Customer Reviews

Los Angeles Noir (Akashic Noir)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

... and gives a glimpse of the seamy underbelly. As a native, it's always fun to read about the places I know and love; as a reader, I'm impressed with the breadth of writers covered in this anthology (and it's a pleasure to recognize one of them as a high school acquaintance of mine!) Some of the stories are better written then others, but all of them bring the different parts of Los Angeles to life. This is part of a series of "Noir" collections; I will definitely be searching out other volumes in the series.

It's just about what I was expecting--a collection of stories ranging from the good ("The Golden Gopher," "Kinship," "The Kidnapper Bell") to the horrible ("Mulholland Drive," "Midnight in Silicon Valley," "Number 19," "Once More, Lazarus"). Unfortunately, the bad outweighs the good, as is always a risk with these multiple-author anthologies.

The definitively bad line is from "Midnight in Silicon Valley," where we are informed that the main character was wooing big companies "like Intel and Pentium." That's just careless writing and poor editorial control, and takes you right out of the story.

I love anthologies, mysteries, and noir, so when you put them all together, I find it hard to resist. I took this book on a cruise with me and had a great time with it, because I could read a quick story before dashing off on some excursion. The tales are all well written, and each provided as many twists and turns as a ride down Mulholland. My favorites were Denise Hamilton's "Midnight in Silicone Valley" and "Roger Crumbler Considered His Shave" by Gary Phillilps, but I can honestly say I didn't hate any of them.

With "Los Angeles Noir," the mean streets of L.A. are a little meaner not to mention a lot more diverse than they were portrayed during the era of J. Edgar Hoover, well-worn fedoras, and three-martini lunches at the Brown Derby. These stories are cinematic, violent little gems of contemporary crime fiction that are a must-read for any true fan of noir.

[The full review first appeared in The Elegant Variation.]

It's enough to convince you that the possibilities in this genre haven't been exhausted, but I must say that the familiar setting provides an extra wrinkle for an L.A. local. (Why I haven't run into Michael Connelly on Mulholland Drive is another mystery, but I'm on the look out). Of course good writing and taut suspense works anywhere, and that makes this gathering of L.A. writers worthy reading wherever you curl up to do it.

The table of contents reveals the organization, breaking down into four sections: "Police & Thieves," "Hollywoodlandia," "East of La Cienega," and "The Gold Coast." In other words, all over the map and, in this county, that's 450 square miles.

Akashic Books provides a series of original noir anthologies which began in 2004 with the launch of Brooklyn Noir and continues here in LOS ANGELES NOR. This book offers new stories, each set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book - so it will hold both regional appeal and appeal to any mystery fan who likes detailed settings to enhance the plot. A multicultural approach further enhances the stories which range from the spas of Koreatown to the rich of Beverly Hills and beyond, offering crime stories by Janet Fitch, Neal Pollack, Christopher Rice and others. A top pick for any fan of crime fiction and for libraries both located in California and beyond.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch