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Take-Out: And Other Tales of Culinary Crime
Rob Hart has firmly established himself as one of the best crime writers of his generation with his acclaimed Ash McKenna series, and in TAKE-OUT Hart has collected 16 stories of culinary crime and noir that will have you savoring every deadly bite.
In the title story, a gambler falls into debt with the enigmatic owner of a Chinatown gambling parlor, and must run odd—and sometimes dangerous—deliveries to clear his ledger.
In "How to Make the Perfect New York Bagel," the owner of one of New York City's last old-school bagel shops has to defend his storefront—in the past, from the mob, and in the present, from a bank.
In "Creampuff," a bakery with the hottest pastry in town has to hire a bouncer to control the unruly line, with tragic results.
In these stories and more, some never before published, Rob Hart explores the enticing and dangerous intersection where food and hospitality cross paths with crime and noir. Some stories are funny. Some of are dark. But each one will leaving you wanting another bite.
In the title story, a gambler falls into debt with the enigmatic owner of a Chinatown gambling parlor, and must run odd—and sometimes dangerous—deliveries to clear his ledger.
In "How to Make the Perfect New York Bagel," the owner of one of New York City's last old-school bagel shops has to defend his storefront—in the past, from the mob, and in the present, from a bank.
In "Creampuff," a bakery with the hottest pastry in town has to hire a bouncer to control the unruly line, with tragic results.
In these stories and more, some never before published, Rob Hart explores the enticing and dangerous intersection where food and hospitality cross paths with crime and noir. Some stories are funny. Some of are dark. But each one will leaving you wanting another bite.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2019
12 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
About the author
Rob Hart
58 books1,054 followersRob Hart is the author of the USA TODAY bestseller ASSASSINS ANONYMOUS. He also wrote THE PARADOX HOTEL, which was nominated for. Lambda Literary Award, as well as THE WAREHOUSE, which has been sold in more than 20 countries. He also wrote the Ash McKenna crime series, the short story collection TAKE-OUT, the novella SCOTT FREE with James Patterson, and, with Alex Segura, the comic book BLOOD OATH and the novel DARK SPACE.
His short stories have been published widely, including “Due on Batuu,” set in the Star Wars universe, which appeared in FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and "Take-Out," which appeared in BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2018.
He’s worked as a political reporter, the communications director for a politician, and a commissioner for the city of New York. He is the former publisher at MysteriousPress.com and class director at LitReactor. He lives in Jersey City.
His short stories have been published widely, including “Due on Batuu,” set in the Star Wars universe, which appeared in FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and "Take-Out," which appeared in BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2018.
He’s worked as a political reporter, the communications director for a politician, and a commissioner for the city of New York. He is the former publisher at MysteriousPress.com and class director at LitReactor. He lives in Jersey City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 16, 2019
My review of Take-Out: And Other Tales of Culinary Crime can be found at High Fever Books.
Rob Hart is an author I’ve been hearing a lot about over the last few years, so when Take-Out And Other Tales Of Culinary Crime came across my radar it seemed like the perfect chance to see what this guy was all about. I’m a bit of a foodie (well, less so these days now that money is tighter and free time is so much shorter and harder to come by), and back when we had cable Food Network was the go-to station for my wife and I. Anthony Bourdain and his Travel Channel series, No Reservations, was appointment TV, and we had no problem spending a weekend hooked on marathon blocks of his global eating adventures, waiting for a new episode of Iron Chef America to air. I love food. I’ve also developed a soft spot for food-driven narratives, from Bourdain’s own Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw to Cassandra Khaw’s urban fantasy series involving Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef. So yeah, an author I’ve been wanting to read releasing a collection of food-centric crime stories seemed like a no-brainer, and adding Take-Out to my steady diet of books was a pretty easy decision to make.
Thankfully, Take-Out fully delivered on my expectations. Starting almost from page one, Hart knew what I wanted, and the Bourdain epigraph fronting these stories set an immediate mood and tone, which Hart continued to emphasize in his introduction where he discusses the importance of good meals. Not just as a physical requirement, but on a deeper, almost spiritual level. We build memories around food, plan dates around particular meals and special restaurants. There are few things in this world as emotionally and physically satisfying as a perfectly cooked meal, few things as rewarding as delicious comfort food, few things as powerful and wicked as a high-sugar, high-fat confection.
Maybe that’s why food pairs so well with crime. Food is exciting and when done well can instill remarkable passions. It’s no wonder the mafia was fronted by so many restaurants, or why ice cream trucks are the perfect delivery vehicle for…well, we’re not going to talk about the ice cream trucks. Those drivers are freaking dangerous.
