Buffalo Noir

By Akashic Books

"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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Akashic Books
• Release date: Nov 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781617754210

Reviews for Buffalo Noir

[jldarden · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Late on this review but here goes. I have several of this Akashic series and this entry is just ok. The opening story "Dr. Kirkbride's Moral Treatment Plan" was the best in my opinion. Not usually one for unreliable narrators, I did enjoy this one. I felt, however, that the entries by Lawrence Block and Joyce Carol Oates were the weakest of the bunch. Honorable mention goes to "Good Neighbors" by Gary Earl Ross.

[barlow304 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Buffalo Noir" seeks to use that town on Lake Eire as the background for a series of short, noirish stories. The stories come from the pens of local and nationally prominent authors, who range from university professors to best-selling writers such as Lawrence Block and Joyce Carol Oates.Although Noir is often a mystery genre, that's not a fair description of some of the stories in this volume. Stories set in mental hospitals or the ruins of an arena, in the dreamscape of a young girl, or in the innocent but deadly mind of a kid all greet the reader with challenges to the imagination. Few of the stories are "detective' stories. Like much of noir, it's all about the atmosphere.But what atmosphere! Buffalo itself is a character in these stories: the working class Catholic parishes, the neighborhoods near the lake. One story is set in the old arena where the Sabres used to play. Each story has a different vibe, but they are variations on the hard-working, down-at-the-heels life of Buffalo.

[stevesmits · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't really familiar with the "Noir" series, but spotting this on the Library Thing give-away list prompted me to ask for it. I am somewhat familiar with Buffalo as I have visited family there a number of times. Buffalo's reputation as a dowdy rust belt city is not fair. It's got a lot to offer -- some great beaux arts architecture, a surprisingly good theater district, a top caliber symphony and many distinctive neighborhoods. This slim volume of crime stories is quite worth the read. The authors all are from (or were from) Buffalo and/or Western New York. Each story takes place in a different section of the city.I especially liked "The Bubble Man of Allentown" by Dimitri Anastasopolos, "Falling on Ice" by Lissa Marie Redmond (whose day job is detective on the Buffalo PD), "Valentine" by the terrific Joyce Carol Oates and "Good Neighbors" by Gary Earl Ross.Knowing the city featured in the volume helps, but these stories stand out even without such familiarity.

[gincam · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Buffalo, New York, also called "The Queen City" is noted as the second-largest city in the state. Known for spicy little chicken wings and very big, very cold snows, Buffalo has a unique character all its own. "Buffalo Noir", edited by Ed Park and Brigid Hughes, is a compelling collection of short stories which offers a glimpse into the diversity of this multi-faceted metropolis. Beginning with Ed Park's fascinating, detailed introduction, this anthology takes the reader on a journey through the neighborhoods and streets of Buffalo--and each section of the city has a story to tell. Divided into three parts, "Buffalo Unveiled", "Hearts & Minds", and "Bloodlines", the book features twelve tales from thirteen talented authors: 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. If "Noir" is just your shade for reading enjoyment, be sure to check the amazing roster of Noir Anthologies from Akashic Books--each story is set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book. Review Copy Gratis Library Thing

[rosecityreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This collection of "Ice-Cold Stories" is another terrific anthology in Akashic Books' Noir Series. The headliners in this collection are Joyce Carol Oates and Lawrence Block, but the real star of the Buffalo Noir show is New York's second largest city, or at least its dark side.

[smcgurr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've long been interested in Akashic Books Noir series, but I have never picked one up because I've never had a strong relationship to any of the dozens of cities and locations covered. When I saw that Early Reviewers was offering Buffalo, a city where I went to school for a couple of years and lived close to for a number of years, I jumped.While the cold, Midwestern, Rust Belt city definitely adds character to these stories, I don't think you need a familiarity with the city to get a lot from these stories. Anthologies are always hard to review because of the different authors and styles contained within. There were a few stories that I wouldn't have categorized as noir in my opinion, but still entertaining.The stories that entertained and stayed with me the most were Lawrence Block's The Ehrengraf Settlement, Lissa Marie Redmond's Falling on Ice, Gary Earl Ross's Good Neighbors, and S.J. Rozan's Parkside. Ed Park, also the editor, whose introduction was enlightening, contributed The Odd, which was also a standout.

[meacoleman · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Growing up near Buffalo made me want to read and review this book. Not only does this book explore Buffalo, it also explores the "noir" genre and what it means to tell a dark story. Some of the stories are mysteries, others describe the horrors of murder and mental illness.Unfortunately, many of the stories don't use Buffalo as a character--the author calls out a street or landmark in the first paragraph, then tells a story that could have taken place anywhere. These stories are disappointing. The stories that do use the gritty, cold environment that Buffalo is notorious for are really haunting and epitomize noir.

[samsattler · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Buffalo Noir, a 2015 addition to the Akashic Books collection of noir short stories, follows in the tradition of the numerous series editions that have preceded it. The books, most of them set in specific cities, offer twelve to fifteen stories from writers who are especially familiar with those cities and who recognize the undersides of those places that outsiders only stumble upon by accident - sometimes to their regret. This time around there are stories from the likes of Joyce Carol Oates (who recently tweeted that the "best view of Buffalo is in a rearview mirror), Lawrence Block (who was born in the city and lived there for several years), S.J. Rozan (whose family lore says that she was conceived in Buffalo), and Lisa Marie Redmond (who has been with the Buffalo Police Department since 1993). Ed Park and Brigid Hughes, who also contribute stories to the collection, edit Buffalo Noir. The book opens with Park's eight-page introduction in which he describes the meaning of the term "noir" more by example than by explicit definition. Although his approach marks his introduction as different from the other introductions I've read in the series, it is highly effective and, in fact, Park's recollection of an incident from his own childhood is almost as intriguing as the collected stories themselves.The twelve stories are as different in style as their authors. Some stories are told in a straightforward fashion and have conclusive endings; others are more open-ended and leave it up to the reader to decide what really happened. Some are dark and filled with the shadows one expects from noir fiction; others stretch the definition of noir almost to its breaking point.I’m sure reflecting my personal reading tastes as much as anything else, my two favorite stories are both of the more straightforward type: Lawrence Block's "The Ehrengraf Settlement" and Gary Earl Ross's "Good Neighbors." In Block's story, a wealthy man, used to always getting his way without much of a fight on the part of whomever he runs over in the process, makes a critical mistake when he decides to cheat his defense lawyer of the bulk of his fee. And in "Good Neighbors," the couple buttering up their elderly next-door neighbor in hope of inheriting her property some day does not react well when new neighbors move in and immediately gain the old woman's affection (Hitchcock would enjoy this one, I think). Buffalo Noir is fun, and that is what noir fiction is all about, really. If you enjoy noir, you simply cannot go wrong with any of the books in the Akashic Books noir series, this one included.