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Brussels Noir
"Brussels, Belgium's cosmopolitan, multilingual capital, has it criminal underside, as shown in the 13 dark--and sometimes darkly humorous--stories in this strong Akashic noir volume."
-- Publishers Weekly
"A perfect choice for those who love noir or those who love armchair traveling, this assortment of short stories gives the reader a glimpse into what life in the Belgian capital is like. An excellent entry in Akashic Books' noir series, which began with Brooklyn Noir more than a decade ago, Brussels Noir takes readers through the underbelly of yet another fascinating locale."
-- Self Awareness for Readers
"Akashic Books deserves kudos for their fine service to noir . . . If these volumes are designed to give crime writers a nifty forum and also capture the local flair and flavor, Brussels Noir is a fine come-hither."
-- New York Journal of Books
Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir . Each story is set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.
Brand-new stories Barbara Abel, Ayerdhal, Paul Colize, Jean-Luc Cornette, Patrick Delperdange, Sara Doke, Kenan Görgu¨n, Edgar Kosma, Katia Lanero Zamora, Nadine Monfils, Alfredo Noriega, Bob Van Laerhoven, and Émilie de Béco.
From the introduction by Michel Dufranne :
"For our grand tour, please be seated, ladies and gentlemen readers, in Tram 33...and no, there's no rain in the forecast today, just a leaden sky; for that matter, considering the timetables of the STIB, it's probably better to go on foot than to take public transport. We'll explore the city center, that pentagonal surface defined by urban highways and a canal, home to the real old Brussels, the historic core. We'll take a dainty stroll through an edifice that achieves the feat of being more vast and monolithic in style than St. Peter's the Palais de Justice. From there, it's easy to glide down to the Marolles; then let your feet carry you from kabberdouch to stamcafé, as you wander in an ethereal, even surrealist mode through the heart of the city, and finally come full circle.
Having whetted our appetites, we'll play leapfrog along the boulevards to make our way to the inner ring road and tiptoe across the razor's edge of the city...And if the life of the abattoir hasn't sated you, you'll have plenty of room to maneuver as you stray from the center and discover the oh-so-serene neighborhoods of the greater ring, home to our venerable European institutions above all suspicion."
-- Publishers Weekly
"A perfect choice for those who love noir or those who love armchair traveling, this assortment of short stories gives the reader a glimpse into what life in the Belgian capital is like. An excellent entry in Akashic Books' noir series, which began with Brooklyn Noir more than a decade ago, Brussels Noir takes readers through the underbelly of yet another fascinating locale."
-- Self Awareness for Readers
"Akashic Books deserves kudos for their fine service to noir . . . If these volumes are designed to give crime writers a nifty forum and also capture the local flair and flavor, Brussels Noir is a fine come-hither."
-- New York Journal of Books
Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir . Each story is set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.
Brand-new stories Barbara Abel, Ayerdhal, Paul Colize, Jean-Luc Cornette, Patrick Delperdange, Sara Doke, Kenan Görgu¨n, Edgar Kosma, Katia Lanero Zamora, Nadine Monfils, Alfredo Noriega, Bob Van Laerhoven, and Émilie de Béco.
From the introduction by Michel Dufranne :
"For our grand tour, please be seated, ladies and gentlemen readers, in Tram 33...and no, there's no rain in the forecast today, just a leaden sky; for that matter, considering the timetables of the STIB, it's probably better to go on foot than to take public transport. We'll explore the city center, that pentagonal surface defined by urban highways and a canal, home to the real old Brussels, the historic core. We'll take a dainty stroll through an edifice that achieves the feat of being more vast and monolithic in style than St. Peter's the Palais de Justice. From there, it's easy to glide down to the Marolles; then let your feet carry you from kabberdouch to stamcafé, as you wander in an ethereal, even surrealist mode through the heart of the city, and finally come full circle.
