Short Stories
The Anthology of Cozy Noir: Mystery Stories With an Edge

by Andrew MacRae, ed.
Darkhouse Books, October 2014, $9.95

The title of The Anthology of Cozy Noir: Mystery Stories With an Edge might make you wonder just what “cozy noir” is. Editor Andrew MacRae offers a hint or two in his introduction, but he doesn’t attempt a full definition. It’s one of those “I know it when I see it” things, and it’s exemplified by the 13 stories in this volume. Rob Lopresti’s “The Roseville Way” opens the book and tells the story of how some locals react to a newcomer to town and to their favorite pizza place. It’s not how you might expect. Bobbie Chukran’s “Dead Dames Don’t Wear Diamonds” has a classic noir setup and includes some nice allusions to classic hardboiled fiction. It’s nothing like Lopresti’s story, and all the stories here are different. You can decide for yourself if a new subgenre has been born.

Bill Crider
Teri Duerr
4842
MacRae, ed.
October 2014
the-anthology-of-cozy-noir-mystery-stories-with-an-edge
9.95
Darkhouse Books

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