Over the course of these sixteen stories, Hart delivers straight-up food warriors, the men and women on the frontlines of their kitchens or food trucks, drawing overt connections between the culinary and the criminal. We get warring food trucks, escaped convicts on the run, a dead baker bouncer, and Times Square actors dressed as knock-off cartoon characters vying for tips and drug sales. Other stories are softer meditations where food provides the backdrop for deeper reflections - take for instance the aging mobster in “The Gift of the Wiseguy” who escapes witness protection one last time to see his son make good on the family name, delighted to rediscover his mother’s lasagna after so many years away. Food connects people, like Cynthia Marks, a prison guard who has made a deep connection with a death row inmate in “Last Request” and goes out of her way to bring him his last meal in the form of a pizza slice, but not just any pizza - a New York pizza! In “How To Make The Perfect New York Bagel,” the opening story in Take-Out, a decades long friendship was formed over this titular food.
While Take-Out serves up plenty of straight-up crime and noir stories, there are a couple cross-genre standouts, like “Lake Paradox,” which is driven by the absence of food and the craziness an empty belly can cause. “Butcher’s Block,” one of my favorite pieces, takes the concept of televised competitive cooking and warps it into a work approaching survival horror. Imagine if Alton Brown went completely mental, got coked up while watching Fight Club too many times, and decided that Cutthroat Kitchen needed a more literal interpretation for broadcast. That’s “Butcher’s Block,” and hot damn did I ever enjoy that one.
As is the norm with the majority of short story collections, I liked some stories more than others. That said, I can’t honestly say there’s a bad one in the bunch here. Each one of these morsels are pretty damn satisfying and enjoyable. Take-Out ends on a note that’s even a bit of a trip down memory lane for me, involving a character of indeterminate criminality on the run in Singapore. When my wife and I were dating, we went to Singapore for a wedding and were introduced to a number of that country’s culinary specialities. One of the very first dishes I had after landing was a rice noodle dish called char kway teow, a dish Frederick is enjoying as, presumably, one of his last meals in Singapore. I couldn’t help but smile over the fondness I developed for that dish myself, knowing exactly what he was experiencing as I read along, a smile that widened upon mention of the fish head curry in Little India, a phenomenal dish our friends treated us to early on in our visit.
Rob Hart knows his food and his foodie destinations, but more importantly he knows about the bonds and memories that develop and solidify over a good plate of food. We all have those special dishes we hold near and dear to our hearts, and Take-Out exploits this in the best possible ways. The fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, after all. Because we know the food at the heart of these stories, by extension we know the characters. Even if we can’t always relate to or condone their actions, we can understand their motives and their passions.
“Meals make the society,” Bourdain said in a 2001 interview with BookPage. “The perfect meal, or the best meals, occur in a context that frequently has very little to do with the food itself.” Hart understands and shares this sentiment, delivering on it in story after story. The theme of food is merely the vessel in which these stories are served, but the meat of each of these dishes ultimately has little to do with the food itself. Hart’s just inviting us to the table and sharing with us a buffet of flawed characters in dangerous situations, exploring their lives and complications through a universally relatable theme, and doing so fully, with no reservations.
[Note: I received an advanced reading copy of this title from the publisher, Polis Books, via NetGalley.]
Rob Hart is an author I’ve been hearing a lot about over the last few years, so when Take-Out And Other Tales Of Culinary Crime came across my radar it seemed like the perfect chance to see what this guy was all about. I’m a bit of a foodie (well, less so these days now that money is tighter and free time is so much shorter and harder to come by), and back when we had cable Food Network was the go-to station for my wife and I. Anthony Bourdain and his Travel Channel series, No Reservations, was appointment TV, and we had no problem spending a weekend hooked on marathon blocks of his global eating adventures, waiting for a new episode of Iron Chef America to air. I love food. I’ve also developed a soft spot for food-driven narratives, from Bourdain’s own Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw to Cassandra Khaw’s urban fantasy series involving Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef. So yeah, an author I’ve been wanting to read releasing a collection of food-centric crime stories seemed like a no-brainer, and adding Take-Out to my steady diet of books was a pretty easy decision to make.
Thankfully, Take-Out fully delivered on my expectations. Starting almost from page one, Hart knew what I wanted, and the Bourdain epigraph fronting these stories set an immediate mood and tone, which Hart continued to emphasize in his introduction where he discusses the importance of good meals. Not just as a physical requirement, but on a deeper, almost spiritual level. We build memories around food, plan dates around particular meals and special restaurants. There are few things in this world as emotionally and physically satisfying as a perfectly cooked meal, few things as rewarding as delicious comfort food, few things as powerful and wicked as a high-sugar, high-fat confection.
Maybe that’s why food pairs so well with crime. Food is exciting and when done well can instill remarkable passions. It’s no wonder the mafia was fronted by so many restaurants, or why ice cream trucks are the perfect delivery vehicle for…well, we’re not going to talk about the ice cream trucks. Those drivers are freaking dangerous.