Having whetted our appetites, we'll play leapfrog along the boulevards to make our way to the inner ring road and tiptoe across the razor's edge of the city...And if the life of the abattoir hasn't sated you, you'll have plenty of room to maneuver as you stray from the center and discover the oh-so-serene neighborhoods of the greater ring, home to our venerable European institutions above all suspicion."
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2015
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August 28, 2016Brussels Noir was a very eclectic mix of stories. For the most part, I enjoyed reading this book. I found it very refreshing and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys story collections and the unexpected. I'm glad I got the opportunity to experience this book.
Annette Shelton
Annette Shelton
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December 19, 2016Free e-book advent calendar from Akashic Books: Download Brussels Noir for FREE until midnight, December 19, 2016!
Comes in DRM-free mobi or epub, and you don't have to sign in or up for anything.
Comes in DRM-free mobi or epub, and you don't have to sign in or up for anything.
July 1, 2016
This collection of short stories had a couple of REALLY good ones, and a few super surreal ones I didn't like. So all in all, I'm averaging to 3.
March 24, 2017
What a fun, quick read this book turned out to be!
Brussels Noir comprises 13 short stories divided into three categories. Stories range in length from about 15-30 pages each with varying themes and styles. While reading them, I found myself laughing and crying as the authors really have done a great job here.
As for the noir title, I'd say it's best not to go in with too many expectations. More than typically noir, I found the stories to simply focus on some of the darker aspects of life. The surreal section of stories was especially impressive and would certainly appeal to fans of magical realism.
I'd definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy short stories with a slightly macabre leaning, fans of Haruki Murakami and readers looking for a travel-themed read.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the authors/editor/publisher for participating.
Brussels Noir comprises 13 short stories divided into three categories. Stories range in length from about 15-30 pages each with varying themes and styles. While reading them, I found myself laughing and crying as the authors really have done a great job here.
As for the noir title, I'd say it's best not to go in with too many expectations. More than typically noir, I found the stories to simply focus on some of the darker aspects of life. The surreal section of stories was especially impressive and would certainly appeal to fans of magical realism.
I'd definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy short stories with a slightly macabre leaning, fans of Haruki Murakami and readers looking for a travel-themed read.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the authors/editor/publisher for participating.
April 10, 2018
Having read almost the entire series, this one falls into the middle of the pack. I did not find it terribly compelling, as evidence by the length of time that it took me to read it. As a beer writer and enthusiast, I have been to Brussels many times & while this collection was evocative, I just felt like something was missing. Oh, yes, beer! Jeez-O, man, Brussels is home to Cantillon & the beer scene is one of the finest in the world & yet beer was only mentioned in passing a couple of times over the course of the stories. Small wonder that I was not engrossed with this one. There were several decent stories, but I would save this collection for later when there are better entries in the series also in print.
July 16, 2023
When did noir turn into depressing?
Not a single story in this book captured my interest. Moreover, lots of stories are pretentious and depressing. The rest are lackluster and/or boring. Quite an accomplishment to put together such a collection: there must be some good Belgian noir out there and the editor managed to avoid it all!.
Not a single story in this book captured my interest. Moreover, lots of stories are pretentious and depressing. The rest are lackluster and/or boring. Quite an accomplishment to put together such a collection: there must be some good Belgian noir out there and the editor managed to avoid it all!.
November 18, 2017
Not all are equally good, but the anthology gives a good taste of what Bxl is really like
December 2, 2017
Couldn't finish this book... Boring, dull, predictable and insipid short stories.
July 3, 2020
Dark stories from different parts of Brussels. I found this book to be partly funny and sometimes a bit mysterious, but some plots are a bit dull.
September 7, 2021
A mixed bag of Brussels-based short stories, some more noir and others. Variable quality, if I’m honest, but an enjoyable quick read for those who know and/or love the city.
August 1, 2023
This was genuinely so bad I couldn't finish. Do nat read.
