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Accra Noir
Accra joins Lagos, Nairobi, Marrakech, and Addis Ababa in representing the African continent in the Noir Series arena.
"The anthology Accra Noir edited by Nana-Ama Danquah captures the hustle of several distinctive neighborhoods of Ghana’s capital."
--The Millions, included in Nadia Owusu’s Year in Reading (2020)
"Thirteen tales of the trouble people find in the capital city of Ghana when they’re trying to make a buck...There’s plenty of noir to go around in this all-too-sad volume about people struggling to get by."
--Kirkus Reviews, Starred review
"This spine-chilling 13-story collection offers an opportunity to 'consider the context, beware of a pretext, search for a subtext' on living--and dying--in a major metropolis consumed by poverty and desperation."
--Shelf Awareness for Readers, STARRED Review
"Superb...Each story reaffirms how fundamental 'place' is to the noir genre and how the locale shapes the story as much as the characters themselves...Strongly recommended."
--Library Journal
"This welcome volume in the Akashic noir series, set in Ghana, hits plenty of the expected bleak notes and classical noirish phrasings."
--Publishers Weekly
"There's good writing as well as a strong sense of place and culture, and the reader will absorb a side of Accra that doesn’t make it into the tourist brochures."
--New York Journal of Books
"Within this new book, the authors who share their many stories do so in a much revealing way about Accra, a city of allegories, one of the most dynamic and diverse places in the world."
--Exclusive Magazine
“I was blown away by these stories, and would encourage lovers of noir fiction to try these out. They are gritty enough to fill your noir needs.”
--The Cyberlibrarian
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 by: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, Kwame Dawes, Adjoa Twum, Kofi Blankson Ocansey, Billie McTernan, Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo, Patrick Smith, Anne Sackey, Gbontwi Anyetei, Nana-Ama Danquah, Ayesha Harruna Attah, Eibhlín Ní Chléirigh, and Anna Bossman.
From the introduction by Nana-Ama Danquah:
Accra is the perfect setting for noir fiction. The telling of such tales--ones involving or suggesting death, with a protagonist who is flawed or devious, driven by either a self-serving motive or one of the seven deadly sins--is woven into the fabric of the city’s everyday life...
Accra is more than just a capital city. It is a microcosm of Ghana. It is a virtual map of the nation’s soul, a complex geographical display of its indigenous presence, the colonial imposition, declarations of freedom, followed by coups d’état, decades of dictatorship, and then, finally, a steady march forward into a promising future...
Much like Accra, these stories are not always what they seem. The contributors who penned them know too well how to spin a story into a web...It is an honor and a pleasure to share them and all they reveal about Accra, a city of allegories, one of the most dynamic and diverse places in the world.
"The anthology Accra Noir edited by Nana-Ama Danquah captures the hustle of several distinctive neighborhoods of Ghana’s capital."
--The Millions, included in Nadia Owusu’s Year in Reading (2020)
"Thirteen tales of the trouble people find in the capital city of Ghana when they’re trying to make a buck...There’s plenty of noir to go around in this all-too-sad volume about people struggling to get by."
--Kirkus Reviews, Starred review
"This spine-chilling 13-story collection offers an opportunity to 'consider the context, beware of a pretext, search for a subtext' on living--and dying--in a major metropolis consumed by poverty and desperation."
--Shelf Awareness for Readers, STARRED Review
"Superb...Each story reaffirms how fundamental 'place' is to the noir genre and how the locale shapes the story as much as the characters themselves...Strongly recommended."
--Library Journal
"This welcome volume in the Akashic noir series, set in Ghana, hits plenty of the expected bleak notes and classical noirish phrasings."
--Publishers Weekly
"There's good writing as well as a strong sense of place and culture, and the reader will absorb a side of Accra that doesn’t make it into the tourist brochures."
--New York Journal of Books
"Within this new book, the authors who share their many stories do so in a much revealing way about Accra, a city of allegories, one of the most dynamic and diverse places in the world."
--Exclusive Magazine
“I was blown away by these stories, and would encourage lovers of noir fiction to try these out. They are gritty enough to fill your noir needs.”
--The Cyberlibrarian
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 by: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, Kwame Dawes, Adjoa Twum, Kofi Blankson Ocansey, Billie McTernan, Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo, Patrick Smith, Anne Sackey, Gbontwi Anyetei, Nana-Ama Danquah, Ayesha Harruna Attah, Eibhlín Ní Chléirigh, and Anna Bossman.
From the introduction by Nana-Ama Danquah:
Accra is the perfect setting for noir fiction. The telling of such tales--ones involving or suggesting death, with a protagonist who is flawed or devious, driven by either a self-serving motive or one of the seven deadly sins--is woven into the fabric of the city’s everyday life...
Accra is more than just a capital city. It is a microcosm of Ghana. It is a virtual map of the nation’s soul, a complex geographical display of its indigenous presence, the colonial imposition, declarations of freedom, followed by coups d’état, decades of dictatorship, and then, finally, a steady march forward into a promising future...
Much like Accra, these stories are not always what they seem. The contributors who penned them know too well how to spin a story into a web...It is an honor and a pleasure to share them and all they reveal about Accra, a city of allegories, one of the most dynamic and diverse places in the world.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2020
15 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 22, 2021
This is the first book I've read from the noir collection and I found this one to be very good. I don't often read crime novels but this collection of short stories centered around Accra was exactly what I needed. I really enjoyed the tone of each story. The African flair was definitely visible and I was here for it. I've discovered more writers from Ghana and that was the icing on the cake. Great storytelling and I even had the possibility to listen to a few of theses stories on audiobook. Excellent! I highly recommend! I think I'm going to read either Lagos Noir or Haiti Noir next.
December 3, 2020
A great collection of stories showing the vibrancy and intensity of life in Accra, the corruption and darkness that also exist in and around us. But they also very much, centre the human experience.
As with all the Noir series, Accra Noir takes us into markets, compounds, spaces of everyday people. It just so happens that sometimes, darkness, violence, and death are also along for the ride.
The first story drops us in the bustling Mallam Atta Market, where the hustle for survival can be felt and the intensity does not let up until the very last story.
These stories are vibrant with atmosphere, crisp and succinct, yet deeply revealing of what drives the darkness at our core, whether or not we were willing to let it out; how cycles of hurt and victimization are perpetuated, how the vulnerable are used and discarded without a thought.
Corruption, jealousy, mistaken identity, jungle justice, exploitation, abandonment, neglect, and revenge are just some of the themes that are brought to life in this collection and in some instances will shock, while in others highlight a pervasive atmosphere of societal decay that is worldwide.
But what struck me as I read each and every story is the human experience that ties this collection together. The characters are all searching, hoping, and striving; to survive, to be happy, to be free. Big up to #Akashic for bringing these stories to us.
I enjoyed every story in this collection but the stunners that had my eyes bugging, my heart clenching and my mind raging were: Chop Money, Moon Over Aburi, The Boy Who Wasn't There, and Intentional Consequences.
As with all the Noir series, Accra Noir takes us into markets, compounds, spaces of everyday people. It just so happens that sometimes, darkness, violence, and death are also along for the ride.
The first story drops us in the bustling Mallam Atta Market, where the hustle for survival can be felt and the intensity does not let up until the very last story.
