Manhattan Noir
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
“A pleasing variety of Manhattan neighborhoods come to life in Block’s solid anthology. . . . The writing is of a high order and a nice mix of styles.” —Publishers Weekly
New York City’s main borough becomes the centerpiece for a collection of noir tales that celebrates its appeal, its arrogance, its diversity—and its darkness. From Battery Park to Harlem, the Lower East Side to the Upper West, Manhattan Noir delves below the island’s glittering façade to bring out its meanest streets.
This anthology features the Big Apple’s best with stories by Jeffery Deaver, Lawrence Block, Charles Ardai, Carol Lea Benjamin, Thomas H. Cook, Jim Fusilli, Robert Knightly, John Lutz, Liz Martínez, Maan Meyers, Martin Meyers, S.J. Rozan, Justin Scott, C.J. Sullivan, and Xu Xi.
“Block’s selections, generally speaking, span the social spectrum. But all involve moral compromise, existential hells, or revenge (even if a couple of sort-of-happy endings may offend noir purists). Quality is high throughout . . . Any irony in the evolution—a book created to celebrate Brooklyn becomes a series in which one of the best installments honors Manhattan—is New Yorkers’ to enjoy.” —Booklist
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A pleasing variety of Manhattan neighborhoods come to life in Block's solid anthology, the latest entry in Akashic's city-themed noir series (Brooklyn Noir, etc.). "Building" by S.J. Rozan, for example, brings the reader a strong sense of Harlem, while "The Most Beautiful Apartment in New York" by Justin Scott perfectly presents the Chelsea landscape. Purists may balk at a tale like Liz Mart nez's "Freddie Prinze Is My Guardian Angel," which is offbeat and funny but not really noir. Charles Ardai's "The Good Samaritan," on the other hand, offers bad weather, night and even cigarettes. Thomas H. Cook's "Rain" is nothing if not bleak, though it's really just an elaborate sketch. The most satisfying story, Jeffery Deaver's "A Nice Place to Visit," is long enough to develop a full plot, and it's got a hell of a twist at the end. Block contributes a respectable entry, "If You Can't Stand the Heat," but it certainly doesn't rival his best writing. Though not all the story lines are uniformly compelling, the writing is of a high order and a nice mix of styles.
