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.
Short Stories
Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Naomi Hirahara’s powerful new book, Clark and Division, follows the Ito family in 1944.
Thursday, 18 October 2018
"For me, the books I read were the call—the call to adventure, to thinking, to acknowledging other points of view. But to complete the ritual, I needed to respond."
Saturday, 16 June 2018
I am surrounded by books. Every room, every space in my large, sprawling 1750s house is full of books...
Monday, 30 April 2018
Our history and experiences can define us, inspire our actions, and as writers impact our words and stories. Mine most definitely has: my father was a small-time gangster. Really.
Thursday, 12 April 2018
"My ah-ha moment came when I read The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.... That was it for me – I was off to the races."
Sunday, 01 April 2018
Nietzsche once wrote, “There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”
Thursday, 15 February 2018
"Mystery books were daring and exciting, firing up my imagination and making me yearn to become a girl detective or even a secret agent. They also empowered me to make up impromptu ghost stories around the campfire for my Girl Scout troop and sneak into the cemetery at night on a dare."
Thursday, 27 July 2017
Fire and Ashes, the latest Angela Richman Death Investigator mystery, is an exploration of a fatal fire. To research this novel, Viets delved into the devastating consequences of junk science and arson investigations.