These stories are vibrant with atmosphere, crisp and succinct, yet deeply revealing of what drives the darkness at our core, whether or not we were willing to let it out; how cycles of hurt and victimization are perpetuated, how the vulnerable are used and discarded without a thought.
Corruption, jealousy, mistaken identity, jungle justice, exploitation, abandonment, neglect, and revenge are just some of the themes that are brought to life in this collection and in some instances will shock, while in others highlight a pervasive atmosphere of societal decay that is worldwide.
But what struck me as I read each and every story is the human experience that ties this collection together. The characters are all searching, hoping, and striving; to survive, to be happy, to be free. Big up to #Akashic for bringing these stories to us.
I enjoyed every story in this collection but the stunners that had my eyes bugging, my heart clenching and my mind raging were: Chop Money, Moon Over Aburi, The Boy Who Wasn't There, and Intentional Consequences.
December 3, 2020
As with all the Noir series, Accra Noir takes us into markets, compounds, spaces of everyday people. It just so happens that sometimes, darkness, violence, and death are also along for the ride.
The first story drops us in the bustling Mallam Atta Market, where the hustle for survival can be felt and the intensity does not let up until the very last story.
These stories are vibrant with atmosphere, crisp and succinct, yet deeply revealing of what drives the darkness at our core, whether or not we were willing to let it out; how cycles of hurt and victimization are perpetuated, how the vulnerable are used and discarded without a thought.
Corruption, jealousy, mistaken identity, jungle justice, exploitation, abandonment, neglect, and revenge are just some of the themes that are brought to life in this collection and in some instances will shock, while in others highlight a pervasive atmosphere of societal decay that is worldwide.
But what struck me as I read each and every story is the human experience that ties this collection together. The characters are all searching, hoping, and striving; to survive, to be happy, to be free. Big up to #Akashic for bringing these stories to us.
I enjoyed every story in this collection but the stunners that had my eyes bugging, my heart clenching and my mind raging were: Chop Money, Moon Over Aburi, The Boy Who Wasn't There, and Intentional Consequences.
The first story drops us in the bustling Mallam Atta Market, where the hustle for survival can be felt and the intensity does not let up until the very last story.
These stories are vibrant with atmosphere, crisp and succinct, yet deeply revealing of what drives the darkness at our core, whether or not we were willing to let it out; how cycles of hurt and victimization are perpetuated, how the vulnerable are used and discarded without a thought.
Corruption, jealousy, mistaken identity, jungle justice, exploitation, abandonment, neglect, and revenge are just some of the themes that are brought to life in this collection and in some instances will shock, while in others highlight a pervasive atmosphere of societal decay that is worldwide.
But what struck me as I read each and every story is the human experience that ties this collection together. The characters are all searching, hoping, and striving; to survive, to be happy, to be free. Big up to #Akashic for bringing these stories to us.
I enjoyed every story in this collection but the stunners that had my eyes bugging, my heart clenching and my mind raging were: Chop Money, Moon Over Aburi, The Boy Who Wasn't There, and Intentional Consequences.
June 26, 2021
“Accra is the perfect setting for noir fiction” says editor of these 13 short stories, Nana Ama Danquah. It is a city almost at the centre of the world, as she points out, being not far off the intersection of 0 degrees latitude and longitude, a meeting point of East and West. It is one of the most well-known cities in Africa, the capital of Ghana. In colonial times it was known as the Gold Coast and there are plenty of indicators of its past running through these stories
In The Labadi Sunshine Bar, Priscilla finds all kinds of work under the watchful eye of Madam Joanna and is mindful of her own mother’s experience -producing new siblings for her at the drop of the hat and tying her to the difficult relationship with her father: Why have love when you could have freedom? How will her life turn out? In Kweku’s House it is the story of Kweku on his death bed and how the family is acclimatising. Refuse collectors and dead bodies left to rot on rubbish heaps… Many of the stories depict an unfamiliar world but the human drives and emotions are very familiar.
The stories feel so evocative of place, dark, sinister but oh so rich in colour, heat and noise. The colonial past features, the church, crime, death, love and life in its infinite variety of forms. And a the heart is Accra. Another excellent addition to the #akashicnoir stable.
April 20, 2021
This collection of Noir fiction highlights the darkest, most disturbing side of the citizens of Accra, Ghana. At the core of each story we find the basest motivations for crime, such as sex, greed, and envy, at the hands of morally questionable characters who are surely headed towards self-destruction. Accra is the perfect setting for Noir because, as Nana-Ama Danquah describes in the introduction, the seven deadly sins are "woven into the fabric of the city's everyday life".
These stories give an interesting glimpse into what life is like for many people in Accra: children playing in landfills, overcrowded markets, poverty, prostitution. It reminded me of my own country, Guatemala. Through their harrowing and unforgiving conditions, these stories powerfully reflect a society that struggles to survive despite the corruption of its system.
My favorite stories were Moon over Aburi, When a man loves a woman, and The boy who wasn't there.
These stories give an interesting glimpse into what life is like for many people in Accra: children playing in landfills, overcrowded markets, poverty, prostitution. It reminded me of my own country, Guatemala. Through their harrowing and unforgiving conditions, these stories powerfully reflect a society that struggles to survive despite the corruption of its system.
My favorite stories were Moon over Aburi, When a man loves a woman, and The boy who wasn't there.
June 28, 2021
4.5 which is high for an anthology but this was good!
Accra Noir is an anthology of short stories by Cassava Republic set in the capital city of Ghana, Accra and is part of the popular noir series. Edited by Nana-Ama Danquah, the introduction makes a convincing case for why Accra is an ideal noir setting.
“One thing that people, too easily seduced by the city’s charm and history and beauty, forget about Accra is that it is a major metropolis. Accra is New York; it is Los Angeles; it is Shanghai …. it is an urban area, with poverty, desperation, and the inevitable result of a marriage between the two — crime.”
There’s tension fizzing underneath arising from a conflict between the public image presented of the city now that it’s earmarked to be a major West African tourist hub, and the heart and reality for the city’s natives and immigrants.
As I peel off the gloss to peer behind the scenes, it reveals truths of life for the city’s everyday residents and the odd unlucky tourist. Like many capital cities worldwide, some residents are migrants to the city and Accra Noir highlights a precarious atmosphere that can sink the unsuspecting but offer opportunity to the cunning.
Crime is woven into the minute. A lovers or a family squabble may lead to death; market women and sex workers carry weapons for protection; kidnappers lead double lives; and police officers get all too involved, whether corrupt or in the pursuit of justice.
This collection’s 13 writers tackle the genre from varying perspectives, making for a mix of dark and funny stories with unexpected warmth. Some stories play with form, like Kwame Dawes “Moon Over Aburi”, which is written almost entirely in a conversational question and answer style. Though some are deceptively light, such as “Shape Shifters” by Adjoa Twum and “Intentional Consequences” by Anne Sackey, every story holds meaning.
I liked how despite the grit and edge that criminality unwittingly lends, most stories delve into the humanity that motivates crime. While some perpetrators are outrightly devious and self-centred, many of the stories demonstrate how circumstances can feel desperate, how survival instincts like fear and hunger can be just as dangerous as petty emotions like jealousy and greed.
