Philadelphia Noir
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Philly finally enters the Noir Series arena: the City of Brotherly Love becomes a City of Brotherly Malice.Publishers WeeklyThe 15 stories in this Akashic noir anthology mostly support Romano’s thesis in his introduction: “Philadelphia noir is different from the mood, the sensibility, the dimensions, of noir encountered in more glamorous American cities” such as New York or L.A., because it is “ordinary noir--the humble killings, robberies, collars, cold cases that confront people largely occupied with getting by.” Dennis Tafoya, one of the better known contributors, exemplifies Romano’s point with “Above the Imperial,” about a petty thief with a crush on a woman who works in the Chinese restaurant below his apartment. In contrast, a home invasion at the start of Solomon Jones’s well-written “Scarred” turns out to be anything but ordinary. Halimah Marcus’s “Swimming” and Laura Spagnoli’s “A Cut Above” don’t break any new ground, but their accounts of violent obsession and table-turning grip. Unsurprisingly, the book as a whole is comparable to Detroit Noir, another volume set in a less glamorous metropolis. (Nov.)
Introduction 11Part I City of BurstsPrincess Aimee Labrie Labrie, Aimee 19South PhiladelphiaScarred Solomon Jones Jones, Solomon 32Strawberry MansionSecret Pool Asali Solomon Solomon, Asali 50West PhiladelphiaDevil's Pocket Keith Gilman Gilman, Keith 67Grays FerryPart II City of Otherly LoveAbove the Imperial Dennis Tafoya Tafoya, Dennis 89East FallsA Cut Above Laura Spagnoli Spagnoli, Laura 106Rittenhouse SquareSwimming Halimah Marcus Marcus, Halimah 128NarberthPart III The Faker CityFishtown Odyssey Meredith Anthony Anthony, Meredith 147FishtownYour Brother, Who Loves You Jum Zervanos Zervanos, Jum 167Fairmount"Cannot Easy Normal Die" Carlin Romano Romano, Carlin 185University CitySeeing Nothing Diane Ayres Ayres, Diane 196Bella VistaPart IV Those Who Forget The Past...Lonergan's Girl Duane Swierczynski Swierczynski, Duane 209FrankfordReality Cordelia Frances Biddle Biddle, Cordelia Frances 219Old CityThe Ratcatcher Gerald Kolpan Kolpan, Gerald 236South StreetGhost Walk Cary Holladay Holladay, Cary 249Chestnut HillAbout the Contributors 266
