Sydney Noir

by John Dale (Editor), Kirsten Tranter, Mandy Sayer

"Sydney is a good choice for Akashic's first noir anthology set in Australia...The 14 uniformly strong selections feature familiar subgenre gangsters, ethically compromised cops, and people bent on revenge for the loss of a loved one...Fans of dark crime fiction will want to seek out other works by these contributors, most of whom will be unfamiliar to American readers."
--Publishers Weekly

"The former British penal colony provides fertile ground for dark doings, as these 14 tales demonstrate...The stories [Dale's] assembled offer ample variety in this cavalcade of crime Down Under."
--Kirkus Reviews

Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city.

Brand-new stories Kirsten Tranter, Mandy Sayer, John Dale, Eleanor Limprecht, Mark Dapin, Leigh Redhead, Julie Koh, Peter Polites, Robert Drewe, Tom Gilling, Gabrielle Lord, Philip McLaren, P.M. Newton, and Peter Doyle.

From John Dale's introduction to the

Nothing lasts in Sydney, especially good lives are upturned, shops are sold, roads dug up, trees and houses knocked down, premiers discarded, and entire communities relocated in the name of that economic mantra--growth and progress. Just when you think the traffic can't get any worse and the screech of the 747s descending over your roof can't get any louder, along comes a wild electrical storm that batters the buildings and shakes the power lines and washes the garbage off the streets and you stand, sheltered under your broken brolly in the center of Sydney, admiring this big beautiful city.

What never changes, though, is the hustle on the street. My father was a detective in the vice squad shortly after the Second World War, and he told stories of busting SP bookies in Paddington and Surry Hills, collaring cockatoos stationed in the laneways of South Sydney, and arresting sly-groggers. Policing back then was hands-on for the poor and hands-off for the rich. Crime and Sydney have always been a deep vein of corruption runs beneath the surface of even its most respectable suburbs.

Genres: Short Stories, Crime, Australia, Fiction, Noir, Anthologies

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 15, 2018

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first Australian book in the Akashic Noir series, Sydney Noir, envelopes the reader in a shroud of criminal activity, where in that blackness beats the dark hearts of men and women prone to violence, and are well versed in deceit to aide their deadly deeds.

Spread across Sydney city and its surroundings, Sydney Noir brings murder to the doorsteps of Balmain, Redfern, Newtown, and even the iconic Sydney Harbor and more through a delectable dish of diverse stories encompassing family drama and murder in The Birthday Present by Mandy Sayer, drug abuse and the brutal consequences of over indulgence in Black Cul-De-Sac by Phillip McLaren, and the perils of love and lust in Leigh Redhead's scary-good short story The Transmutation of Sex.

The anthology is a celebration of Aussie crime, with authors slicing up the Sydney city crime dominion into chewy, bloody morsels of fiction each just as mouth watering as the last.

Some of my favorites include the aforementioned Black Cul-De-Sac by Phillip McLaren, The Transmutation of Sex by Leigh Redhead as well as cleverly written The Passenger by Kirsten Tranter, The Patternmaker by Julie Koh, and the patient payoff in the aptly titled Slow Burn by Gabrielle Lord to name a few, but really, you could throw a dart at any of the stories in this collection and be impressed.

My rating: 5/5 stars. It's great to see the Noir anthology make landfall in Australia. Sydney, with Kings Cross as its heart is a perfect destination for this anthology. Highly recommended.

Review first appeared on my blog: http://justaguywholikes2read.blogspot...

[Nat K · Rating 3 out of 5]

”Noir is as much a part of Sydney’s character as frangipanis and cockroaches, rusted iron lace and sandstone terraces, torrential rain and potholed roads.”

Short stories by fourteen Aussie writers. Finally, the Akashic Noir anthology series comes to Sydney! It was interesting reading stories by writers whose works I’d already read in a “novel” format.

Like any big city, Sydney also has its dark side. Yes, it is a beautiful place. The harbourside, coastline and parks are stunning. Second to none. The diversity of the suburbs and their stories show what an amazing melting pot Sydney is. And like all melting pots, there are bound to be problems and frustrations. Dysfunctional families and relationships. Jealousy. And crime. There’s no getting away from it.

And like a swan or a duck gliding serenely on the water’s surface, Sydney has a lot going on under the surface.

The book is split into three parts ”Family Matters, ”Sex And The City and ”Criminal Justice”.