Diverse yet coherent, and each story flows effortlessly into the next through the use of recurring motifs and tropes. Though some can get old quickly, its range prevents Accra Noir from ever being tedious. A woman who feels secure in a husband that now treats her well and can afford to put food on the table doesn’t question the source. There’s the sex worker who kills her boss to reach the top of the food chain rather than end up at the bottom of the river like so many others before her. There are the people who cover up the murder of a child for fear of what it could cost their community.
One of the stories that leave a particularly lasting impression is Eibilin Ni Chleirigh’s “The Boy Who Wasn’t There” in which a young girl from a close-knit, secluded farming neighbourhood comes across the dead body of a boy. The story manages to encapsulate the fantastic as well as the awful, impressing upon the reader the swiftness at which fortunes can change. If that isn’t the crux of noir fiction or any depiction of life in many populated global cities, I don’t know what is.
Crime is genre fiction, but let it not be said that crime writers lag in the skills department. One of my favourite stories written by the editor Nana-Ama Danquah, “When a Man Loves a Woman”, opens with this arresting line: “Every morning for the past five days, Kwame had woken up next to a corpse.” Centred on an older married couple in love, it is a delightful mix of tenderness and sinister, quiet evil. It is also a necessary addition in a collection that while not exactly burdensome, still leaves traces of darkness and weight as you make your way through it.
From Kotoka airport, Osu, Labadi Beach, Cantonments, Black Star Square, Independence Arch, and other such tourist spots, to the fishing and farming communities further inland, I enjoyed seeing the city through the eyes of this collection. The history that has shaped the city seeps into the stories through the names of neighbourhoods and landmarks. Some stories — such as Gbontwi Anyetti’s “Tabilo Wuofo” — go further, delving into the nuances of Ghanaian culture. I also enjoyed the collection’s representation of different peoples, languages and cultures, like the Ga, Twi, Fante, and Ashanti, with one or two stories also incorporating the classic folklore trickster spider, Anansi.
From showcasing a talent pool of contemporary Ghanaian writing to delightfully engaging new ways to look at the city of Accra, this is a well-rounded collection with a lot to offer. It is stunning, rich, and multilayered with a healthy dose of mystery and magic, if you’re lucky enough to catch it.
Review published first on http://bigblackbooks.org/accra-noir/
Accra Noir is an anthology of short stories by Cassava Republic set in the capital city of Ghana, Accra and is part of the popular noir series. Edited by Nana-Ama Danquah, the introduction makes a convincing case for why Accra is an ideal noir setting.
“One thing that people, too easily seduced by the city’s charm and history and beauty, forget about Accra is that it is a major metropolis. Accra is New York; it is Los Angeles; it is Shanghai …. it is an urban area, with poverty, desperation, and the inevitable result of a marriage between the two — crime.”
There’s tension fizzing underneath arising from a conflict between the public image presented of the city now that it’s earmarked to be a major West African tourist hub, and the heart and reality for the city’s natives and immigrants.
As I peel off the gloss to peer behind the scenes, it reveals truths of life for the city’s everyday residents and the odd unlucky tourist. Like many capital cities worldwide, some residents are migrants to the city and Accra Noir highlights a precarious atmosphere that can sink the unsuspecting but offer opportunity to the cunning.
Crime is woven into the minute. A lovers or a family squabble may lead to death; market women and sex workers carry weapons for protection; kidnappers lead double lives; and police officers get all too involved, whether corrupt or in the pursuit of justice.
This collection’s 13 writers tackle the genre from varying perspectives, making for a mix of dark and funny stories with unexpected warmth. Some stories play with form, like Kwame Dawes “Moon Over Aburi”, which is written almost entirely in a conversational question and answer style. Though some are deceptively light, such as “Shape Shifters” by Adjoa Twum and “Intentional Consequences” by Anne Sackey, every story holds meaning.
I liked how despite the grit and edge that criminality unwittingly lends, most stories delve into the humanity that motivates crime. While some perpetrators are outrightly devious and self-centred, many of the stories demonstrate how circumstances can feel desperate, how survival instincts like fear and hunger can be just as dangerous as petty emotions like jealousy and greed.
Diverse yet coherent, and each story flows effortlessly into the next through the use of recurring motifs and tropes. Though some can get old quickly, its range prevents Accra Noir from ever being tedious. A woman who feels secure in a husband that now treats her well and can afford to put food on the table doesn’t question the source. There’s the sex worker who kills her boss to reach the top of the food chain rather than end up at the bottom of the river like so many others before her. There are the people who cover up the murder of a child for fear of what it could cost their community.
One of the stories that leave a particularly lasting impression is Eibilin Ni Chleirigh’s “The Boy Who Wasn’t There” in which a young girl from a close-knit, secluded farming neighbourhood comes across the dead body of a boy. The story manages to encapsulate the fantastic as well as the awful, impressing upon the reader the swiftness at which fortunes can change. If that isn’t the crux of noir fiction or any depiction of life in many populated global cities, I don’t know what is.
Crime is genre fiction, but let it not be said that crime writers lag in the skills department. One of my favourite stories written by the editor Nana-Ama Danquah, “When a Man Loves a Woman”, opens with this arresting line: “Every morning for the past five days, Kwame had woken up next to a corpse.” Centred on an older married couple in love, it is a delightful mix of tenderness and sinister, quiet evil. It is also a necessary addition in a collection that while not exactly burdensome, still leaves traces of darkness and weight as you make your way through it.
From Kotoka airport, Osu, Labadi Beach, Cantonments, Black Star Square, Independence Arch, and other such tourist spots, to the fishing and farming communities further inland, I enjoyed seeing the city through the eyes of this collection. The history that has shaped the city seeps into the stories through the names of neighbourhoods and landmarks. Some stories — such as Gbontwi Anyetti’s “Tabilo Wuofo” — go further, delving into the nuances of Ghanaian culture. I also enjoyed the collection’s representation of different peoples, languages and cultures, like the Ga, Twi, Fante, and Ashanti, with one or two stories also incorporating the classic folklore trickster spider, Anansi.
From showcasing a talent pool of contemporary Ghanaian writing to delightfully engaging new ways to look at the city of Accra, this is a well-rounded collection with a lot to offer. It is stunning, rich, and multilayered with a healthy dose of mystery and magic, if you’re lucky enough to catch it.
Review published first on http://bigblackbooks.org/accra-noir/
April 17, 2023
First of all, I don't consider this to be a noir. Noir doesn't just mean "a story with a crime in corrupt system". It has certain aesthetics, poetics and tropes it uses. And while the protagonist may be a criminal, he usually is less corrupt than the system around him and often is the "one just man".
Now to the stories... I don't know if the problem was with them or with me, but none of them managed to catch my interest and I frequently found myself thinking about everything other than the book as I was listening to. And for all the talk in the introduction about one has to "be mindful of the context and look for the subtext" I found them rather straightforward. Or maybe I wasn't clever enough to spot the subtext. The one saving grace was the setting itself, often described very vividly and - since most (all?) of the authors were from Ghana - I believe quite accurately.
Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make up for the rather boring stories.
Now to the stories... I don't know if the problem was with them or with me, but none of them managed to catch my interest and I frequently found myself thinking about everything other than the book as I was listening to. And for all the talk in the introduction about one has to "be mindful of the context and look for the subtext" I found them rather straightforward. Or maybe I wasn't clever enough to spot the subtext. The one saving grace was the setting itself, often described very vividly and - since most (all?) of the authors were from Ghana - I believe quite accurately.
Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make up for the rather boring stories.
February 4, 2022
"One thing that people, too easily seduced by the city's charm and history and beauty, forget about Accra is that it is a major metropolis. Accra is New York; it is Los Angeles; it is Shanghai it is an urban area, with poverty, desperation, and the inevitable result of a marriage between the two - crime."
Accra Noir is an anthology of short stories by Cassava Republic set in the capital city of Ghana, Accra and is part of the popular noir series. Edited by Nana-Ama Danquah.
—————————
I don’t think I’m disappointed enough to say I am disappointed😁, if you know what I mean.
Anne Sackey’s Intentional consequences has to be my favorite! Got this whole nostalgic vibe going on in there. Has to be the ending that made me laugh. Just about enough drama to not overwhelm you😁.
Harruna’s Kweku’s house is the story with the closet to a happy ending. Possibly the only story in the collection that wasn’t dragged to boredom.
I also think “the driver” was captivating. Unraveling the mystery at the end made up for my nearly irritation. I wasn’t expecting it to end like that. I’m in awe of how that story ended. Really good 👍🏽.
Kwame Dawes’s moon over aburi was uniquely written. It’ll be a very beautiful 3 character play should anyone attempt adapting it.
It’s an alright collection, I’ll conclude. I Dnf’d some of the stories. I think I Dnf’d two stories and for the ones I didn’t enjoy, I just labored through them.
I must also add that, how most of the stories tackled the genre, delving especially into the motivation for committing crimes was a good one.
Accra Noir is an anthology of short stories by Cassava Republic set in the capital city of Ghana, Accra and is part of the popular noir series. Edited by Nana-Ama Danquah.
—————————
I don’t think I’m disappointed enough to say I am disappointed😁, if you know what I mean.
Anne Sackey’s Intentional consequences has to be my favorite! Got this whole nostalgic vibe going on in there. Has to be the ending that made me laugh. Just about enough drama to not overwhelm you😁.
Harruna’s Kweku’s house is the story with the closet to a happy ending. Possibly the only story in the collection that wasn’t dragged to boredom.
I also think “the driver” was captivating. Unraveling the mystery at the end made up for my nearly irritation. I wasn’t expecting it to end like that. I’m in awe of how that story ended. Really good 👍🏽.
Kwame Dawes’s moon over aburi was uniquely written. It’ll be a very beautiful 3 character play should anyone attempt adapting it.
It’s an alright collection, I’ll conclude. I Dnf’d some of the stories. I think I Dnf’d two stories and for the ones I didn’t enjoy, I just labored through them.
I must also add that, how most of the stories tackled the genre, delving especially into the motivation for committing crimes was a good one.
March 10, 2021
Reviewed for Library Journal 12/2020.
Akashic's "Noir" series consists of short noir fiction all set in a specific locale and now boasts 50 titles. The latest is based in Accra, Ghana's capital, and is a superb choice. Editor Danquah's introduction describes Accra as a city filled with "the tension between modernity and traditionalism, the symbolism and storytelling both obvious and coded, the moral high ground, the duplicity and deceit, the most basic human failings laid bare alongside fear and love and pain, and the corrupting desire to have the very things you are not meant to have." Each story reaffirms how fundamental "place" is to the noir genre and how the locale shapes the story as much as the characters themselves. Stories range from the underbelly of the urban scene, filled with grifters, prostitutes, and thieves, while others explore love, infidelity, and vengeance. Standouts include Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo's sublime example of perfect noir, "The Driver"; Eibhlín Ní Chléirigh's heartbreaking tale of "The Boy Who Wasn't There," chronicling a short, depraved life; and Anne Sackey's "Intentional Consequences," a delectable revenge tale with just the right dose of humor. VERDICT: Strongly recommended for purchase where international noir is appreciated and requested.
Akashic's "Noir" series consists of short noir fiction all set in a specific locale and now boasts 50 titles. The latest is based in Accra, Ghana's capital, and is a superb choice. Editor Danquah's introduction describes Accra as a city filled with "the tension between modernity and traditionalism, the symbolism and storytelling both obvious and coded, the moral high ground, the duplicity and deceit, the most basic human failings laid bare alongside fear and love and pain, and the corrupting desire to have the very things you are not meant to have." Each story reaffirms how fundamental "place" is to the noir genre and how the locale shapes the story as much as the characters themselves. Stories range from the underbelly of the urban scene, filled with grifters, prostitutes, and thieves, while others explore love, infidelity, and vengeance. Standouts include Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo's sublime example of perfect noir, "The Driver"; Eibhlín Ní Chléirigh's heartbreaking tale of "The Boy Who Wasn't There," chronicling a short, depraved life; and Anne Sackey's "Intentional Consequences," a delectable revenge tale with just the right dose of humor. VERDICT: Strongly recommended for purchase where international noir is appreciated and requested.
December 15, 2022
Some of these stories I liked better than others. Perhaps that’s the nature of short crime fiction, in that it’s difficult to properly build a universe with tension and characters you care about in a few short pages. That being said, I really enjoyed the atmosphere of these stories.
You definitely feel the back streets of bustling markets in Ghana’s major cities as well as some of the sketchy things going on there. That every story is written by a Ghanian also helps in that they have first hand experience of what they are writing about. If you’re looking for intricate noir fiction, this book (and the series) probably isn’t for you. But if you want to mentally check out for 15-20 minutes at a time and explore new horizons, this is a great place to start.
January 22, 2021
Over the last few years, I've become a huge fan of the Akashic Noir series, and Accra Noir is no exception to the series' quality. Maybe more than any other collection I've read, it brings its focus city to life, so that Accra becomes a real place and character explored through the pages of the stories collected here. The voices are so varied, there's a lot to be admired here, and my only complaint is that many of the authors represented here seem to be new voices...which means I can't find more of their work so soon as I'd like! Truly, though, that speaks to the quality of this wonderful collection.
My favorites in the collection included works by: Kwame Dawes, Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo, Anne Sackey, Nana-Ama Danquah, Eibhlin Ni Chleirigh, and Anna Bossman.
Absolutely recommended.
My favorites in the collection included works by: Kwame Dawes, Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo, Anne Sackey, Nana-Ama Danquah, Eibhlin Ni Chleirigh, and Anna Bossman.
Absolutely recommended.
July 9, 2021
This is the latest in Akashic Books city noir series set in Africa. The 13 stories visit various locations in Accra, all of which show the poverty but hope of the people who survive there. There’s good writing as well as a strong sense of place and culture, and the reader will absorb a side of Accra that doesn’t make it into the tourist brochures.
Editor Nana-Ama Danquah tells us that Accra is the perfect city for noir stories. The stories are dark; if 13 is an unlucky number, it's usually unlucky for the protagonist. Still, there are flashes of noir humor, such as in Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond’s “Chop Money.” Here, an impoverished porter at a street market by mistake kills a policeman who is paying her for sex. Things look bleak for her, but she manages to turn the tables in a clever way with a neat final twist.
Unfortunately, a few of the writers seem to feel that a noir short story must end with a twist no matter how contrived, which is a pity. Often the best twist is that there isn’t one.
