrigue (possibly thinking of Hard-boiled fiction instead of Noir), and instead largely got stories of lousy people doing lousy things to each other. Also, it felt the majority of the stories were merely SET in Portland, rather than using the city's unique culture, vibe, and geography to weave tales that could only occur there. There were a couple notable standouts; thrilling tales making full use of the setting ("Coffee, Black", "The Red Room"); but most left me dissatisfied.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disturbing stories of Portland. I wasn’t sure what to think when I picked out this book, but I’m glad I read it since it brought me back to the days I first came to live here in 2003. All the locations mentioned in this book took me back to my early 20’s when my friends and I would visit many of these hot spots. Since each story was so depressing, I’m not sure I will be re-reading but it certainly did take me down memory lane. After the pandemic, I’m not sure many of these places will still be standing but for those of us who can remember them, they will always be in our hearts. I think the last story could make a good movie if it hasn’t already been made. Yikes! So creepy.

[Erick Mertz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection was a mixed bag in the truest sense of the word. On one hand, I thought the writing was really strong. The authors were the real star of the anthology.

On the other hand, this was more like PORTLAND noir. By that I mean, the focus seems to be on featuring stories about Portland over celebrating true noir. The concepts were good on all accounts, but I put the book down feeling like my noir itch still needed scratching.

[Ronn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter and son-in-law live there, and I know Portland just well enough that many of the locations are familiar to me, so I enjoyed this quite a bit. All the stories were of pretty high quality. I am enjoying the Noir series quite a bit, but I enjoy them more when they are about places I know at least a little.

[Morgan (Turbo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever you need a hit of nostalgia, go to a book like this, a book dedicated to the geography of a place. I liked it and recommend this series too because it’s a genre I don’t normally read. There are a few stories I skipped and a few I didn’t understand but the real treasures in this collection make it worthwhile. I recommend Lad’s Addition, Powell’s books, and Old Town.

[Suzan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have determined that the Noir genre is not for me. The stories in this anthology are well written, the intro is outstanding. I just don’t like all the darkness; thought I would. It was nice to have Portland as a backdrop. I did like that. If you’re into Noir and short stories, this is your book.

[lara phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the Seattle one, plus one of the stories works in an appearance by Extremo the Clown's artcar!

[Thomas Holm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three of the stories are good. The rest are so-so.

[Wheeler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Almost all of the stories are misses and few of them are actually noir.

[Margaret Boyce-cooley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really worth it- kept waiting for a good short story in there somewhere.

[Elevate Difference · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noir is easier to recognize than to define. The best dictionary definition I found was, “crime fiction featuring hard-boiled cynical characters and bleak sleazy settings.” Portland Noir, then, has a self-explanatory title: it is a collection of short, dark stories that take place in Portland, Oregon. Akashic Books has published a whole series of similar collections set in numerous cities in the U.S. and around the globe.

Reading this book made me want to immediately find a copy of Chicago Noir. Since I’ve never been to Portland, I felt like I was missing out. I was unfamiliar with the neighborhoods and businesses mentioned, and could not judge the accuracy of Portland’s portrayal. It was clear that the city was more than just a setting; Portland is almost another character in many of the pieces.

Despite my ignorance of Portland, I still found the stories very creative and enjoyable. Some of the tales were more traditional noir pieces, with Philip Marlowe-type protagonists and centering around crimes. Other stories had the feel of noir, but might not fit the classic definition.

As with most short fiction collections, the stories vary greatly. Few readers will enjoy every story, but many will enjoy several. Characters include cops and private eyes, drug addicts and prostitutes, murderers and artists, hipsters and activists. Stories involve murder, blackmail, burglary, torture, vandalism, and even a little romance. There is even a comic book style illustrated story, “Gone Doggy Gone” by Jamie S. Rich & Joëlle Jones. Truly, this book has something for every noir fan.

