Marseille Noir

By Akashic Books

"Gritty from east to west, Marseille is the perfect venue for the latest in Akashic's venerable Noir series. While earlier entries in this 70-volume series have sometimes been bleak and atmospheric, this one is all red meat....Just as Marseille is tailor-made for noir, this dark banquet is tailor-made for noir fans."
--Kirkus Reviews

"The stories...are united by vivid and evocative writing, as well as by a distinctive take on the city. Another strong entry in a series that should be required reading for crime fans."
--Booklist

"This entry in Akashic’s noir series navigates the seedy side of Marseille with 14 stories that range from the creepily introspective to the downright brutal."
--Publishers Weekly

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.

The Akashic Noir Series first ventured into France with Paris Noir, and now moves one step deeper...

Featuring brand-new stories translated from French by David Ball and Nicole Ball: François Beaune, Philippe Carrese, Patrick Coulomb, Cédric Fabre, René Frégni, Christian Garcin, Salim Hatubou, Rebecca Lighieri, Emmanuel Loi, Marie Neuser, Pia Petersen, Serge Scotto, Minna Sif, and François Thomazeau.

Cet ouvrage publié dans le cadre du programme d'aide à la publication bénéficie du soutien du Ministèe des Affaires Etrangères et du Service Culturel de l'Ambassade de France représenté aux Etats-Unis.
This work, published as part of a program of aid for publication, received support from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in the United States.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Akashic Books
• Release date: Nov 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781617753640

Reviews for Marseille Noir

[sus456 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This collection of fictional stories about Marseille is diverse, dark, macabre, quirky and totally irresistible. Each story has a unique voice about crime and the dark side of the city. By far my favorite was “I'll go away with the first man who says I love you” by Marie Neuser. I also really liked “The Warehouse of People from Before” by Salim Hatubou. In this selection of stories Marseille comes across as a hard, tough, masculine city full of crime but also full of life and interesting characters. It will make you realize that Marseille is more than just an old, picturesque city by the sea. This is my first book in the Noir series and I found it so enjoyable that I definitely want to read more.Thanks to Library Thing and Akashic Books for providing me with a review copy of the book.

[pmfloyd1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First off I received this as an LT Early Reviewer. I have really enjoyed this series of Noir mystery short stories. Keep in mind that the authors (and whether you will enjoy a particular story) is all over the board. There are 14 stories in this book and many of them focus on the darker side of Marseille. I am now interested in the Mediterranean Ethnology Museum because it was mentioned in a number of the stories. Great series and another good book in the line. 3 STARS.

[jldarden · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Liked this collection for the stories but had trouble placing myself in the settings having never been to France. Settings and sociological norms help with story appreciation. Ok for collectors of this series but I couldn't get into it.

[ffortsa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've had this ER book for quite a while, part of that stack I spoke of before in this thread. Reading these 14 stories may prevent me from ever going to Marseille.On the other hand, I feel like I've already been there. The vivid squalor described in these stories, the crime, mainly drug smuggling, prostitution and murder, the feeling of heat and wet and grit are all palpable. The infamous Chateau d'If is just off the coast, and you can see Marseille from the prison. Imagine Edmund Dantes staring at the city from his prison cell!Each of the 14 stories is set in one of the villages comprising the city, but the international population is everywhere; immigrants from the Comoros and other African countries, Europeans who strayed into Marseille with romantic notions and got caught in its poverty and disillusionment. In a way these stories are intimate: a boy is mesmerized by four crazy sisters on his street, a woman takes the last ferry to an island in the archipelago that stretches out from the bay, carrying on a conversation by herself, people carry out revenge or don't, another man is tormented by the music from across the narrow street. In spite of the bright Mediterranean and the nearby beaches, these stories are truly noir.

