Brussels Noir

By Akashic Books

"Brussels, Belgium's cosmopolitan, multilingual capital, has it criminal underside, as shown in the 13 dark--and sometimes darkly humorous--stories in this strong Akashic noir volume."
--Publishers Weekly

"A perfect choice for those who love noir or those who love armchair traveling, this assortment of short stories gives the reader a glimpse into what life in the Belgian capital is like. An excellent entry in Akashic Books' noir series, which began with Brooklyn Noir more than a decade ago, Brussels Noir takes readers through the underbelly of yet another fascinating locale."
-- Self Awareness for Readers

"Akashic Books deserves kudos for their fine service to noir . . . If these volumes are designed to give crime writers a nifty forum and also capture the local flair and flavor, Brussels Noir is a fine come-hither."
-- New York Journal of Books

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.

Brand-new stories by: Barbara Abel, Ayerdhal, Paul Colize, Jean-Luc Cornette, Patrick Delperdange, Sara Doke, Kenan Görgu¨n, Edgar Kosma, Katia Lanero Zamora, Nadine Monfils, Alfredo Noriega, Bob Van Laerhoven, and Émilie de Béco.

From the introduction by Michel Dufranne:

"For our grand tour, please be seated, ladies and gentlemen readers, in Tram 33...and no, there's no rain in the forecast today, just a leaden sky; for that matter, considering the timetables of the STIB, it's probably better to go on foot than to take public transport. We'll explore the city center, that pentagonal surface defined by urban highways and a canal, home to the real old Brussels, the historic core. We'll take a dainty stroll through an edifice that achieves the feat of being more vast and monolithic in style than St. Peter's Basilica: the Palais de Justice. From there, it's easy to glide down to the Marolles; then let your feet carry you from kabberdouch to stamcafé, as you wander in an ethereal, even surrealist mode through the heart of the city, and finally come full circle.

Having whetted our appetites, we'll play leapfrog along the boulevards to make our way to the inner ring road and tiptoe across the razor's edge of the city...And if the life of the abattoir hasn't sated you, you'll have plenty of room to maneuver as you stray from the center and discover the oh-so-serene neighborhoods of the greater ring, home to our venerable European institutions above all suspicion."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Akashic Books
• Release date: Jul 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781617754630

Reviews for Brussels Noir

[charlottem_63 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this series and wait for the next with anticipation.

[ffortsa · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I found I couldn't finish the stories in this collection. They presented Brussels is such a grim, often dystopian light, far darker than most of the noir collections I've read. I may return to finish the last few later on in the year.

[denisodea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read and enjoyed several volumes in the noir series. This one - Brussels Noir - is another fine addition to the series. As in the other collections.some stories are stronger than others. I especially enjoyed "The Other Half of Life" by Ayerdahl "Ritual" by Gorgun, neither of which I would consider a noir tale but still amazing. The sense of Brussels as a bureaucratic and cosmopolitan city is hinted at in all the stories. My only complaint is the fact that all the stories,with one exception,are translated by the same individual. This lends a certain sameness to tales. All in all though a very enjoyable read. Keep em coming!

[belgrade18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An entertaining collection of creepy short stories set in Brussels, Belgium. I found all of them well-written and intriguing, some of them along the lines of mystery and suspense, some of them "tales of the unexpected," with surprise endings. All of them are dark and grim, however. I've been to Belgium, but not Brussels; these tales are so grim, I'm not sure I'll be going there or not ... This is the first of the Noir series I've read, and I'm sure many of them would make me think twice before casually exploring any city, now that I have their hideous underbellies on my mind. Anyway, I consider that a good sign- it's a book that made me think and creeped me out a little bit, but not too much. Highly recommended for urban dwellers and people who like the Low Countries.

[liz1564 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Brussels Noir is a mixed bag of stories from Akashic Books which features tales set in the dark side of the multicultural city. Many of the stories have as their theme the clash between the people who have generational ties to the city and the newcomers from the Mideast and Africa, as well as bureaucrats and visitors from other Western countries. I found the stories interesting, but not particularly noirish. One was a fantasy where Brussels became Neverland; another tale was a frightening look at a future where technology could convert an indivdual’s thoughts to “hard copy”. Very Orwell.The one story that seemed to me to fit the category best dealt with the suicide of a man who had been mistaken for a child molester and his daughter’s revenge against the person responsible. As with all short story collections, some are stronger than others. I enjoyed about half of them. A decent read but not memorable.

[ann_louise_7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After the recent political news about "Brexit", and the terrorist attacks in Brussels, Brussels Noir is, in a way, a comforting book. I gets you inside the city we may only know from the news and shows the city through the prism of crime literature. Another recommended read from the Akashic Book Noir series!

[tucker.christine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Brussels Noir continues the Akashic Noir series bringing us all the darkness, crime, murder, humor and bad decisions we've come to expect. I love this series. Having said that, this one felt uneven. Even the best anthologies have a tale or two that just don't do it for you, but in here, for me, there were more lows than highs. And even many of the good stories, while perfectly fine, were instantly forgettable.