Over the course of these sixteen stories, Hart delivers straight-up food warriors, the men and women on the frontlines of their kitchens or food trucks, drawing overt connections between the culinary and the criminal. We get warring food trucks, escaped convicts on the run, a dead baker bouncer, and Times Square actors dressed as knock-off cartoon characters vying for tips and drug sales. Other stories are softer meditations where food provides the backdrop for deeper reflections - take for instance the aging mobster in “The Gift of the Wiseguy” who escapes witness protection one last time to see his son make good on the family name, delighted to rediscover his mother’s lasagna after so many years away. Food connects people, like Cynthia Marks, a prison guard who has made a deep connection with a death row inmate in “Last Request” and goes out of her way to bring him his last meal in the form of a pizza slice, but not just any pizza - a New York pizza! In “How To Make The Perfect New York Bagel,” the opening story in Take-Out, a decades long friendship was formed over this titular food.
While Take-Out serves up plenty of straight-up crime and noir stories, there are a couple cross-genre standouts, like “Lake Paradox,” which is driven by the absence of food and the craziness an empty belly can cause. “Butcher’s Block,” one of my favorite pieces, takes the concept of televised competitive cooking and warps it into a work approaching survival horror. Imagine if Alton Brown went completely mental, got coked up while watching Fight Club too many times, and decided that Cutthroat Kitchen needed a more literal interpretation for broadcast. That’s “Butcher’s Block,” and hot damn did I ever enjoy that one.
As is the norm with the majority of short story collections, I liked some stories more than others. That said, I can’t honestly say there’s a bad one in the bunch here. Each one of these morsels are pretty damn satisfying and enjoyable. Take-Out ends on a note that’s even a bit of a trip down memory lane for me, involving a character of indeterminate criminality on the run in Singapore. When my wife and I were dating, we went to Singapore for a wedding and were introduced to a number of that country’s culinary specialities. One of the very first dishes I had after landing was a rice noodle dish called char kway teow, a dish Frederick is enjoying as, presumably, one of his last meals in Singapore. I couldn’t help but smile over the fondness I developed for that dish myself, knowing exactly what he was experiencing as I read along, a smile that widened upon mention of the fish head curry in Little India, a phenomenal dish our friends treated us to early on in our visit.
Rob Hart knows his food and his foodie destinations, but more importantly he knows about the bonds and memories that develop and solidify over a good plate of food. We all have those special dishes we hold near and dear to our hearts, and Take-Out exploits this in the best possible ways. The fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, after all. Because we know the food at the heart of these stories, by extension we know the characters. Even if we can’t always relate to or condone their actions, we can understand their motives and their passions.
“Meals make the society,” Bourdain said in a 2001 interview with BookPage. “The perfect meal, or the best meals, occur in a context that frequently has very little to do with the food itself.” Hart understands and shares this sentiment, delivering on it in story after story. The theme of food is merely the vessel in which these stories are served, but the meat of each of these dishes ultimately has little to do with the food itself. Hart’s just inviting us to the table and sharing with us a buffet of flawed characters in dangerous situations, exploring their lives and complications through a universally relatable theme, and doing so fully, with no reservations.
[Note: I received an advanced reading copy of this title from the publisher, Polis Books, via NetGalley.]
October 20, 2018
Sixteen tales of twisted modern noir. They do center around a food theme, but they are still dark and twisted. From mafia shakedowns to last death row requests to ferocious bakery lines to food channel cook offs gone psycho, Hart gives us a whole lot of fun. Dig in.
July 28, 2020
Some really good ones, some I thought were a bit over the top, half expecting a supernatural crime thing. Reads much like a string of very improbable Castle episodes watches.
October 6, 2020
Ja u knjiškoj formi.
(Realnija je ocena 4, ali sam mekog srca.)
Posebno bih istakla sledeće priče:
Foodies, The Gas Chamber, Bhut Jolokia, The Last Request, Drone, Butcher's Block i Have You Eaten.
(Realnija je ocena 4, ali sam mekog srca.)
Posebno bih istakla sledeće priče:
Foodies, The Gas Chamber, Bhut Jolokia, The Last Request, Drone, Butcher's Block i Have You Eaten.
January 17, 2019
With 16 tales to offer, Take-Out has something for everyone. Each a little twisted and dark, they bring us to the places where food and people meet. Food can bring people together, it can cause pain when taken away, it can be how we show love, it can be used to feel better after a shitty day. Throughout his stories Hart explores the gritty, dark and sometimes funny aspects of human nature. He uses the world around him as his muse. From Butcher's Block to Swipe Left, he takes current issues and puts his own spin on it. He shows how the ugliness of society has always been there, once before it was the mafia, now its corporate greed. He asks the hard question; What length would you go to, to be able to start again? And just when you think it's all dark, you come across Creampuff. A feel good tale between the criminals and low lives.
I had 4 firm favourites in this collection.
Take-Out - This was just a good story from start to finish. It was clever, tricky and there were no good guys.
Last Request - The tale in which a woman is so miserable, so sad and treated so badly by the men in her life, that a death row inmate starts to look appealing.
Foodies - Short and sweet, I was pretty sure I knew where this was heading the whole time, but still a great play on people's need to EXPERIENCE food.
Confessions of a taco truck driver - From the very first page it had me hooked.