October 28, 2025
Takie tam czytadełko. Niektore opowiadania zaslugują na więcej ale książka jako całosc niestety nie.
August 9, 2016
The Akashic Noir series is a strong series of short story anthologies that explore the world through literature. Each book in the collection is edited by a local writer, someone familiar with the area and its writers, with the ability to select the best noir fiction for their collection. People often write about how well an author captures the sense of place in their writing. Akashic Books ran with that idea and created an amazing series of anthologies, the best of the best. It is a nearly infallible formula.
Brussels Noir, edited by Michel Dufranne is unique in the Akashic Noir series for me, a unique disappointment. It is the first time I have been disappointed in the selection. There were good stories that I enjoyed. The Beekeeper by Jean-Luc Cornette was a fun, though melancholy, caper. In the Shadow of the Tower by Émilie de Béco was suspenseful, with skillful foreshadowing and brilliant execution. These two stories alone are worth the price of admission. There are a few other worthy stories as well, but overall, I was not happy with the selections.
Michel Dufranne is not a mystery writer. His passions are science fiction and comics. That reveals itself in his selections, many of which are science fiction or surreal fantasies. The mysteries he selects are decidedly non-traditional. There is not a single whodunnit. In fact, we are most often in the mind of the perpetrator or a victim, though victims, too, seem like perpetrators. No one is innocent.
He likes stories that are told obliquely. I like it when writers expect us to figure things out, when they don’t tell us everything, but when we are dropped into a fantasy world where Peter Pan is a real gangland leader, I want a clue whether it is real or a drunk hallucination. When you have a novel length story, it’s a bit easier to let the world reveal itself bit by bit. When it’s a short story and the setting is a dystopian future where the EU eradicates entire populations with a few bureaucratic machinations, a few hints to help it along rather than long narratives about the vicissitudes of commuting would be helpful.
I guess it all depends on your definition of noir. For Dufranne, noir is relentless in its despair and dystopian view. Justice does not even exist as a concept, there is only revenge. Nearly every character is venal or violent or racist or depraved or dissolute. I don’t mind unsympathetic characters. But the bleak absence of decency among the people of these stories is depressing. When the most likable person in the entire anthology is a retired pot dealer with too many cats, it’s a sad collection. Despite the variety of plots and situations, there was a sameness to the selections that disappointed me. The true evil was almost always situated outside influence or agency, in government bureaucracy, in the media, in the nameless, faceless abusive police, in organized crime. So much of man against the machine and man losing because the machine is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent –god in the machine.
Is Brussels really that depressing? Is there really no hope?
I was disappointed in Brussels Noir but that is because I have come to expect so much from the series. I am not a fan of science fiction novels even though I like sci-fi tv series, but I have not even seen all the Star Trek or Star Wars movies and don’t even care which is better. There is too much fantasy and science fiction for me in this collection. Other people may love this collection for that very reason. Our tastes vary. Knowing why I did not like this collection as much as others may suggestion you will like it more. I hope so.
I was provided an e-galley of Brussels Noir by the publisher through Edelweiss.
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
Brussels Noir, edited by Michel Dufranne is unique in the Akashic Noir series for me, a unique disappointment. It is the first time I have been disappointed in the selection. There were good stories that I enjoyed. The Beekeeper by Jean-Luc Cornette was a fun, though melancholy, caper. In the Shadow of the Tower by Émilie de Béco was suspenseful, with skillful foreshadowing and brilliant execution. These two stories alone are worth the price of admission. There are a few other worthy stories as well, but overall, I was not happy with the selections.
Michel Dufranne is not a mystery writer. His passions are science fiction and comics. That reveals itself in his selections, many of which are science fiction or surreal fantasies. The mysteries he selects are decidedly non-traditional. There is not a single whodunnit. In fact, we are most often in the mind of the perpetrator or a victim, though victims, too, seem like perpetrators. No one is innocent.
