DC Noir

Brand new stories by: George Pelecanos, James Grady, Kenji Jasper, Jim Beane, Jabari Asim, Ruben Castaneda, James Patton, Norman Kelley, Jennifer Howard, Richard Currey, Lester Irby, and others.

Mystery sensation Pelecanos pens the lead story and edits this groundbreaking collection of stories detailing the seedy underside of the nation's capital. This is not an anthology of ill-conceived and inauthentic political thrillers. Instead, in D.C. Noir, pimps, whores, gangsters, and con-men run rampant in zones of this city that most never hear about.

Bestselling mystery author George Pelecanos dazzles and terrifies with his first-ever anthology.

Booklist

The publisher's Noir series, launched with Brooklyn Noir (2004), is growing with viruslike rapidity--even though it's not always infectious. The problem may lie with the choice of editors. Chicago Noir, for example, was selected by Neal Pollack (Never Mind the Pollacks, 2003). Whatever his talents may be, murder is not his metier, and his lineup included some lightweights. For D.C. Noir, Akashic had the good sense to turn to Pelecanos (Drama City, 2005), who delivers a wholly satisfying volume. From his own "Confidential Informant," to James Grady's "Bottom Line," Pelecanos shows us how both trash-strewn alleys and oak-paneled offices can trap their occupants with dreams, compromise, and heartbreak. Even Quintin Peterson's "Cold as Ice," which features an O. Henry-like twist and a happy ending, has a downbeat feel, reminding us that victories wrought by violence are still losses. The forthcoming Manhattan Noir will be edited by Lawrence Block--too bad they couldn't get Michael Connelly for Los Angeles Noir. Keir Graff Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved

A devotee of the hard-boiled school of detective fiction, George P. Pelecanos has honed his street-smart style with a series of detective thrillers all set in the seamier corners of the D.C./Maryland/Virginia triangle.