Alan (on December semi-hiatus) Teder’s Reviews > USA Noir: Best of the Akashic Noir Series > Status Update

37. A Nice Place to Visit ***** by Jeffery Deaver, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan Noir (2006). A small time thug, his Irish mob boss and a corrupt cop fall into a grifter scam. In trademark Deaver style the twist reveal at the end makes it all worthwhile. This is actually the final story in the collection, the rest being author biographies and promotional advertising.

36. Phelan’s First Case ***** by Lisa Sandlin, Beaumont, Lone Star Noir (2010). This one is absolutely my style, more in the hardboiled detective vein. As the title says it is a short story introducing Sandlin’s occasional series featuring Tom Phelan and Delpha Wade.

35. If You Can’t Stand the Heat *** by Lawrence Block, Clinton, Manhattan Noir (2006). A man approaches a woman in a bar and starts a conversation telling her about the Clinton neighbourhood, previously known as Hell’s Kitchen. He may be looking for a one-night-stand, but turnabout is fair play.

34. Promised Tulips ** by Bharti Kirchner, Wallingford, Seattle Noir (2009). When a friend goes missing, a woman begins to suspect foul play by the husband. She wants to start an investigation but it just seems to fizzle out by the end. An Unsatisfactory Ending Alert!

33. Feeding Frenzy * by Tim Broderick, 40 Wall Street, Wall Street Noir (2007). A drawn graphic novel / comics story about some sort of scandal at a Wall St. firm with various office workers turning on each other. Didn’t make a lot of sense.

Part VI: Street Justice
32. Vic Primeval **** by T. Jefferson Parker, Kearny Mesa, San Diego Noir (2011). A police detective is friends with an ex-wrestler who now works as a bouncer. The detective suspects that the bouncer is being grifted and sets out to investigate. Another favourite story in this collection!

31. Bums **** by William Kent Kruger, West Side, St. Paul, Twin Cities Noir (2006). A down and out alcoholic hears that his sometime homeless friend has been killed in an apparent home invasion. Suspecting foul play (because of an earlier story he had heard) he sets out to solve the crime.

30. Secret Pool ** by Asali Solomon, West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Noir (2010). It is all fun and games at a secluded University pool club until suddenly there is a death involved.

29. Lighthouse **** by S.J. Rozan, St. George, Staten Island Noir (2012). This one was at least unique. The lead is a schizophrenic who hears 3 voices in his head and thinks of them as aliens from another world who crash landed on earth. At least one of them is provoking him into evil acts.

28. The Tik * by John O’Brien, Scotch 80s, Las Vegas Noir (2008). Another despicable one. Under the influence of a drug called “the Tik”, a man is driven to murderous acts.