He likes stories that are told obliquely. I like it when writers expect us to figure things out, when they don’t tell us everything, but when we are dropped into a fantasy world where Peter Pan is a real gangland leader, I want a clue whether it is real or a drunk hallucination. When you have a novel length story, it’s a bit easier to let the world reveal itself bit by bit. When it’s a short story and the setting is a dystopian future where the EU eradicates entire populations with a few bureaucratic machinations, a few hints to help it along rather than long narratives about the vicissitudes of commuting would be helpful.
I guess it all depends on your definition of noir. For Dufranne, noir is relentless in its despair and dystopian view. Justice does not even exist as a concept, there is only revenge. Nearly every character is venal or violent or racist or depraved or dissolute. I don’t mind unsympathetic characters. But the bleak absence of decency among the people of these stories is depressing. When the most likable person in the entire anthology is a retired pot dealer with too many cats, it’s a sad collection. Despite the variety of plots and situations, there was a sameness to the selections that disappointed me. The true evil was almost always situated outside influence or agency, in government bureaucracy, in the media, in the nameless, faceless abusive police, in organized crime. So much of man against the machine and man losing because the machine is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent –god in the machine.
Is Brussels really that depressing? Is there really no hope?
I was disappointed in Brussels Noir but that is because I have come to expect so much from the series. I am not a fan of science fiction novels even though I like sci-fi tv series, but I have not even seen all the Star Trek or Star Wars movies and don’t even care which is better. There is too much fantasy and science fiction for me in this collection. Other people may love this collection for that very reason. Our tastes vary. Knowing why I did not like this collection as much as others may suggestion you will like it more. I hope so.
I was provided an e-galley of Brussels Noir by the publisher through Edelweiss.
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
May 22, 2025
The stories are nice. Some more than others, which is typical in a story collection, but overall, they are all good.
My favorite stories were The Shadow of the Tower, by Émilie de Béco, and the Parakeet, by Barbara Abel.
One detail that I liked about this book (and probably about the collection, although I can’t tell as this is the first I read of it) is that each story is set on a different part of the city and at the beginning of the book there is a map showing where each takes place.
My favorite stories were The Shadow of the Tower, by Émilie de Béco, and the Parakeet, by Barbara Abel.
One detail that I liked about this book (and probably about the collection, although I can’t tell as this is the first I read of it) is that each story is set on a different part of the city and at the beginning of the book there is a map showing where each takes place.
May 20, 2015
« Bruxelles est peut-être une métropole négligée et crasseuse avec beaucoup trop de circulation et une architecture dépourvue d'esprit, si ce n'est celui de l'avidité et du mépris, mais la lueur gris perle d'un soir de septembre peut transformer certains recoins de la ville en fantasme douillet ». (Extrait de Paint it, black de Bob van Laerhoven, p. 240).
Sous la direction de Michel Dufranne, scénariste de bande dessinée, critique littéraire mais aussi spécialiste « Mauvais Genres » pour la RTBF, Bruxelles ma belle se drape de noir le temps d'une mise en scène.
Qu'ils soient bruxellois de naissance, d'adoption, ou bruxellois de cœur, les treize auteurs de ce recueil ont relevé le défi de main de maître. Chacun avec son propre style, sa propre plume, nous fait redécouvrir certains quartiers de Bruxelles…… Que ce soit au coeur du Palais de justice, des Marolles, du Parvis de Saint Gilles, de la rue de Flandre, de Matongé, de la Gare centrale, de la Place du Jeu de Balle, de la rue d' Aerschot, des abattoirs d'Anderlecht, du boulevard Reyers, d'Ixelles, du Parc de Forest ou encore de Woluwé Saint Lambert, les auteurs nous accompagnent pour une plongée en eaux troubles. Il faut dire que les lieux s'y prêtent à la perfection.