"Assuming a forward thrust, the angle of the knife indicates the assailant was walking east to west. That narrows down the list of suspects considerably.
It couldn't be those whale-hugging hippies from the vegan cupcake truck. They don't eat enough protein. No way they've got the upper body strength to get a knife through the thick wall of a tire.
It couldn't be the soft-serve ice cream guy. If he was intent on sending a message, that knife would be sticking out of my chest."
Overall the writing was solid. Some stories flowed better than others, there was a bit of repetition between the stories, with wording and subjects. But Hart was able to build tension, when I knew exactly what was going to happen. Some of the lines made me stop and laugh.
I think with books like these, not every story is going to work for you, I had a few I loved and some I didn't care for at all. I would have liked for a few more of the stories to have been my thing.
I received an e-arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I had 4 firm favourites in this collection.
Take-Out - This was just a good story from start to finish. It was clever, tricky and there were no good guys.
Last Request - The tale in which a woman is so miserable, so sad and treated so badly by the men in her life, that a death row inmate starts to look appealing.
Foodies - Short and sweet, I was pretty sure I knew where this was heading the whole time, but still a great play on people's need to EXPERIENCE food.
Confessions of a taco truck driver - From the very first page it had me hooked.
"Assuming a forward thrust, the angle of the knife indicates the assailant was walking east to west. That narrows down the list of suspects considerably.
It couldn't be those whale-hugging hippies from the vegan cupcake truck. They don't eat enough protein. No way they've got the upper body strength to get a knife through the thick wall of a tire.
It couldn't be the soft-serve ice cream guy. If he was intent on sending a message, that knife would be sticking out of my chest."
Overall the writing was solid. Some stories flowed better than others, there was a bit of repetition between the stories, with wording and subjects. But Hart was able to build tension, when I knew exactly what was going to happen. Some of the lines made me stop and laugh.
I think with books like these, not every story is going to work for you, I had a few I loved and some I didn't care for at all. I would have liked for a few more of the stories to have been my thing.
I received an e-arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2019
Loosely tied together by the theme of food, the sixteen stories contained in Take-Out vary from crime stories to humor.
While I enjoyed reading all the stories, my favorite was “The Gift of the Wiseguy”. It’s the story of a Mafioso’s son who writes a memoir. His father had ratted out his colleagues and entered witness protection twenty years earlier leaving his family behind. This story has crime, twists and pathos. The characters are well-defined with clear motivations. Due to its length, not a word is wasted. Many of the other stories are also great reads.
Take-out is highly recommended to thriller readers. 4 stars!
Thanks to Polis Books for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
While I enjoyed reading all the stories, my favorite was “The Gift of the Wiseguy”. It’s the story of a Mafioso’s son who writes a memoir. His father had ratted out his colleagues and entered witness protection twenty years earlier leaving his family behind. This story has crime, twists and pathos. The characters are well-defined with clear motivations. Due to its length, not a word is wasted. Many of the other stories are also great reads.
Take-out is highly recommended to thriller readers. 4 stars!
Thanks to Polis Books for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2019
I don't think there was a single story in this anthology I disliked. It definitely hit my personal sweet spot with the perfect cross section of food and fiction. This helped me realize that short story collections are easily my most preferred format for reading.
June 5, 2019
A dark twisty and delicious collection of short stories loosely tied together by its centerpiece - food.
November 21, 2024
This book made me hungry 😉
January 9, 2019
When I first heard about this one I thought it was an anthology of food related crime stories to be edited by Rob Hart, but I soon learned my mistake. I was still intrigued as to how Hart had written so many stories of this type and as I thought about some of the ones I had already read there did seem to be a pattern. Here they are all presented together and some have much more to do with food than others as some tangentially hit on it whilst others revolve around restaurants or foodstuff.
"How to Make the Perfect New York Bagel" opens the collection wonderfully with it's nostalgic New York setting and a bagel shop owner fighting off past and present extortionists. "Foodies", "The Gas Chamber" and "Bhut Jolokia" are stories that I've read elsewhere, but I still delved in again as Hart has a compelling narrative voice that really sucks you into each story no matter how short and regardless if they've been read before. Sandwiched between them is "Creampuff" taken from the Unloaded anthology edited by Eric Beetner, which presents crime fiction stories that don't involve guns. For me, this one showed off the modern New York City, something that Hart does well throughout the collection. He showcases the city he lives in , not the idealistic or romantic version that is often served up.
"Knock-Off", "Lake Paradox" and "Learning Experience" are stories that don't directly involve food, but they are all entertaining in their own ways. A knock-off Elmo deals drugs from his costume in the first, two prisoners escape and await collection at a cabin in the second and most unexpectedly a transvestite gang lord looks to hold onto her territory in the third complete with an Ash McKenna cameo.