The writing styles and crimes are as different as the suburbs being featured.

Standouts are:
Julie Koh’s* ”The Patternmaker” (a deliciously creepy story of an alienated patternmaker who has an eerie drive to make it to the big time).

Leigh Redwood’s** ”The Transmutation of Sex” (I wouldn’t expect anything less from her, a wonderful mix of lust, deceit and ambition).

Tom Gilling’s ”Rip-off” (an overworked and underpaid taxi driver picks up a mysterious passenger from the airport…what could go wrong?), and

Peter Polites’ ”Toxic Nostalgia” (chemicals and debts owed are never a good mix).

Two stories which absolutely blew me away are Gabrielle Lord’s ”Slow Burn” (vengeance is a dish served cold, very cold, twenty years later) and Philip McLaren’s ”Black Cul-de-sac” (set in the dark side alleys of Redfern, where no-one should be). These two stories are so outstanding it’s worth grabbing a copy of the book just to read these two.

Yes, my suburb is in here. And the suburb next door. Interesting. “Nuff said!

If you like your short stories short, and want to have a look behind closed doors at the gritty side of things, this is a good solid read. 3.5✩ for me.

”The harbour always gives up its secrets in the end.”
- “Rip-Off” by Tom Gilling

* This short story makes me remember that I really have to read Julie Koh’s ”Portable Curiosities”, which I have languishing on a shelf at home.

** Leigh Redwood, whatever happened to Simone Kirsch? She just disappeared into the ether… so good to have your writing included here.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Akashic Noir series covers a lot of ground with many cities to select from. This 2019 book is my first, I think, but I could be wrong about that. This book is helpfully divided into three parts: Family Matters, Sex and the City and Criminal Justice.
My two favorite stories were from the Criminal Justice section, both by women: Gabrielle Lord with Slow Burn and P.M. Newton with Chinaman's Beach.
There was irony and there were twists I was able to enjoy though uncomfortable in reading some of the content to get those rewards.
I also appreciated the map, indicating the areas where action took place. I may try another of these in the future.

Library Loan

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sydney Noir is another edition in the fabulous Akashic Noir series of noir stories situated in cities around the world edited by local writers with the homegrown knowledge to curate an excellent collection. This time the city is Sydney, Australia, and is again situated in the many neighborhoods and suburbs of the city. Noir is a nebulous concept. A story does not need to have a mystery to be noir. It does not even need a crime, though that is a common feature. Noir is a sensibility, a belief that the gritty and grim corners of life are full of drama and humanity. There is a surface toughness to noir stories that masks a deep well of compassion. Noir stories may be hard, but they are never cruel, they may be brutal, but they are always, to borrow from John Donne, “a part of the main.”

There are fourteen stories in the collection divided into three sections, Family Matters, Sex and the City, and Criminal Justice. “Good Boy, Bad Girl” is a story by the editor, John Dale, and one of my favorites where a young woman from the underclass shows a more privileged boyfriend what she is made of. Another story from the Family Matters set is “In the Dunes”, a heartbreaking story that seems all-too-human. The stories in Sex and the City are a bit more shocking, but I fell in love with “The Transmutation of Sex” that I found hilarious. “The Patternmaker” was macabre. Criminal Justice is a section of more conventional stories with cops and robbers. I really loved “Good Bloke” even though I had to go back to the beginning and read again to straighten out who was who.


I loved Sydney Noir. The editor has a great grasp on noir and selected a wonderful variety of stories from all walks of life. There was not a single story in this edition that I did not like and several that I loved. I know I have said this time and time again, but everyone should at least read the books in the edition for the places they know. If someone were planning on traveling to Sydney, I would suggest they read Sydney Noir, not in order to scare them off but to give a sense of the city and its neighborhoods. I just love the series.

I received an e-galley of Sydney Noir from the publisher through Edelweiss.

Sydney Noir at Akashic Books
Akashic Noir Series
John Dale at Auslit

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sydney Noir is truly reflective of our Aussie culture - its is multicultural, humourous, sardonic, intuitive, and at times, like all good noir, truly dark. The theme of water is prevalent as areas around the iconic Sydney Harbour provide the perfect window onto the dimly suburban streets.

[Nail Sub · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's Sydney!

