Manhattan Noir

Review

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.

Overview

New York City''s main borough becomes the centerpiece for a collection of noir tales that celebrates its appeal, its arrogance, its diversity—and its darkness. From Battery Park to Harlem, the Lower East Side to the Upper West, Manhattan Noir delves below the island''s glittering façade to bring out its meanest streets. This anthology features the Big Apple''s best with 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.

Commentary

Block''s selections, generally speaking, span the social spectrum. But all involve moral compromise, existential hells, or revenge (even if a couple of sort-of-happy endings may offend noir purists). Quality is high throughout . . . Any irony in the evolution—a book created to celebrate Brooklyn becomes a series in which one of the best installments honors Manhattan—is New Yorkers'' to enjoy.