Manhattan Noir (Akashic Noir) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1888451955 ISBN 13: 9781888451955

Publisher: Akashic Books, Ltd., 2006

Synopsis

Brand-new 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.

Lawrence Block has won most of the major mystery awards, and has been called the quintessential New York writer, although he insists the city’s far too big to have a quintessential writer. His series characters Matthew Scudder, Bernie Rhodenbarr, Evan Tanner, Chip Harrison, and Keller all live in Manhattan; like their creator, they wouldn’t really be happy anywhere else.

"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

"Feel the dread, the angled shadow, the sidelong quicks, the pitter-patter of running blood, the femme fatales' will she/won’t she/she did, the creep of the heel, and the stone causes the hitch and the hitch and the stumble. Manhattan Noir’s got it all and then some...Thick with tradition, rich with revelation, and as sweet as Hard Crime itself, Manhattan Noir is just desserts indeed. Dig in."
--Ink 19

"[A] thrilling new anthology in the Noir series from Akashic Books . . . This latest addition to the Noir family takes a sizable bite out of the big apple."
--Future MYSTERY Anthology Magazine

"A fun read that’s sure to please mystery lovers and fans of New York fiction."
--About.com

About this title

About the Author

Lawrence Block has won most of the major mystery awards, and has been called the quintessential New York writer, although he insists the city's far too big to have a quintessential writer. His series characters-Matthew Scudder, Bernie Rhodenbarr, Evan Tanner, Chip Harrison, and Keller-all live in Manhattan; like their creator, they would not really be happy anywhere else.

From 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 Martínez'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. (Apr.)
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About this edition

• Publisher: Akashic Books, Ltd.
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1888451955
• ISBN 13: 9781888451955
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 257
• Editor: Block Lawrence