Sous couvert de fiction, ces treize nouvelles abordent des thèmes qui défrayent régulièrement l'actualité: prostitution, immigration, religion, drogue, OGMs,… ou se basent aussi sur des affaires criminelles qui ont secoué la Belgique des années 80 et 90.
Si dans notre pays, le surréalisme et la dérision sont un art de vivre que nous revendiquons haut et fort, ceux-ci ont également leur place dans ce melting pot bruxellois.
« Bruxelles Noir », treizième ouvrage des éditions Asphalte dans la collection « Une ville – Une anthologie » n'a certes pas à rougir des précédentes éditions comme « Londres Noir » ou « Washington Noir ». Il confirme le talent d'auteurs déjà bien établis tels que Barbara Abel, Nadine Monfils, Ayerdhal, Paul Colize, ou encore Patrick Delperdange, et nous permet de découvrir d'autres plumes qui mériteraient toute notre attention.
« Bruxelles Noir », carte de visite de notre littérature de « mauvais » genre, rend un bel hommage au polar « Made in Belgium », pardon, au polar « Made in Brussels ».
« Bruxelles Noir » de Michel Dufranne, paru aux Editions Asphalte, Avril 2015.
Avec des textes inédits de Barbara Abel, Ayerdhal, Émilie de Béco, Paul Colize, Jean-Luc Cornette, Patrick Delperdange, Sara Doke, Kenan Görgün, Edgar Kosma, Katia Lanero Zamora, Nadine Monfils, Alfredo Noriega, Bob van Laerhoven
Sous la direction de Michel Dufranne, scénariste de bande dessinée, critique littéraire mais aussi spécialiste « Mauvais Genres » pour la RTBF, Bruxelles ma belle se drape de noir le temps d'une mise en scène.
Qu'ils soient bruxellois de naissance, d'adoption, ou bruxellois de cœur, les treize auteurs de ce recueil ont relevé le défi de main de maître. Chacun avec son propre style, sa propre plume, nous fait redécouvrir certains quartiers de Bruxelles…… Que ce soit au coeur du Palais de justice, des Marolles, du Parvis de Saint Gilles, de la rue de Flandre, de Matongé, de la Gare centrale, de la Place du Jeu de Balle, de la rue d' Aerschot, des abattoirs d'Anderlecht, du boulevard Reyers, d'Ixelles, du Parc de Forest ou encore de Woluwé Saint Lambert, les auteurs nous accompagnent pour une plongée en eaux troubles. Il faut dire que les lieux s'y prêtent à la perfection.
Sous couvert de fiction, ces treize nouvelles abordent des thèmes qui défrayent régulièrement l'actualité: prostitution, immigration, religion, drogue, OGMs,… ou se basent aussi sur des affaires criminelles qui ont secoué la Belgique des années 80 et 90.
Si dans notre pays, le surréalisme et la dérision sont un art de vivre que nous revendiquons haut et fort, ceux-ci ont également leur place dans ce melting pot bruxellois.
« Bruxelles Noir », treizième ouvrage des éditions Asphalte dans la collection « Une ville – Une anthologie » n'a certes pas à rougir des précédentes éditions comme « Londres Noir » ou « Washington Noir ». Il confirme le talent d'auteurs déjà bien établis tels que Barbara Abel, Nadine Monfils, Ayerdhal, Paul Colize, ou encore Patrick Delperdange, et nous permet de découvrir d'autres plumes qui mériteraient toute notre attention.
« Bruxelles Noir », carte de visite de notre littérature de « mauvais » genre, rend un bel hommage au polar « Made in Belgium », pardon, au polar « Made in Brussels ».
« Bruxelles Noir » de Michel Dufranne, paru aux Editions Asphalte, Avril 2015.