Distinctively Australian flavour with a clear recognition of Sydney's underbelly mired in drugs and murder for the main part; however, compared to some other in the Noir series, the stories come across as tame, even slightly naive...is that the Australian flavour?!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Sydney Noir from Akashic Books through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. As a long-time fan of film noir and a lover of classic, gritty crime novels such as Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep and the 87th Precinct series by Ed McBain, I was positively giddy when I received the notice that I'd been selected, but this review reflects the merits of authors in this collection.

This collection of short stories, all based in Sydney, Australia, officially publishes on January 1, ,2019, so I've just managed to finish it prior to it's book birthday. This is my second Akashic Noir collection and it is very different from Montana Noir, but equally as good. In fact, I think there may have only been one short story that I really didn't care for, while the others were heart-breaking or horrifying, but ultimately satisfying.

Probably my favorite thing about this collection is that it is diverse, even within the noir theme. The authors are male and female, and include LGBTQ+ and indigenous people. Triggers abound in this collection, but I think if you're reading a noir collection, you should already be prepared to encounter tales of drugs, murder, suicide, and all kinds of abuse, including sexual. This is in no way a "feel good" collection. In fact, it feels almost wrong to say I enjoyed it, but the writing is fantastic across the board. It's evocative and engaging. I'm so impressed by how these authors are able to cram so much detail, and create such a complete story, in so few pages.

To be really thorough with this review and single out some of the best stories, I need to note that Eleanor Limprecht's story "In The Dunes" is absolutely devastating. It was probably the hardest to read, subject-matter wise. Mandy Sayer's "The Birthday Present"  and Mark Dapin's "In the Court of the Lion King" both had incredible twists that I did not anticipate. "The Patternmaker" by Julie Koh, was probably my favorite tale in the entire collection, and it was one that left me speechless. "Slow Burn" by Gabrielle Lord was incredible, too.

The Akashic Noir series is definitely going to be bad for my TBR, as I want to search out the back list of many of these authors. If you have any interest in noir, crime novels, or just excellent writing, you can't go wrong with this collection.

[Angus McGregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to write a noir short story. This collection largely nailed the balance of atmosphere and fast paced plot beats. Any Sydney history lover will find a lot to rummage through.

Some of the authors fall into the trap of depending on poverty and crime porn rather than fleshing out their respective suberb.

[Nadia Zeemeeuw · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars. It was a delightful feeling to return to Sydney. Not all stories touched my heart but mostly I’ve been enjoying reading this collection. I am not sure though I will remember any of them vividly in couple of months.

[Les Gehman · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the more recent books in the Akashic Noir anthology series, Sydney Noir, is an excellent addition, with 14 hard-boiled crime stories, each set in a particular Sydney neighborhood. Naturally, some stories are stronger than others, but all of the stories in this volume were enjoyable and well-written. I'll definitely be looking for more books in this series.

(Note: This Advance Reading Copy was provided to my by the publisher as a LibraryThing Early Reviewer.)

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

SYDNEY NOIR is edited by John Dale. It is Akashic Books’ latest title in its award-winning series of original noir anthologies. Each book comprises new stories, each story set in a distinct neighborhood or location within that particular city or region.
I have read many of the Noir titles and can recommend each and every one. I like that the format is always the same - it makes me feel comfortable picking up the book. Each title features a Map (I love the map and refer to it often while reading) with body outlines (presumably distressed or dead) pinpointing the story’s location in the city; a Table of Contents; an Introduction by the editor(s); an ‘About the Contributors’ section and an extensive list of Noir series titles.

SYDNEY NOIR contains 14 original stories in 3 parts.
Authors include Kirsten Tranter; Mandy Sayer; John Dale; Eleanor Limprecht; Mark Dapin; Leigh Redhead; Julie Koh; peter Polites; Robert Drewe; Tom Gilling; Gabrielle Lord; Philip McLaren; P.M. Newton and Peter Doyle.
All of the stories are very ‘noir’ - gritty, grubby, raw, brooding, corrupt, lots of drugs, sex, crime - very cynical, fatalistic and morally ambiguous.
I pay a lot of attention to the Introduction, as the editor sets the tone of the city or area, and often adds facts and opinions. I read for an interesting ‘sense of place’ - that aspect is important to me.
Editor John Dale says that “Noir is as much a part of Sydney’s character as frangipanis and cockroaches, rusted iron lace and sandstone terraces, torrential rain and potholed roads.”
John Dale points out that “A subgenre of crime fiction, noir is the most democratic of genres in that it includes people from all walks of life and in all kinds of trouble.”
John Dale also says “Crime and Sydney have always been inseparable: a deep vein of corruption runs beneath the surface of even its most respectable suburbs.”
I liked all the stories but “The Passenger” by Kristen Tranter was the most chilling for me; lost and damaged souls, vice and debauchery. Such ‘casual’ evil.
Much as I like the format of the Noir series, I might suggest an addition of a dictionary of sorts. There were so many words and expressions that I didn’t understand; very Australian terms or slang.
I would highly recommend this title and this Noir series by Akashic Books.
Thank you to Library Thing’s Early Review Program. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Glenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great addition to the Akashic Noir series, and thank you for the copy in exchange for an honest review!

Whenever I read a short story collection, I expect a few to be underwhelming. This was not the case with Sydney Noir. There was a wide variety of themes, ranging from apparent daddy issues ("Birthday Present" by Mandy Sayer) to prison justice ("In Court of the Lion King" by Mark Dapin). And after reading "The Razor" by Robert Drewe I can honestly say that my husband and I are thankful we aren't that close to our family members!

If you haven't picked up one of these books, Sydney Noir is a great place to start.

I received this book from librarything's early reviewer giveaway.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good stories

[Melon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to fully admit that my three star rating is probably greatly my fault--this being the third "Noir" collection I've read, I should clearly stop receiving them for review because they're just not up my alley. I rated each story individually as I read them, and the average was a little under a 3. The collection is divided up into three sections, generally about Family, Sex, and Criminal Justice. Family, for me, was the best of the three. A few 4's in there: "Good Boy, Bad Girl;" "In The Dunes;" and "In the Court of The Lion King."

I'm not puritanical but I'm not a huge fan of graphic sex in my literature, and I see plenty of crime in my job so it doesn't hit me as dark or jarring as it's probably meant to. The family section was primarily what appealed to me--I'll stop reading these Noir books now. Again, no knock to the genre, just a personal preference.

I'm going to be honest, parts of this made me chuckle. But even for a sci-fi comedy, some of the dialogue was pretty unbelievable (think Hitchhiker's Guide but less clever), and I really didn't enjoy the world building that let so many fantastical technologies all be developed at the same time to be incorporated in one cyber-partner for our protagonist. I am a big sci-fi fan, but the introduction of technology into this world was implausible and poorly done. The story was fun, but not enough to draw me in past the dialogue and other issues. Unrelated: I LOVE the cover, so kudos there.

**I received a free Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review (and I'm sorry it took me so long to provide that review--since having kids my brain power allocated to reading has been severely handicapped).**

[A.B. Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read some of the other "(Insert city) Noir" series over the last few years, so was keen to see the offering from my own city (current home, at least), especially being a writer of hard-boiled and noir crime myself.
So, this is an eclectic collection - some well-known names on the crime writing scene, others I'd never heard of, in the crime genre anyway. Overall, the writing is good quality and the book is an entertaining read. Being a local here in Sydney, many of the stories definitely conjure up the local scene and feel pretty well. I enjoyed all the stories, without exception, although some resonated more with me than others. There are certainly some beautifully drawn characters in the tales, and there are some lovely twists, as one would hope for from a "noir" label.
My only reason for not giving it 5 stars is one of personal taste - I like my noir reading to be gut-punchingly dark and with little regard for sensitivities. I like controversy, discomfort, and brutal rawness. For me, this collection erred towards the tamer side of noir - I didn't come across pages which leapt out and smacked me in the face, unlike the hard-core noir I'm used to reading from Americans (and some Brits). This is very much a personal opinion, but I tend to find Australian fiction these days does seem to be preoccupied with not causing offence or upset. I guess that may be the result of this country's obsession with political correctness. And that's something which, in my view, is incompatible with the harder side of noir. However, that said, if you prefer your noir on the tamer side, then you'll probably find this a 5-star read. They are solid stories, after all.
Cheers, ABP

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't always have the best of luck with anthologies..I've said this many times, but I keep going back to them. Sometimes by choice, sometimes when I get one to read and review as in this case. I did request it, so I guess it's a bit of both instances of how I came to read it.
This definitely starts with a bang. Holey CRAPPE! Slowly drew me, telling the story...same with second story..the third..the fourth..BAM! Between the eyes hit! Fifth tale was a bit downhill, but Part One was for the most part excellent.
Part Two is titled Sex and the City and boy howdy! Sex is power is message of the first two stories. Third meanders, but back to theme in the fourth tale. It's the humdinger of the batch.
Part 3 is Criminal Justice, a nice play on words. Every story here is awesome.
It's not a pretty Sydney Australia, by any stretch of the imagination but this anthology makes for compulsive reading.
Definitely recommend!