Eibhlín Ní Chléirigh’s brilliant story “The Boy Who Wasn’t There” does just that. Not only does she submerge us in the location and the way the poor inhabitants of East Legion support and understand one another, but she shows us the meaning of the life they lead. When a boy’s body is found casually discarded at the village rubbish dump, there are far more problems than just who the murderer is.
There are other memorable stories. Gbontwi Anyetei’s “Tabilo Wuɔfɔ” concerns a most unusual assassin or soldier or . . . ? Or what about a woman who marries a man 40 years her senior and she didn’t marry him for his money? Ayesha Harruna Attah’s “Kweku’s House” has the closest you’ll come to a happy ending in this collection. Kwame Dawes’ “Moon Over Aburi” is a whole life in a conversation between a man and a woman, but what is each really after? There’s plenty of variety of plot and style to enjoy in Accra Noir.
Editor Nana-Ama Danquah tells us that Accra is the perfect city for noir stories. The stories are dark; if 13 is an unlucky number, it's usually unlucky for the protagonist. Still, there are flashes of noir humor, such as in Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond’s “Chop Money.” Here, an impoverished porter at a street market by mistake kills a policeman who is paying her for sex. Things look bleak for her, but she manages to turn the tables in a clever way with a neat final twist.
Unfortunately, a few of the writers seem to feel that a noir short story must end with a twist no matter how contrived, which is a pity. Often the best twist is that there isn’t one.
Eibhlín Ní Chléirigh’s brilliant story “The Boy Who Wasn’t There” does just that. Not only does she submerge us in the location and the way the poor inhabitants of East Legion support and understand one another, but she shows us the meaning of the life they lead. When a boy’s body is found casually discarded at the village rubbish dump, there are far more problems than just who the murderer is.
There are other memorable stories. Gbontwi Anyetei’s “Tabilo Wuɔfɔ” concerns a most unusual assassin or soldier or . . . ? Or what about a woman who marries a man 40 years her senior and she didn’t marry him for his money? Ayesha Harruna Attah’s “Kweku’s House” has the closest you’ll come to a happy ending in this collection. Kwame Dawes’ “Moon Over Aburi” is a whole life in a conversation between a man and a woman, but what is each really after? There’s plenty of variety of plot and style to enjoy in Accra Noir.
March 9, 2023
Verhalenbundel met verhalen die zich allemaal in Accra afspelen en een misdaad-element hebben. Erg leuk om te lezen, vooral doordat er zo veel herkenbare elementen in voor komen wanneer je net drie weken in Accra hebt doorgebracht. De marktstalletjes, de verkopers langs de straat, de drukte in het verkeer, de vele taxi’s enz. De meeste verhalen zijn ook goed geschreven met de nodige suspense (& humor). Verhalen die meeste bleven hangen: eerste verhaal over politieman die regelmatig sex heeft met een verkoopster, verhaal van een vrouw die ruziënde stemmen hoort van de twee mannen waar ze een relatie mee heeft, verhaal van een vrouw die erachter komt dat haar vriend bij twee andere vrouwen kinderen heeft .. ze neemt wraak en verhaal over een vrouw die uitkijkt naar begrafenis in de familie en hoopt dat haar broer (die geëmigreerd is ook komt). Parallel hieraan komt man aan op luchthaven en wordt door taxichauffeur aangesproken, maar dan ontvoerd. Hij weet te vluchten, klopt aan bij de vrouw, en sterft daar (hij is de broer en haar man de taxichauffeur)
December 8, 2025
I've only read a few books that try to really show you what Accra is, try to unshell Accra.
I enjoyed Accra Noir, especially because it did a good job showing to us Accra what is/was; a place of many people, from many different places, doing many things to survive (good or bad, who cares anyway? you just need to survive), a dysfunctional city, the palpable poverty and opulence adjacent each other, politics or rather the wickedness of our politicians - the humanness of it all.
I love that the editor acknowledges the misspelling and anglicisation of the indigenous languages used in the book. Some did throw me off.
Nevertheless, I appreciated the diction; some were so "Ghanaian". Words strung together to make sentences, it only makes perfect sense to a Ghanaian. None of the stories end in a fairytale but some will leave you chuckling, others, your heart will ache for the characters. Some lose, some win , some return, some don't - typical Accra.
I had favorites; Chop Money, Fantasia in Fans and Flat Screens (what a hilarious title, and aptly so) The Boy Who Wasn't There, The Labadi Sunshine Bar, Intentional Consequences and Kweku's House.
I enjoyed Accra Noir, especially because it did a good job showing to us Accra what is/was; a place of many people, from many different places, doing many things to survive (good or bad, who cares anyway? you just need to survive), a dysfunctional city, the palpable poverty and opulence adjacent each other, politics or rather the wickedness of our politicians - the humanness of it all.
I love that the editor acknowledges the misspelling and anglicisation of the indigenous languages used in the book. Some did throw me off.
Nevertheless, I appreciated the diction; some were so "Ghanaian". Words strung together to make sentences, it only makes perfect sense to a Ghanaian. None of the stories end in a fairytale but some will leave you chuckling, others, your heart will ache for the characters. Some lose, some win , some return, some don't - typical Accra.
I had favorites; Chop Money, Fantasia in Fans and Flat Screens (what a hilarious title, and aptly so) The Boy Who Wasn't There, The Labadi Sunshine Bar, Intentional Consequences and Kweku's House.
December 6, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It had a slight, but refreshing, difference in tone from the noir I am used to reading. The editor did a great job in the introduction of preparing me for the nuances of the culture I was about to encounter and I found differences and yet people aren't that different, where ever they are found. But the stories were unique and exciting, and the endings, surprising as they were, were very satisfying. Unique people, unique atmosphere, and an education about how big the world really is. Great! reviewed for LibraryThing Early Readers by Thom
February 28, 2022
I listened to the audiobooks and I loved it. Most stories ended sadly especially the last one. The story that stayed with me was of the man that killed his wife because he suspected her of infidelity
Want to read
July 9, 2020Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
June 2, 2022
Ghana. All of these stories took me back.
October 31, 2024
Favorites: Moon Over Aburi (Kwame Dawes), for structure. The Labadi Sunshine Bar (Billie McTernan) for Accra. The Driver (Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo), for sheer creepiness.
Read
February 12, 2025Fantastic collection of short stories with dark undertones. The variety of story styles, as well as the atmosphere and the evocative portrayals of Accra and its outskirts make this a wonderful read.
December 21, 2020
My favorite story in this collection was Intentional Consequences. My least favorites were Moon Over Aburi and Fantasia in Fans and Flat Screens. In fact I hated both of these stories so much I bailed on them. Overall I found this collection alternated between boring and confusing.
I think it was the pacing and feel of the stories I didn't care for. The themes of the stories are familiar enough. A jilted lover, drug deals, etc. It was the writing style that I didn't care for. I read Columbus Noir earlier in the year and really enjoyed it. I had high hopes for Accra Noir but was very disappointed.
I received a free copy from Library Thing and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I think it was the pacing and feel of the stories I didn't care for. The themes of the stories are familiar enough. A jilted lover, drug deals, etc. It was the writing style that I didn't care for. I read Columbus Noir earlier in the year and really enjoyed it. I had high hopes for Accra Noir but was very disappointed.