"Confessions of a Taco Truck Owner" was another I'd previously read in the pages of THUGLIT and didn't hesitate to do so again. The collection then enters it zenith with a string of absolute golden stories. "Last Request" sees a female prison guard look to fulfil the last request of a death row inmate. "Take-Out" titles the collection and was perhaps my favourite of the bunch as a guy works off his gambling debt by carrying out deliveries for a Chinese restaurant owner. "Swipe Left" teaches the important lesson that you "always punch Nazis". "The Gift of the Wiseguy" has a former wiseguy come out of the cocoon of witness protection to see his children and topping off this majestic run is "Drone" where two brothers look to set themselves up by delivering drugs via drones.
"Butcher's Block" revolves around a new cooking TV show on which Chef Nova is invited to participate in the pilot episode. I felt this one had the most telegraphed ending and you could see it from early on in what was a longish story. "Have You Eaten?" rounds out the collection with an opaque tale of a criminal finally being caught with as he enjoys cuisine at a Singapore food centre.
As noted earlier it's Hart's narrative voice that pulls you in, the playing with crime fiction tropes keeps you there and the modernisation of these that seal the deal that he is someone I want to keep reading. I follow Hart on social media too and little interests of his pop up around the collection allowing for that nod and wry smile. I've only read Ash McKenna's joint short with Alex Segura's Pete Fernandez, but that is something that will have to change soon.
"How to Make the Perfect New York Bagel" opens the collection wonderfully with it's nostalgic New York setting and a bagel shop owner fighting off past and present extortionists. "Foodies", "The Gas Chamber" and "Bhut Jolokia" are stories that I've read elsewhere, but I still delved in again as Hart has a compelling narrative voice that really sucks you into each story no matter how short and regardless if they've been read before. Sandwiched between them is "Creampuff" taken from the Unloaded anthology edited by Eric Beetner, which presents crime fiction stories that don't involve guns. For me, this one showed off the modern New York City, something that Hart does well throughout the collection. He showcases the city he lives in , not the idealistic or romantic version that is often served up.
"Knock-Off", "Lake Paradox" and "Learning Experience" are stories that don't directly involve food, but they are all entertaining in their own ways. A knock-off Elmo deals drugs from his costume in the first, two prisoners escape and await collection at a cabin in the second and most unexpectedly a transvestite gang lord looks to hold onto her territory in the third complete with an Ash McKenna cameo.
"Confessions of a Taco Truck Owner" was another I'd previously read in the pages of THUGLIT and didn't hesitate to do so again. The collection then enters it zenith with a string of absolute golden stories. "Last Request" sees a female prison guard look to fulfil the last request of a death row inmate. "Take-Out" titles the collection and was perhaps my favourite of the bunch as a guy works off his gambling debt by carrying out deliveries for a Chinese restaurant owner. "Swipe Left" teaches the important lesson that you "always punch Nazis". "The Gift of the Wiseguy" has a former wiseguy come out of the cocoon of witness protection to see his children and topping off this majestic run is "Drone" where two brothers look to set themselves up by delivering drugs via drones.
"Butcher's Block" revolves around a new cooking TV show on which Chef Nova is invited to participate in the pilot episode. I felt this one had the most telegraphed ending and you could see it from early on in what was a longish story. "Have You Eaten?" rounds out the collection with an opaque tale of a criminal finally being caught with as he enjoys cuisine at a Singapore food centre.
As noted earlier it's Hart's narrative voice that pulls you in, the playing with crime fiction tropes keeps you there and the modernisation of these that seal the deal that he is someone I want to keep reading. I follow Hart on social media too and little interests of his pop up around the collection allowing for that nod and wry smile. I've only read Ash McKenna's joint short with Alex Segura's Pete Fernandez, but that is something that will have to change soon.
January 28, 2019
Sometimes things seem to come at you from behind and suddenly form recognizable patterns.
In the introduction to his short story collection, TAKE-OUT AND OTHER TALES OF CULINARY CRIME, the accomplished American fiction writer Rob Hart claims not to have noticed, at first, that a tight and edgy cluster of tales written since 2012 all coalesced (like dried blood) around a “food noir” theme.
Once that was pointed out, the 16 titles became a natural recipe for his latest book. While most have appeared previously in a number of mystery and crime anthologies or periodicals, Hart also includes three never-before-published ones to whet the forensic appetites of his genre aficionados.
Now, as we all know from mainstream TV and movies, the best criminal plots involve deception and adroit intellectual reversals, that sudden realization that a key player has been blindsided. And to keep up, our expectations as readers must just as suddenly shift and adjust to new variables and outcomes.
In TAKE-OUT, Hart is a proven master of the intentionally unbalanced narrative, whether writing about a perfectly planned arrest that goes perfectly awry (“Have You Eaten?”); an exotic hot pepper turned lethal weapon (“Bhut Jolokia”); a surreal distortion of TV chef competitions (“Butcher’s Block”); or the title tale of Chinese “food” deliveries to some unsavory clients (“Take-Out”).
One might think that crime with a foodie context would be, well, tasteful --- that it would be witty, curious and comfortable like a good murder-mystery dinner, or elite British TV productions like the long-running “Midsomer Murders” series.