Avec des textes inédits de Barbara Abel, Ayerdhal, Émilie de Béco, Paul Colize, Jean-Luc Cornette, Patrick Delperdange, Sara Doke, Kenan Görgün, Edgar Kosma, Katia Lanero Zamora, Nadine Monfils, Alfredo Noriega, Bob van Laerhoven
December 5, 2016
« Bruxelles Noir » est un recueil de nouvelles à l’ambiance assez sombre publié en 2015 sous la houlette de Michel Dufranne, chroniqueur radio et télé (RTBF) passionné de polars, thrillers, science-fiction et bandes dessinées. 13 auteurs contemporains (tous bruxellois) et 13 nouvelles, avec pour point commun l’exploration du côté « sombre » de la capitale belge.
Avant tout, je dois dire que le polar n’est pas du tout mon genre de prédilection et que je n’avais jamais lu aucun des auteurs de ce recueil. C’est le concept, plutôt original, qui m’a interpellée, et j’ai donc décidé de sortir de ma zone de confort. Le résultat est mitigé. J’ai été surprise par les similitudes de style entre les nouvelles, malgré la diversité des auteurs.
La nouvelle de Paul Colize, intitulée « Une fraction de seconde », inspirée par les tueries du Brabant dans les années 1980, est de loin celle que j’ai préférée. « Ecuador » d’Alfredo Noriega n’est pas mal non plus, avec un narrateur assez attachant offrant une vision assez inhabituelle du Bruxelles « européen ». Certains récits comme « L’Autre Guerre de la Marolle » sont franchement peu accessibles à quelqu’un qui ne connaît pas Bruxelles, et s’adressent clairement à un public très local. Les autres nouvelles sont parfois amusantes, troublantes, absurdes, mais souvent trop tirées par les cheveux pour que la magie opère. C’est le cas de « L’Ombre de la tour » d’Émilie de Béco. Ce récit à suspense sur fond de vengeance et de scandale pédophile aurait pu être très puissant si son dénouement n’était pas aussi invraisemblable.
Au final, pas de coup de cœur qui m’incite à découvrir plus en détail l’œuvre d’un(e) de ces auteur(e)s bruxellois(e)s, mais un concept malgré tout intéressant qui mériterait d’être décliné dans d’autres genres.
Avant tout, je dois dire que le polar n’est pas du tout mon genre de prédilection et que je n’avais jamais lu aucun des auteurs de ce recueil. C’est le concept, plutôt original, qui m’a interpellée, et j’ai donc décidé de sortir de ma zone de confort. Le résultat est mitigé. J’ai été surprise par les similitudes de style entre les nouvelles, malgré la diversité des auteurs.
La nouvelle de Paul Colize, intitulée « Une fraction de seconde », inspirée par les tueries du Brabant dans les années 1980, est de loin celle que j’ai préférée. « Ecuador » d’Alfredo Noriega n’est pas mal non plus, avec un narrateur assez attachant offrant une vision assez inhabituelle du Bruxelles « européen ». Certains récits comme « L’Autre Guerre de la Marolle » sont franchement peu accessibles à quelqu’un qui ne connaît pas Bruxelles, et s’adressent clairement à un public très local. Les autres nouvelles sont parfois amusantes, troublantes, absurdes, mais souvent trop tirées par les cheveux pour que la magie opère. C’est le cas de « L’Ombre de la tour » d’Émilie de Béco. Ce récit à suspense sur fond de vengeance et de scandale pédophile aurait pu être très puissant si son dénouement n’était pas aussi invraisemblable.
Au final, pas de coup de cœur qui m’incite à découvrir plus en détail l’œuvre d’un(e) de ces auteur(e)s bruxellois(e)s, mais un concept malgré tout intéressant qui mériterait d’être décliné dans d’autres genres.
April 25, 2016
Tres bon bouquin, certaines histoires sont tres bien ecrites et quelques unes franchement droles, mais il y en a aussi deux ou trois qui sont vraiment bizarres et qui ne m'ont vraiment pas accrochee. Je recommande tout de meme ce livre, surtout si vous connaissez Bruxelles.
October 12, 2016
Lots of fun, but the stories are fairly conventional noir.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews