Read as part of CBR16 Bingo: ring. One of the suggestions for this category was “reaching for the brass ring.” Many move to Manhattan to reach for the brass ring. Most of these stories are about how they failed.
Sorry to those who actually read all my reviews because I know I repeat myself constantly. But man, I just love the Akhasic Noir series.
I already love cities, those I’ve been to, lived in, can only dream of. And there’s just nothing better than Manhattan. So it was inevitable that the series would get around to tackling the borough (there’s also a sequel). Edited by my man, Lawrence Block? Yessir.
I loved what he picked and wished only two things…
- More stories! This was 257 pages. It should have been 500!
- Fewer stories in Hell’s Kitchen. I love Hell’s Kitchen and love the stories set there. It’s an area that makes for tasty crime tales. But precious little on the LES/East Village? Nothing on SoHo? Chinatown?
Other than that, these were great. I think the editors of these books lead with their best but the first story its he one I’m still thinking about, even after finishing the book. Also loved the Freddy Prinze, Jr. one; that sent me. And a couple of them were heartbreakers.
Looking at the writer bios in the back and I do wish the series had been more racially diverse back then. I imagine — perhaps naively — that the more recent Akhasic Noir books are.
At any rate, I loved it and I can’t wait to read the second one.