But that’s not where Hart’s world is. TAKE-OUT probes the back alleys and subterranean byways of inner-city culture where life and death travel in close proximity. The benign exterior of urban food trucks can hide major drug deals and lethal reprisals; a wholesome-looking family bagel shop survives at the pleasure of persistent extortionists; underworld power struggles are vicious and relentless.
In fact, the taste of crime is distilled into every morsel of food and drink that is woven into Hart’s complex and often grotesque storylines. Without exception, each moves with unnerving efficiency, usually not to a predictable conclusion, but to an abrupt end.
Like some dishes whose seasoning is never quite right on the palate, yet compel us to take another and another bite, Hart’s tortuous tales remind us that fiction can be as strange as real life when viewed from underneath.
TAKE-OUT is a superb series of tight, visceral experiences for those with strong stomachs who love to read dangerously.
Reviewed by Pauline Finch
In the introduction to his short story collection, TAKE-OUT AND OTHER TALES OF CULINARY CRIME, the accomplished American fiction writer Rob Hart claims not to have noticed, at first, that a tight and edgy cluster of tales written since 2012 all coalesced (like dried blood) around a “food noir” theme.
Once that was pointed out, the 16 titles became a natural recipe for his latest book. While most have appeared previously in a number of mystery and crime anthologies or periodicals, Hart also includes three never-before-published ones to whet the forensic appetites of his genre aficionados.
Now, as we all know from mainstream TV and movies, the best criminal plots involve deception and adroit intellectual reversals, that sudden realization that a key player has been blindsided. And to keep up, our expectations as readers must just as suddenly shift and adjust to new variables and outcomes.
In TAKE-OUT, Hart is a proven master of the intentionally unbalanced narrative, whether writing about a perfectly planned arrest that goes perfectly awry (“Have You Eaten?”); an exotic hot pepper turned lethal weapon (“Bhut Jolokia”); a surreal distortion of TV chef competitions (“Butcher’s Block”); or the title tale of Chinese “food” deliveries to some unsavory clients (“Take-Out”).
One might think that crime with a foodie context would be, well, tasteful --- that it would be witty, curious and comfortable like a good murder-mystery dinner, or elite British TV productions like the long-running “Midsomer Murders” series.
But that’s not where Hart’s world is. TAKE-OUT probes the back alleys and subterranean byways of inner-city culture where life and death travel in close proximity. The benign exterior of urban food trucks can hide major drug deals and lethal reprisals; a wholesome-looking family bagel shop survives at the pleasure of persistent extortionists; underworld power struggles are vicious and relentless.
In fact, the taste of crime is distilled into every morsel of food and drink that is woven into Hart’s complex and often grotesque storylines. Without exception, each moves with unnerving efficiency, usually not to a predictable conclusion, but to an abrupt end.
Like some dishes whose seasoning is never quite right on the palate, yet compel us to take another and another bite, Hart’s tortuous tales remind us that fiction can be as strange as real life when viewed from underneath.
TAKE-OUT is a superb series of tight, visceral experiences for those with strong stomachs who love to read dangerously.
Reviewed by Pauline Finch
November 19, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book via a Twitter giveaway by the author.
Rob Hart is best known for his Ash McKenna series of detective/crime novels, and rightfully so, but TAKE-OUT shows off a different side of the author. Despite the subtitle promising "Tales of Culinary Crime," the stories within occasionally veer off on unexpected but welcome detours into other genres. There's the horror-tinged "Lake Paradox" and "Butcher's Block"; the broad (if dark) comedy of "Knock-Off" and "Drone"; the Serling-esque morality plays of "Foodies" and "Bhut Jolokia"; and the quiet character study of "Creampuff," in my opinion the collection's high point, an elegiac tribute to a gradually-disappearing version of the Greatest City in the World and the unique, indelible characters that once populated its every corner.
This is not to suggest, however, that the title is misleading, because there is no shortage of Hart's trademark lean, hard-boiled prose about mean, hard-boiled people. Fans of the Ash McKenna novels will enjoy Ash's brief appearance in "Learning Experience." The well-worn genre tropes of the serial killer and the mob heavy get food-centric twists in "Last Request" and "The Gift of the Wiseguy." "How to Make the Perfect New York Bagel," "Confessions of a Taco Truck Owner," and the titular story pack entire novels' worth of character and worldbuilding and plot into just a few pages apiece.
As with all of Hart's work so far, I devoured (pun totally intended, who am I kidding?) TAKE-OUT over the course of two sittings, his writing as unputdownable as ever despite the shorter format of these stories. I can't recommend it enough.
Rob Hart is best known for his Ash McKenna series of detective/crime novels, and rightfully so, but TAKE-OUT shows off a different side of the author. Despite the subtitle promising "Tales of Culinary Crime," the stories within occasionally veer off on unexpected but welcome detours into other genres. There's the horror-tinged "Lake Paradox" and "Butcher's Block"; the broad (if dark) comedy of "Knock-Off" and "Drone"; the Serling-esque morality plays of "Foodies" and "Bhut Jolokia"; and the quiet character study of "Creampuff," in my opinion the collection's high point, an elegiac tribute to a gradually-disappearing version of the Greatest City in the World and the unique, indelible characters that once populated its every corner.