[Peter Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT A GOOD READ!

I don't read many short stories, not enough that is. As a born and breed SYDNEY-sider the title of this collection was enough to draw me in and add it to my Kindle library. The fact that it included a story set in Mosman/Chinaman's Beach was icing on the cake (I've spent many happy hours as a child playing/exploring around there.

Enough oh my geographical interest in this book.

There are fourteen short stories of which ten are excellent, two are quite good and two are not so good. It would be too long a review to cover all fourteen stories. However; Mark Dapin’s “In the Court of the Lion King" and Mandy Sayer's "The Birthday Present" were my favourites.

If you come from/live in/have an interest in Sydney; do yourself a favour and buy this book.

I've purchased Baghdad Noir for a future read, I hope it will be as good.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Akashic Books for sending me an ARC of this latest installment in the noir series! This was my favorite of the series thus far. While I am not Australian, I have family in Sydney and I enjoyed reading stories that were set in some familiar places. The stories were very dark and twisted, in the best way possible. Each one had a unique feel to it and all together the stories felt like they complemented each other and came together to create a full picture of the dark side of Sydney. Definitely recommend!

[Donna]

A part of Akashic Noir series (begun 2004), Sydney Noir features new short stories, set in a specific location within a city. The gritty. The streets. Revenge. Relationships gone wrong. In these stories, according to John Dale, "There are no safe spaces in this collection What Sydney Noir does best is to provide a window onto the street. So sit back and enjoy the view."

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A varied collection of noir stories, each taking place in a different part of Sydney. I guess it would have more meaning for those who live there. There were a couple of stories that didn't impress me, but most were good reads.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting collection of short stories featuring the suburbs of Sydney and what is hidden behind their facade. Dark and gritty stories of crime and the twisted minds of those who are hidden in plain sight.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Sydney girl, I love the setting, but I found this pretty heavy going to read all in one sitting, with 14 short stories of crime and bad behaviour one after another after another. I enjoyed reading familiar authors in a different format.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read. Each story takes you to a different suburb and a different type of crime. There is a wide diversity of style, from Chandleresque to crisp contemporary. Highly recommended.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of short stories set in Sydney. Very noir 😳 I’m going to have to get hold of some of the other ‘Akashic Noir’ series. When’s the ‘Melbourne Noir’ coming?

[Pip Tlaskal · Rating 3 out of 5]

listened to on audio driving up from Melbourne, did not engage with these stories at all, strangely old fashioned and unreflective of where Sydney is at now.

[Pat]

I read The Passenger by Kirsten Tranter

[Bec · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent collection of short stories.

[Gregory Totman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sydney Noir is one of many from the Akashic Franchise which range from Atalanta to Zagreb , I read the first Brooklyn Noir . It seems every city has its seedy side !
A good collection of short yarns from aussie contributors set in a variety of suburbs .
M favourites were Leigh Redheads tale of an ambitious schoolgirl and her methods of becoming successful. The other one that grabbed my attention was Robert Drew's The Razor about a champion swimmer in training for the melbourne olympics . Set in North Sydney near Luna Park .
Sydney gets described appropriately , most people when they think of the emerald city it's the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House , yet driving on parramatta Road it is just used car lots punctuated by Mc'Donalds . A friend decades ago once described Sydney or 'steak and kidney ' when it was experiencing a building boom in the early 80's as being crass and futuristic.Nothing 's Changed !

[Roxy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid collection of well crafted short stories set in the suburbs of Sydney.

[Sally Edsall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An anthology of short stories, mostly by well-known writers, concentrating in the crime/darker side of life. Each is set in a different suburb of Sydney.

I engaged more with some than others, as may be expected from any anthology.

Sadly it could have done with some better proof editing - some typos, and one instance where a character's name changed mid-story, then back again (from Kelly-Anne to Kerry-Anne).