[mtbearded1_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'll preface this review by noting that I have never been to Marseille, or anywhere in the south of France, but it is on my bucket list. That said, this is a tremendous collection of stories that paint a very grim picture of life in the Phocaean City. Admittedly the "noir" series centers on crime fiction, but at this point I need to read at least another one of the "noir" books--say San Francisco Noir, or Portland Noir, or even Paris Noir--cities of which I have some personal knowledge. I also feel the need to reread some Pagnol, just to get a lighter taste in my mouth (well, as light as Gauloises and Pastis allow). The fourteen stories in this collection are definitely crime-ridden: murder, drugs, smuggling, theft. Sometimes all of the above. Collected this way, the city they depict seems like a place to avoid. And yet, Marseille was chosen to be the European Capital of Culture in 2013, a fact to which many of the stories allude. Many of the stories also suggest that Marseille, rather than being a city, is a collection of villages, and each story is set in one or another of these "villages." There is even a map to give the reader a sense of where the stories take place. My first venture into the "noir" series, I have nothing with which to compare this, but I can say that the individual stories are captivating, if very dark in tone, and the work of the translators extraordinary. Kudos to David and Nicole Ball who turned the work of these fourteen authors into very readable English. I do want to read more by several of the authors, and in the original French. (And I have to grab some more Pagnol, just to clear the palate.)

[glendalea_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The beautiful ancient port city of Marseille is the inspiration behind the latest collection of noir short stories, and it does not disappoint. The characters are well developed and interesting, their stories dark, brooding, and, at times, intense. The overall feel of this collection is the epitome of what I love about this series. Definitely one of my top favorite Noir installments.

[tucker.christine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm beginning to feel like a broken record constantly singing the praises of the Akashic Noir series, but I can't help it. They keep putting out great books.While I wouldn't put any of the entries from this volume on a list of the best of the series, the stories and writers featured are all top notch and the translations are very good and consistent.At this point I'm wishing that Akashic would offer a subscription service. It would be great to just automatically receive each new title rather than have to seek them out.

[vaniamk13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another outstanding hard hitting noir collection from Akashic. Like the two previous books I've read in the series, Chicago Noir & Zagreb Noir, the 14 stories here all rate between good and excellent. The stories all have a real dark edge and make you wonder how safe or nice it really is to live there. I remember that while living in Europe back in the 80s and 90s Marseille was known as the seediest (e.g., drunken sailors, North African immigrant street thugs, petty hustlers) and most dangerous city in Europe, with only Napoli approaching it for a crime-ridden reputation. After reading this it seems that the rep was well deserved. All the stories here reflect that seediness, although I note an optimistic overall effort to reflect the perhaps superficial efforts of the city to change its image (The recent opening of Marseille's apparently world-class Mediterranean Ethnology Museum (MuCEM) is mentioned in at least half the stories). So there's a bit of light here, however faint.

[ozzieslim · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marseille Noir ed. By Cedric FabreFor me, this is a solid 4 ½ star read. One of the things I love about the “Noir” series is that selections are edited by individuals from that city so the stories are very representative of that place. The second thing I love is that the stories were originally written in the language of that city and country and then translated into English. The variety is there: stories by both men and women. Stories from the point of view of natives of both the city and France as well as immigrants to those cities and that country. It is worth noting that Marseille, as a port city on the Mediterranean, has been influenced by Corsicans, Italians, Greek, French, Africans of all persuasions and Middle Easterners.I loved the stories that showed the “seamy underside” the most. I guess that appeals to my interest in the stories of gangsters and underworld figures. There are plenty of great dark undertones that readers of noir will be expecting. I had several favorites. My top ones were probably “Extreme Unction” by Francois Thomazeau; “Silence Is Your Best Friend” by Patrick Coulomb; “What Can I Say?” by Rebecca Lighieri; The Problem With the Rotary” by Phillipe Carrese and “Green, Slightly Gray” by Serge Scotto. But in so saying those were my picks, I can say with confidence that every entry was strong. Loved this edition. Great set of short stories and don't leave out the forward on any of these books because they are fantastic at setting the scene. Likewise, at the end of each volume is a profile of each writer so that you can seek out those you might like to follow.