This is not to suggest, however, that the title is misleading, because there is no shortage of Hart's trademark lean, hard-boiled prose about mean, hard-boiled people. Fans of the Ash McKenna novels will enjoy Ash's brief appearance in "Learning Experience." The well-worn genre tropes of the serial killer and the mob heavy get food-centric twists in "Last Request" and "The Gift of the Wiseguy." "How to Make the Perfect New York Bagel," "Confessions of a Taco Truck Owner," and the titular story pack entire novels' worth of character and worldbuilding and plot into just a few pages apiece.
As with all of Hart's work so far, I devoured (pun totally intended, who am I kidding?) TAKE-OUT over the course of two sittings, his writing as unputdownable as ever despite the shorter format of these stories. I can't recommend it enough.
November 7, 2018
I was excited to have the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book on NetGalley.
“‘Look, nobody hanging out in Times Square dressed like a muppet is doing it because they’ve made good decisions. I’ve got a proposition that’ll make you an extra couple of bucks. Low impact, low risk.’“
TAKE OUT AND OTHER TALES OF CULINARY CRIME features stories that first appeared in well-respected crime publications such as Thuglit, Shotgun Honey, and Mystery Tribune, as well as three previously unpublished pieces. Also included is a story from the world of Hart’s awesome Ash McKenna series, “Learning Experience,” in the point of view of Ginny Tonic, the fabulous transvestite crime boss who happens to be one of Ash’s childhood friends.
My favorite stories in the collection are follows: “Creampuff” proves that personality rules in the cutthroat world of bakery bouncing. In “Bhut Jolokia” revenge is served super spicy. “Knock-Off,” the source of the quotation, gives a behind the scenes look at the world of the costumed performers of Times Square, who bust their furry butts for tips.
This great crime collection had me hankering for a trip to New York City to enjoy all of its culinary delights and its gritty undertone of violence.
“‘Look, nobody hanging out in Times Square dressed like a muppet is doing it because they’ve made good decisions. I’ve got a proposition that’ll make you an extra couple of bucks. Low impact, low risk.’“
TAKE OUT AND OTHER TALES OF CULINARY CRIME features stories that first appeared in well-respected crime publications such as Thuglit, Shotgun Honey, and Mystery Tribune, as well as three previously unpublished pieces. Also included is a story from the world of Hart’s awesome Ash McKenna series, “Learning Experience,” in the point of view of Ginny Tonic, the fabulous transvestite crime boss who happens to be one of Ash’s childhood friends.
My favorite stories in the collection are follows: “Creampuff” proves that personality rules in the cutthroat world of bakery bouncing. In “Bhut Jolokia” revenge is served super spicy. “Knock-Off,” the source of the quotation, gives a behind the scenes look at the world of the costumed performers of Times Square, who bust their furry butts for tips.
This great crime collection had me hankering for a trip to New York City to enjoy all of its culinary delights and its gritty undertone of violence.
November 15, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I really enjoyed this collection of stories, it's been more than a few years since I've read a collection of short stories. For me, anyway, I have to be in just the right mood.
Hart's prose is concise, sparing, with just the right amount of description, and let's the story play out for you to feel the underlying emotion. Each story has something to do with food, and it could just be a passing observation to a metaphor to a character within. And, if you'll allow me, these stories all convey their own flavors, from savory to burnt to dry to comfort to sweetly sticky.
I enjoyed them all, a quick peek into others' universes, but I particularly liked "Last Request". Perfect beginning through to the end.
Highly recommend, and I look forward to reading more by Rob Hart, starting with "Potters Field..
Hart's prose is concise, sparing, with just the right amount of description, and let's the story play out for you to feel the underlying emotion. Each story has something to do with food, and it could just be a passing observation to a metaphor to a character within. And, if you'll allow me, these stories all convey their own flavors, from savory to burnt to dry to comfort to sweetly sticky.
I enjoyed them all, a quick peek into others' universes, but I particularly liked "Last Request". Perfect beginning through to the end.
Highly recommend, and I look forward to reading more by Rob Hart, starting with "Potters Field..
January 11, 2019
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Take-Out has plenty of short stories most of which involve food in one form or another. These stories also involve crime of different kinds. There's theft, murder, mob shakedowns, attempted prison escapes, crime families, etc. I found most of them to be interesting and I did enjoy the crime aspect. The stories can be a bit of a hit or miss however and mileage can vary.
Personally, my favorite was Creampuff which was about a patisserie bouncer who was rather strict and serious about his job but was found endearing by many. I thought that it was a touching story despite the ending and I liked how the owners treated this bouncer's steadfastness and loyalty.
