Buffalo Noir (Akashic Noir) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1617753815 ISBN 13: 9781617753817

Publisher: Akashic Books, Ltd., 2015

Synopsis

"From the Irish enclave of South Buffalo and a Niagara Street bar to a costly house in Nottingham Terrace and a once-grand Gothic structure in Elmwood Village, Buffalo's past and present come to life in the offbeat, disturbing, and sometimes darkly comical tales by authors who really know their city."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Park's introduction, in effect a true-crime case study, is as gripping as any of the 13 stories set in or around Buffalo, N.Y., in this strong Akashic noir volume, whose contributors include several mystery heavyweights....Those curious about the criminal side of the second-biggest city in New York will be rewarded."
--Publishers Weekly

"The anthology features 12 dark tales of Buffalo, written by 13 authors with strong ties to Buffalo. Each story represents a different neighborhood and cross-section of the city, and the resulting collection feels like a vivid, comprehensive tour of a distinctive place, administered by locals. There's nothing quite like noir to shine a light, after all."
--Los Angeles Review of Books

"12 original short stories by established local authors with flawless credentials....Together, the stories cover cityscapes well-known to Buffalonians--to name a few, Elmwood Avenue, Niagara Street, Black Rock, North Park, Delaware Park, and Allentown. Local landmarks Peace Bridge and the Anchor Bar made it in there, too."
--Examiner.com

"Superb....What we have in this anthology brilliantly edited by Ed Park and Brigid Hughes are 12 writers with strong Buffalo connections writing dark tales specifically for this anthology and set in Buffalo....It's a dark but very happy surprise between paper covers."
--The Buffalo News

"Our fair city finally lands its volume in the acclaimed City Noir series from Brookyn's Akashic Books, and it's a dandy--twelve stories from writers born or otherwise attached here, with a stunning cover taken from a photo by area writer and chef Joe George. The stories, with settings all over the city, provide a virtual tour of what's noir about Buffalo, and Buffalo about noir."
--Artvoice

"Buffalo gets its day in the dark with 183 pages of marvelous yarns....A true treat."
--Buffalo Rocket

Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each story is set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.

Featuring brand-new stories by: Joyce Carol Oates, Lawrence Block, Ed Park, Gary Earl Ross, Kim Chinquee, Christina Milletti, Tom Fontana, Dimitri Anastasopoulos, Lissa Marie Redmond, S.J. Rozan, John Wray, Brooke Costello, and Connie Porter.

Buffalo, New York, is still the second-largest metropolis in the state, but in recent years its designation as the Queen City has been elbowed aside by a name that's pure noir: The City of No Illusions. Presidents came from here; and in 1901, a president was killed here while visiting the Pan-American Exposition, by a man who checked into a hotel under a name that translates as Nobody.

As Buffalo saw its prosperity wane, those on the outside could only see harsh winters and Rust Belt grit, chicken wings and sports teams that came agonizingly close. (Vincent Gallo's Buffalo 66 is less the doomed quest of a would-be assassin than the collective fever dream of every Bills fan.)

Anyone who has spent more than a few days in Buffalo will tell you that this city can spar with any other major American metropolis in the noir arena. This highly anticipated entry in the Akashic Noir Series includes stories from Buffalo-affiliated mystery titans as well as up-and-comers.

About this title

About the Author:

Ed Park was born in Buffalo in 1970. He is the author of the novel Personal Days and has been a newspaper, magazine, and book editor. He lives in New York City, where he and his sons continue to root for the Sabres and Bills.

Brigid Hughes is the founding editor of the literary magazine A Public Space, and a contributing editor at Graywolf Press. She was born and raised in Buffalo.

Review:

"Buffalo Noir, edited by Park and former Paris Review editor Brigid Hughes, brings together an impressive array of writers with Queen City ties, including Joyce Carol Oates, Lawrence Block, Tom Fontana, several former and current UB professors (Gary Earl Ross, Christina Milletti, Dimitri Anastasopoulos) and a sprinkling of UB alumni...In addition to the individual neighborhoods where each story is set, Buffalo fans will recognize beloved urban icons, such as the Anchor Bar, the H.H. Richardson Complex and the Bubble Man of Allentown."
--At Buffalo Magazine

"The stories in Buffalo Noir result in one of the most impressive and memorable of Akashic's many Noir collections to date....Buffalo Noir should be added to the pile of books on the side table of all crime fiction fans, especially those who admire contemporary noir."
--Bookgasm

"Buffalo Noir, released at the end of 2015, is yet another great addition to Akashic's catalog and a collection that fans of gritty fiction should definitely check out....An anthology that fans of great crime fiction need to check. Of course, for those familiar with the series, saying that is preaching to a very devout choir."
--Dead End Follies

"If you enjoy noir, you simply cannot go wrong with any of the books in the Akashic Books noir series, this one included."
--Book Chase

"A very nice collection of stories."
--Journey of a Bookseller

"The Richardson Complex, Delaware Park, Anchor Bar, Nottingham Terrace--all places we've heard about on the news, walked by or even visited, and all are in this book. The 12 short stories, by writers like Tom Fontana and Joyce Carol Oates, resonate from the darker side of Buffalo, but have a tone that will leave you smirking to yourself by the end of the tale. In spite of its darkness, Buffalo Noir is a book one can easily get lost in."
--BfloGirlWorld


"Buffalo Noir, edited by Park and former Paris Review editor Brigid Hughes, brings together an impressive array of writers with Queen City ties, including Joyce Carol Oates, Lawrence Block, Tom Fontana, several former and current UB professors (Gary Earl Ross, Christina Milletti, Dimitri Anastasopoulos) and a sprinkling of UB alumni...In addition to the individual neighborhoods where each story is set, Buffalo fans will recognize beloved urban icons, such as the Anchor Bar, the H.H. Richardson Complex and the Bubble Man of Allentown."
--At Buffalo Magazine

"The stories in Buffalo Noir result in one of the most impressive and memorable of Akashic's many Noir collections to date....Buffalo Noir should be added to the pile of books on the side table of all crime fiction fans, especially those who admire contemporary noir."
--Bookgasm

"Buffalo Noir, released at the end of 2015, is yet another great addition to Akashic's catalog and a collection that fans of gritty fiction should definitely check out....An anthology that fans of great crime fiction need to check. Of course, for those familiar with the series, saying that is preaching to a very devout choir."
--Dead End Follies

"If you enjoy noir, you simply cannot go wrong with any of the books in the Akashic Books noir series, this one included."
--Book Chase

"A very nice collection of stories."
--Journey of a Bookseller

"The Richardson Complex, Delaware Park, Anchor Bar, Nottingham Terrace--all places we've heard about on the news, walked by or even visited, and all are in this book. The 12 short stories, by writers like Tom Fontana and Joyce Carol Oates, resonate from the darker side of Buffalo, but have a tone that will leave you smirking to yourself by the end of the tale. In spite of its darkness, Buffalo Noir is a book one can easily get lost in."
--BfloGirlWorld

About this edition

• Publisher: Akashic Books, Ltd.
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1617753815
• ISBN 13: 9781617753817
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224
• Editor: Hughes Brigid, Park Ed