I received a free copy from Library Thing and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
April 30, 2021
I love being able to read stories from around the world, to travel with new to me authors into their part of the globe and discover more about their culture, their history and even their beliefs, both spiritual and supernatural, hearing about them in their own words rather than via some heavily edited wikipedia article. Accra Noir gives me all of this, as well as the pleasure of reading some excellent crime short stories, and helping me to discover new voices who may otherwise have passed me by. Ghana is not a country I automatically think of when choosing where to look for my next read - having torn through this collection, I think I'll be hunting down a bit more Ghanaian fiction when I get the chance.
The thing that struck me about this collection of stories is the variety of voices that the book gathers together, all painting a very similar and authentic feeling vision of Accra, but all in a very unique and engrossing way. The way in which the authors depict the essence of the city, the division between those who have everything and those who are at the bottom of the food chain. - the women who sell themselves in order to survive, the men who indulge in the occasional extra-marital dalliance as is their believed right - all both angered and engage me, making me curious and maybe a little apprehensive to learn more about the city for myself. There is blend of the everyday menace - drugs, murder, organised crime, corruption and prostitution - with a sense of some of the more out of the ordinary elements, sometimes almost spiritual, that makes the stories stand out and amplifies the culture and history of the city. It made me actually wish that one of two of them were a touch longer. What is clear from the stories - no matter where you live, the threats and the crimes at the heart of city life are very much the same.
This is a short story collection so it is perfect for reading in lunch breaks at work, even sneaking in the odd story whilst the dinner is cooking (although if you do, be warned - you may be checking out the origins label of any joints of meat you buy a little more closely - just in case ...) Each author brings something a little different, a different sight or sound that made me feel as though I was right in the heart of the city and all took me on a journey I am very keen to continue. If you like short stories, and I know they aren't for everyone, or even if you just fancy trying something a little different, this is definitely a collection I would recommend.
The thing that struck me about this collection of stories is the variety of voices that the book gathers together, all painting a very similar and authentic feeling vision of Accra, but all in a very unique and engrossing way. The way in which the authors depict the essence of the city, the division between those who have everything and those who are at the bottom of the food chain. - the women who sell themselves in order to survive, the men who indulge in the occasional extra-marital dalliance as is their believed right - all both angered and engage me, making me curious and maybe a little apprehensive to learn more about the city for myself. There is blend of the everyday menace - drugs, murder, organised crime, corruption and prostitution - with a sense of some of the more out of the ordinary elements, sometimes almost spiritual, that makes the stories stand out and amplifies the culture and history of the city. It made me actually wish that one of two of them were a touch longer. What is clear from the stories - no matter where you live, the threats and the crimes at the heart of city life are very much the same.
This is a short story collection so it is perfect for reading in lunch breaks at work, even sneaking in the odd story whilst the dinner is cooking (although if you do, be warned - you may be checking out the origins label of any joints of meat you buy a little more closely - just in case ...) Each author brings something a little different, a different sight or sound that made me feel as though I was right in the heart of the city and all took me on a journey I am very keen to continue. If you like short stories, and I know they aren't for everyone, or even if you just fancy trying something a little different, this is definitely a collection I would recommend.
September 13, 2021
Accra Noir was a really enjoyable anthology. I have no regrets about it being my first official introduction into the noir genre. Heaven knows my dark soul enjoys a few grim and occasionally grisly tales here and there.
I had the privilege of receiving a copy of this book directly from Nigeria-based Cassava Republic publishers, and of attending the launch event for this book at The Library of Africa and the African Diaspora (LOATAD), where I met a few of the awesome contributing authors, Ernest (whom I would probably pay to read me to sleep), Gbontwi (whom I know personally and who contributed the only speculative story to the anthology, ayy, represent!), and Eibhlin (a truly delightful Irish-born lady who reads well enough to make me forget I'm in the real world). I even got their signatures!
[Another contributor, Ambassador Anna Bosman, was there too, but I didn't get to snag her autograph. 😞]
I’m afraid that maybe I read too much, because for most books I've read recently, I've found it too easy to predict the ends of stories. Probably because of that bias, my favorite stories in this anthology were the ones whose endings I didn't quite expect - in particular, "Chop Money," by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (an *excellent* story to start the collection with!) and "Kweku's House" by Ayesha Harruna Attah. My absolute favorite, though, was "International Consequences," by Anne Sackey. I don't know if the ending was entirely unexpected, but this story aroused the most emotions within me just because of the deep flaws and feelings of the characters themselves. They felt so alive and so real, and the plot was just a tad bit Nollywood/Ghallywood, which made it even more entertaining for me.
I haven't read any other books in the Akashic Noir series (yet, hehee), so I don't know if this is unique to Accra Noir or not - but I realized that most stories tended to take up a lot of time just being explanatory. I suppose the purpose was to introduce readers to the character and history of the individual Accra communities featured in the stories, but sometimes, these explanations felt distracting. It was like taking me out of the story and into a textbook, and then back into the story. But God knows that writing is hard, and trying to integrate any sort of exposition into a story naturally can be quite a hellish endeavor even for veterans in the writing game.
Altogether, reading this book was a pleasure. The stories were diverse in form and content, and generally easy to read. I highly recommend it!
I had the privilege of receiving a copy of this book directly from Nigeria-based Cassava Republic publishers, and of attending the launch event for this book at The Library of Africa and the African Diaspora (LOATAD), where I met a few of the awesome contributing authors, Ernest (whom I would probably pay to read me to sleep), Gbontwi (whom I know personally and who contributed the only speculative story to the anthology, ayy, represent!), and Eibhlin (a truly delightful Irish-born lady who reads well enough to make me forget I'm in the real world). I even got their signatures!
[Another contributor, Ambassador Anna Bosman, was there too, but I didn't get to snag her autograph. 😞]
I’m afraid that maybe I read too much, because for most books I've read recently, I've found it too easy to predict the ends of stories. Probably because of that bias, my favorite stories in this anthology were the ones whose endings I didn't quite expect - in particular, "Chop Money," by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (an *excellent* story to start the collection with!) and "Kweku's House" by Ayesha Harruna Attah. My absolute favorite, though, was "International Consequences," by Anne Sackey. I don't know if the ending was entirely unexpected, but this story aroused the most emotions within me just because of the deep flaws and feelings of the characters themselves. They felt so alive and so real, and the plot was just a tad bit Nollywood/Ghallywood, which made it even more entertaining for me.
I haven't read any other books in the Akashic Noir series (yet, hehee), so I don't know if this is unique to Accra Noir or not - but I realized that most stories tended to take up a lot of time just being explanatory. I suppose the purpose was to introduce readers to the character and history of the individual Accra communities featured in the stories, but sometimes, these explanations felt distracting. It was like taking me out of the story and into a textbook, and then back into the story. But God knows that writing is hard, and trying to integrate any sort of exposition into a story naturally can be quite a hellish endeavor even for veterans in the writing game.
Altogether, reading this book was a pleasure. The stories were diverse in form and content, and generally easy to read. I highly recommend it!
Read
October 20, 2021Summary: Accra Noir is a collection of short stories set in the capital city of Ghana – Accra. The stories beautifully weave a web around the places and the shocking existence of people living in Accra. Accra Noir is part of the noir series published by Cassava Republic.
Thank you to Cassava Republic for this review copy.
Review:
The people, places, food, language, and lifestyle in the book come to life if you live in Accra or have paid a visit to the capital city of Ghana. This is my first Noir by Cassava Republic and I enjoyed it.
The book is divided into four parts namely One Day For the Master, Heaven gate, No Bribe, All Die Be Die and Sea Never Dry. These phrases are very popular phrases in Ghana. Very often you will find them written behind public transport popularly called ‘trotro’ or names of fishing boats or names of shops or catchphrases exchanged as greetings.
The book took me to places – the Mallam Atta Market, Pig Farm, Aburi, Jamestown, Labadi, Weija, Labone, Kanda, Cantonments among others. At the heart of every story is the portrayal of unpleasant circumstances/situation and the desire to survive. A clear depiction of “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”.
The writing and language in this book depicted the Accra-ness. I loved the use of the local languages Twi & Ga as well as pidgin in the stories. Accra Noir gave me the everyday Accra experience – crime and conflict, experiences of returnees, broken relationships, death and grief, sour lovers, corruption, and politics, dumsor among others.
My favourite stories are Chop Money by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, The Labadi Sunshine Bar by Billie McTernan, Intentional Consequences by Anne Sackey, When a Man Loves a Woman by Nana-Ama Danquah and Kweku’s House by Ayesha Harruna Attah. I was very impressed with the writing of Kwame Dawes in Moon Over Aburi. The plot style and themes discussed are amazing. Wow!
Thank you to Cassava Republic for this review copy.
Review:
The people, places, food, language, and lifestyle in the book come to life if you live in Accra or have paid a visit to the capital city of Ghana. This is my first Noir by Cassava Republic and I enjoyed it.
The book is divided into four parts namely One Day For the Master, Heaven gate, No Bribe, All Die Be Die and Sea Never Dry. These phrases are very popular phrases in Ghana. Very often you will find them written behind public transport popularly called ‘trotro’ or names of fishing boats or names of shops or catchphrases exchanged as greetings.
The book took me to places – the Mallam Atta Market, Pig Farm, Aburi, Jamestown, Labadi, Weija, Labone, Kanda, Cantonments among others. At the heart of every story is the portrayal of unpleasant circumstances/situation and the desire to survive. A clear depiction of “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”.
The writing and language in this book depicted the Accra-ness. I loved the use of the local languages Twi & Ga as well as pidgin in the stories. Accra Noir gave me the everyday Accra experience – crime and conflict, experiences of returnees, broken relationships, death and grief, sour lovers, corruption, and politics, dumsor among others.
My favourite stories are Chop Money by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, The Labadi Sunshine Bar by Billie McTernan, Intentional Consequences by Anne Sackey, When a Man Loves a Woman by Nana-Ama Danquah and Kweku’s House by Ayesha Harruna Attah. I was very impressed with the writing of Kwame Dawes in Moon Over Aburi. The plot style and themes discussed are amazing. Wow!
January 15, 2021
Well, dear readers, you already know how much I love this noir series of books published by Akashic. I stepped out of my comfort zone to read Accra Noir, because, frankly, I am embarrassed to say that I had no idea where Ghana was on the map of Africa, let alone try to find Accra on a map.
The primary theme of Accra Noir is money—and all the things the people of the capital city have to do to make a buck. Money is the essential component of each story. As one narrator says, “he was nothing there without money, nobody was. Not even the air of ancient entitlement that he wore held meaning. The one and only thing that held meaning anymore was money.”
I believe that each author had the true intent of noir in the composition of their stories, and there is a lot of cruelty and murder among the stories. My favorite story involved a dead lover and the butcher in the neighboring market stall. Several of the stories discuss the plight of the women of Accra, and just perhaps, their ideas of vengeance. The Publisher’s Weekly review says that Accra Noir is one of the better Akashic anthologies.
Nana-Ama Danquah, the book’s editor, is a well-known author living in the United States. All the authors in the anthology have an intimate relationship with Accra and its stories. That relationship really adds authenticity to the reader. She says, “Everything in the culture revolves around story, and every story has a moral or theme, one that can be encapsulated in a pithy phrase.” These stories all bear witness to that tradition.
Frankly, I was blown away by these stories, and would encourage lovers of noir fiction to try these out. They are gritty enough to fill your noir needs. I have several new Akashic noir books on my Kindle, and I can’t wait to dig into them. Watch this space.
The primary theme of Accra Noir is money—and all the things the people of the capital city have to do to make a buck. Money is the essential component of each story. As one narrator says, “he was nothing there without money, nobody was. Not even the air of ancient entitlement that he wore held meaning. The one and only thing that held meaning anymore was money.”
I believe that each author had the true intent of noir in the composition of their stories, and there is a lot of cruelty and murder among the stories. My favorite story involved a dead lover and the butcher in the neighboring market stall. Several of the stories discuss the plight of the women of Accra, and just perhaps, their ideas of vengeance. The Publisher’s Weekly review says that Accra Noir is one of the better Akashic anthologies.
Nana-Ama Danquah, the book’s editor, is a well-known author living in the United States. All the authors in the anthology have an intimate relationship with Accra and its stories. That relationship really adds authenticity to the reader. She says, “Everything in the culture revolves around story, and every story has a moral or theme, one that can be encapsulated in a pithy phrase.” These stories all bear witness to that tradition.
Frankly, I was blown away by these stories, and would encourage lovers of noir fiction to try these out. They are gritty enough to fill your noir needs. I have several new Akashic noir books on my Kindle, and I can’t wait to dig into them. Watch this space.
Read
June 28, 2022"One thing that people, too easily seduced by the city's charm and history and beauty, forget about Accra is that it is a major metropolis. Accra is New York; it is Los Angeles; it is Shanghai it is an urban area, with poverty, desperation, and the inevitable result of a marriage between the two - crime."
Accra Noir is an anthology of short stories by Cassava Republic set in the capital city of Ghana, Accra and is part of the popular noir series. Edited by Nana-Ama Danquah.
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I don’t think I’m disappointed enough to say I am disappointed😁, if you know what I mean.
Anne Sackey’s Intentional consequences has to be my favorite! Got this whole nostalgic vibe going on in there. Has to be the ending that made me laugh. Just about enough drama to not overwhelm you😁.
Harruna’s Kweku’s house is the story with the closet to a happy ending. Possibly the only story in the collection that wasn’t dragged to boredom.
I also think “the driver” was captivating. Unraveling the mystery at the end made up for my nearly irritation. I wasn’t expecting it to end like that. I’m in awe of how that story ended. Really good 👍🏽.
Kwame Dawes’s moon over aburi was uniquely written. It’ll be a very beautiful 3 character play should anyone attempt adapting it.
It’s an alright collection, I’ll conclude. I Dnf’d some of the stories. I think I Dnf’d two stories and for the ones I didn’t enjoy, I just labored through them.
I must also add that, how most of the stories tackled the genre, delving especially into the motivation for committing crimes was a good one.
If you’ve read this book, I’d like to know what your favorite stories were. 😉
Accra Noir is an anthology of short stories by Cassava Republic set in the capital city of Ghana, Accra and is part of the popular noir series. Edited by Nana-Ama Danquah.
—————————
I don’t think I’m disappointed enough to say I am disappointed😁, if you know what I mean.
Anne Sackey’s Intentional consequences has to be my favorite! Got this whole nostalgic vibe going on in there. Has to be the ending that made me laugh. Just about enough drama to not overwhelm you😁.