Another story I enjoyed but was considerably shorter was Bhut Jolokia which was about a woman who was sick of getting her lunch stolen by the lunch bully and doesn't quite get the ending she expected.
A story which surprisingly made me laugh was Learning Experience. I could admire the chef's hustle and how he managed to con gullible customers into believing they're eating human meat when it's really jamon iberico.
Overall, there's quite a varied number of stories here and everyone's bound to find something they like. I personally enjoyed it for the most part and can recommend it to anyone who likes short stories and crime fiction.
Take-Out has plenty of short stories most of which involve food in one form or another. These stories also involve crime of different kinds. There's theft, murder, mob shakedowns, attempted prison escapes, crime families, etc. I found most of them to be interesting and I did enjoy the crime aspect. The stories can be a bit of a hit or miss however and mileage can vary.
Personally, my favorite was Creampuff which was about a patisserie bouncer who was rather strict and serious about his job but was found endearing by many. I thought that it was a touching story despite the ending and I liked how the owners treated this bouncer's steadfastness and loyalty.
Another story I enjoyed but was considerably shorter was Bhut Jolokia which was about a woman who was sick of getting her lunch stolen by the lunch bully and doesn't quite get the ending she expected.
A story which surprisingly made me laugh was Learning Experience. I could admire the chef's hustle and how he managed to con gullible customers into believing they're eating human meat when it's really jamon iberico.
Overall, there's quite a varied number of stories here and everyone's bound to find something they like. I personally enjoyed it for the most part and can recommend it to anyone who likes short stories and crime fiction.
August 12, 2019
I really love anthologies. They give me a chance to read and retain what I have read when I'm travelling. It's too hard to read a few pages at a time in a full length novel. They also showcase an author's skills, letting them flex their writing muscles into differing genres. In Take-Out, Rob Hart gives us many more reasons to enjoy his work. The stories cover a wide range of characters in the food service business, all starring characters both entertaining and detailed, you'll recognize them as people you meet every day. This skill is very hard to obtain when working with short stories. You'll appreciate each story and love the book as a whole.
March 5, 2019
Rob Hart has created a new genre - food noir! In Take-Out, you will find 16 tales of crime and food. There is the bagel maker and organized crime figure taking on a real estate agent. There is a drone delivery service gone wrong. And do not miss the taco truck owner confession story. But the final story takes the cake with a foodie criminal at Singapore food court. If you enjoy crime and food, take the time to enjoy Take-Out! You will find something to sink your teeth into!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this story collection!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this story collection!
December 23, 2018
Short stories entwining food and crime. Reminds me of going through a cigar box full of jewelry at a yard sale, lots of junk, but a few real pieces of gold. My favorite story was Creampuff, about a bouncer at a busy NY patisserie. If you enjoyed Amazing Stories or 80's era episodes of the Twilight Zone, this will be a good fit for you.
February 12, 2019
The combination of food and crime to a fan of mysteries and collector of cookbooks was irresistible and Rob Hart's Take-Out didn't disappoint. Killer lasagna, drug-delivering drones (there is a food connection if you pay attention), and a warning to anyone who's ever taken a coworker's lunch are just a few of the ways Rob Hart chooses to entice his reader into the world of culinary crime.
June 9, 2023
3.5 As with any compilation of stories, you’re going to love some and not like some. Overall, I liked most of these, even the ones I didn’t like as much weren’t too bad - they just weren’t my vibe.
If you know anything about Rob Hart, you know he’s got a fantastic, realistic imagination, knows food, and knows New York City. All that definitely shines through in this compilation of stories.
If you know anything about Rob Hart, you know he’s got a fantastic, realistic imagination, knows food, and knows New York City. All that definitely shines through in this compilation of stories.
September 3, 2019
4 1/2 stars. I'm not usually a short stories person, but I loved these crime stories. Each one creates a fully rendered world in miniature, and they're populated by well-developed characters. Twisty plots, pleasing surprises, and so many delicious descriptions of food.
April 19, 2020
Guess I should have paid more attention to the blurb - I thought this was a behind the scenes of restaurant take out. :)
Still, it wasn't bad. Most of the stories were predictable, but well written.
Still, it wasn't bad. Most of the stories were predictable, but well written.
November 3, 2021
Take-Out is a collection of 16 stories of culinary crime and noir.
This book was not what I expected, it was even better. Well written and easy to follow it's one book I will read over and over again.
This book was not what I expected, it was even better. Well written and easy to follow it's one book I will read over and over again.
May 4, 2019
More potential than substance. I was disappointed the stories were not longer with more resolution. The culinary element added an unusual dimension.
May 25, 2019
Pretty solid collection of stories. Entertaining and well written and I loved that they were based in NYC.
November 23, 2019
DNF @ 40%. I found the stories formulaic and predictable.
February 15, 2020
Some really good stories some I don't remember anymore.
July 9, 2020
Not normally a short story reader, but gave this one a chance. Some were better than others; a lot were cliffhangers. Enjoyable to read.
January 23, 2024
Will that was a whirl wind and now I am hungry
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