I felt deep disdain for the narrator of the opening story, “The Clown and the Bard,” by Karen Karbo, in which a sexist low-life gets away with killing his ex-girlfriend. But,I was captivated by the next story, “Julia Now,” by Luciana Lopez, in which a woman becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to a previous tenant of her home. I was strangely captivated by “The Sleeper” by Dan DeWeese, a wandering tale of a newspaper delivery man with a possible substance abuse problem. “Virgo” by Jess Walter is a surprising, and surprisingly funny, story about a disgruntled newspaper employee who alters the horoscopes to harass his astrology-believing ex-girlfriend. The narrator is completely unlikable, yet laugh-out-loud funny:

"We’d had the same old fight, with the same stale grievances Tanya had been lobbing at me for three months, almost since the day I moved in: Blah, blah, stalled relationship; blah, blah, stunted growth; blah, blah, I worry that you’re a psychopath…"

“Burnside Forever” by Justin Hocking–which opens with the two-word sentence, “Fuck Hawaii.”–reminded me strongly of Michael Hornburg’s novel Bongwater, which is also set (mostly) in Portland. “People Are Strange” by Kimberly Warner-Cohen, is a disturbing story about a woman determined to track down her missing identical twin sister. I’d hate to ruin the twist, but know this: Happy endings are rarely found in noir.

Review by Kellie Powell

[KarlaC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Quirky little short stories that take place in Portland. They are not connected, just quirky. I wouldn't have read it, but someone gave it to me. I will pass it on to a used book store though.

[Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having visited Portland, Oregon a few times, it is definitely true that the city of roses has a personality all its own. From the twee humor of the modern gentrified Portlandia to the seedy history of Old Town and its shanghai tunnels, this entry in the Akashic Noir series reflect the conflicting and quirky nature of the Pacific Northwest city. I have enjoyed this series’ explorations of world cities, and this is a good example of taking full advantage of an idiosyncratic place and exploring its shadows.

Like others in the series, this collection has some stories that work better than others, but for the most part this is an effective collection linked strongly to the Portland setting, and from a variety of noir styles and approaches. The Red Room, set in Powell’s City of Books, is a good example, along with Hummingbird, and Shanghaied. One interesting aspect of Portland Noir, unlike the others I have read in the series, is that all of the stories contained inside have contemporary settings; while a few delve into the mysteries and horrors of the past, none are period pieces. While I do enjoy stories set in the past, in this case it almost gives the stories a more coherent, unified feeling. All in all, a satisfying collection that captures, I feel, the mood of the place.

[Tinea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oooh, delightfully creepy stories all set within very specific locales in Portland. I read this during the week I spent in Portland, while sitting in the Red and Black Cafe, which gets a mention in one of the stories. I then had to walk 50 blocks to the house I was staying at, which had been pleasant enough every other night, but was absolutely terrifying after reading this book. At one point on the walk home some bushes in front of me suddenly came alive, parted... and a raccoon hopped out. He sauntered in front of me for a block and a half before jumping back into someone's landscaping.

Some stories were better then others. A few were quite gruesome, most spooky, and there was a disturbing theme of abusive relationships as told by the abuser. As always, the tale of one of my all time favorite authors ever in the universe, Ms. Zoe Trope, was the best. Fun.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly recent Portland transplant, I bought this book as a gift for a guest and read it before the book left with them. Admittedly I'm not a regular reader of short stories -- in fact, this might have been the first compilation of short stories I've ever read. Noir is also not a genre I normally read. In other words I didn't have expectations.

I enjoyed the stories by Luciana Lopez, Floyd Skloot, Dan DeWeese, and Kimberly Warner-Cohen the most. Overall the stories that make up the compilation paint a dark but humorous portrait of the city of Portland's inhabitants.

Front to cover I should think that not every single story will appeal to any individual reader, but, if you're happy to skip over the bits you don't like, many Portlanders will find enough within to be sufficiently entertained, especially for those with a fondness for short stories. However, I'm not sure I'd recommend the book to anyone unfamiliar with Portland and its quirkiness.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I interviewed Monica Drake for a zine I worked on. I didn't really know what I was doing, but she was good humored and gracious. Haven't run across anything by her since Clown Girl.

Loved it. No surprise, there is something particularly sexy about Monica Drake's lushy characters. They nurse red beers and always keep at arm's length. The rest: classic noir with distinctive Northwest attributes. Raymond Chandler's dark alleys and long shadows have streams of water coming down from the spouts. The dark, burnt coffe is a frothy latte. The blue grey tobacco smoke is smoke of high grade marijuana, sweet and earthy and musty, sucked from glass pipes. The body floating in the river is a lesbian artist. The hard boiled, hard drinking detective must catch a band of anarchists running amok. Makes me crave a hand rolled cigarette and a shot of bourbon.