Harruna’s Kweku’s house is the story with the closet to a happy ending. Possibly the only story in the collection that wasn’t dragged to boredom.
I also think “the driver” was captivating. Unraveling the mystery at the end made up for my nearly irritation. I wasn’t expecting it to end like that. I’m in awe of how that story ended. Really good 👍🏽.
Kwame Dawes’s moon over aburi was uniquely written. It’ll be a very beautiful 3 character play should anyone attempt adapting it.
It’s an alright collection, I’ll conclude. I Dnf’d some of the stories. I think I Dnf’d two stories and for the ones I didn’t enjoy, I just labored through them.
I must also add that, how most of the stories tackled the genre, delving especially into the motivation for committing crimes was a good one.
If you’ve read this book, I’d like to know what your favorite stories were. 😉
October 26, 2025
8h 30m
“Chop Money” by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (Mallam Atta Market) 15:26 - 59:15
“Intentional Consequences” by Anne Sackey (Kanda) 4:40:05 - 5:14:13
When a Man Loves a Woman” by Nana-Ama Danquah (Cantonments) 5:53:59 - 6:31:33
PART I: ONE DAY FOR MASTER (4 stories) 15:19
“Chop Money” by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (Mallam Atta Market) 15:26 - 59:15
“Shape-Shifters” by Adjoa Twum (Pig Farm) 59:17 - 1:25:00
“Moon Over Aburi” by Kwame Dawes (Aburi) 1:25:03 - 1:57:13
“Fantasia in Fans and Flat Screens” by Kofi Blankson Ocansey (Jamestown) 1:57:16 - 2:41:33
PART II: HEAVEN GATE, NO BRIBE (3 stories) 2:41:36
“The Labadi Sunshine Bar” by Billie McTernan (Labadi) 2:41:38 - 3:07:12
“The Driver” by Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo (Weija) - 3:07:16 - 3:50:00
“The Situation” by Patrick Smith (Labone) 3:50:02 - 4:39:56
PART III: ALL DIE BE DIE (3 stories) 4:39:59
“Intentional Consequences” by Anne Sackey (Kanda) 4:40:05 - 5:14:13
“Tabilo Wuɔfɔ” by Gbontwi Anyetei (Airport Hills) 5:14:16 - 5:53:53
“When a Man Loves a Woman” by Nana-Ama Danquah (Cantonments) 5:53:59 - 6:31:33
PART IV: SEA NEVER DRY (3 stories) 6:31:36
“Kweku’s House” by Ayesha Harruna Attah (Tesano) 6:31:38 - 6:53:19
“The Boy Who Wasn’t There” by Eibhlín Ní Chléirigh (East Legon) 6:53:20 - 7:47:17
“Instant Justice” by Anna Bossman (High Street) 7:47:21 - 8:31:23
“Chop Money” by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (Mallam Atta Market) 15:26 - 59:15
“Intentional Consequences” by Anne Sackey (Kanda) 4:40:05 - 5:14:13
When a Man Loves a Woman” by Nana-Ama Danquah (Cantonments) 5:53:59 - 6:31:33
PART I: ONE DAY FOR MASTER (4 stories) 15:19
“Chop Money” by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (Mallam Atta Market) 15:26 - 59:15
“Shape-Shifters” by Adjoa Twum (Pig Farm) 59:17 - 1:25:00
“Moon Over Aburi” by Kwame Dawes (Aburi) 1:25:03 - 1:57:13
“Fantasia in Fans and Flat Screens” by Kofi Blankson Ocansey (Jamestown) 1:57:16 - 2:41:33
PART II: HEAVEN GATE, NO BRIBE (3 stories) 2:41:36
“The Labadi Sunshine Bar” by Billie McTernan (Labadi) 2:41:38 - 3:07:12
“The Driver” by Ernest Kwame Nkrumah Addo (Weija) - 3:07:16 - 3:50:00
“The Situation” by Patrick Smith (Labone) 3:50:02 - 4:39:56
PART III: ALL DIE BE DIE (3 stories) 4:39:59
“Intentional Consequences” by Anne Sackey (Kanda) 4:40:05 - 5:14:13
“Tabilo Wuɔfɔ” by Gbontwi Anyetei (Airport Hills) 5:14:16 - 5:53:53
“When a Man Loves a Woman” by Nana-Ama Danquah (Cantonments) 5:53:59 - 6:31:33
PART IV: SEA NEVER DRY (3 stories) 6:31:36
“Kweku’s House” by Ayesha Harruna Attah (Tesano) 6:31:38 - 6:53:19
“The Boy Who Wasn’t There” by Eibhlín Ní Chléirigh (East Legon) 6:53:20 - 7:47:17
“Instant Justice” by Anna Bossman (High Street) 7:47:21 - 8:31:23
January 24, 2021
These types of books are very hard to review for many reasons, some are that you never know how good the translations are, the kind of stories that are considered typical in these countries, and whether the story was structured for the book.
Almost all of the stories are based in a market not to far from the Government buildings in the central part of Accra. But the people who work in this giant flea market, are many of the lowest of the low and live in a squalor that would make most Americans commit suicide. The 'merchants' (many) live in an area of 'housing' made up of tin sheeting and anything else that might keep a roof over your head. In most cases there is no running water or lavatories, and electricity is 'stolen' from the overhead wires. A lot of the merchandise is stolen, and woman are available everywhere. (One has to find a way to feed oneself or die.)
Unfortunately many of the stories are related to the total disappearance of any family units (except single mothers) and those who are married look at fidelity as more of a suggestion. This goes both ways as the woman are independent and look at men as sperm donors and nothing else. But if you met some of the men, you'd wonder if they were good for that.
Almost all of the stories are based in a market not to far from the Government buildings in the central part of Accra. But the people who work in this giant flea market, are many of the lowest of the low and live in a squalor that would make most Americans commit suicide. The 'merchants' (many) live in an area of 'housing' made up of tin sheeting and anything else that might keep a roof over your head. In most cases there is no running water or lavatories, and electricity is 'stolen' from the overhead wires. A lot of the merchandise is stolen, and woman are available everywhere. (One has to find a way to feed oneself or die.)
Unfortunately many of the stories are related to the total disappearance of any family units (except single mothers) and those who are married look at fidelity as more of a suggestion. This goes both ways as the woman are independent and look at men as sperm donors and nothing else. But if you met some of the men, you'd wonder if they were good for that.
June 8, 2022
Like the others in the series, the stories are set in the location named in the title - in this case Accra, the capital of Ghana. I was interested in part because my sister Mary spent some time in the Peace Corps in the 1960s and she was sent to Accra. What I remember of her time there is that she stayed in a house by herself, she had workers to do things for her, and there was a large wasp nest above her bathtub. Oh, and she taught French, in spite of being not especially fluent. And she got around on overcrowded buses.
These stories do offer a sense of the place, of the various times, of the culture. Sometimes I wasn't able to grasp where they were going while other times the stories were deeply affecting and crossed all cultural lines. A nice book to have by your bed at night.
These stories do offer a sense of the place, of the various times, of the culture. Sometimes I wasn't able to grasp where they were going while other times the stories were deeply affecting and crossed all cultural lines. A nice book to have by your bed at night.
December 2, 2021
Fun book of short stories with a couple good ones.
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