Kansas City Noir (Akashic Noir)

"Light Bulb" by Nancy Pickard was selected for inclusion in The Best American Mystery Stories 2013 , edited by Otto Penzler and Lisa Scottoline "Kansas City, famous for its jazz, its barbecue, and its shady history, provides the venue for this solid addition to Akashic's acclaimed noir anthology series." -- Publishers Weekly "Hard-used heroes and heroines seem to live a lifetime in the stories...Each one seems almost novelistic in scope. Half novels-in-waiting, half journalistic anecdotes that are equally likely to appeal to Kansas City boosters and strangers." -- Kirkus Reviews “Travel has many unexpected benefits, so even if you’ve never had a reason to visit the city itself, you’ll find Kansas City Noir surprisingly well worth the price of the ticket.” -- Bookgasm "Picture steam rising from a sewer grate on a rain-slicked street. The sound of footsteps comes closer and closer behind you as you walk down a dark, downtown Kansas City alley. If this scenario entices you, then you just might enjoy Kansas City Noir ." -- Kansas City Public Television "What we heard was REALLY GOOD. So good in fact that we picked up a copy. Now we're... getting ready to read it in one sitting." -- Tony's Kansas City Brand-new stories from: J. Malcolm Garcia, Grace Suh, Daniel Woodrell, Kevin Prufer, Matthew Eck, Philip Stephens, Catherine Browder, John Lutz, Nancy Pickard, Linda Rodriguez, Andrés Rodríguez, Mitch Brian, Nadia Pflaum, and Phong Nguyen. Steve Paul has been a writer and editor at the The Kansas City Star since 1975. Currently the arts editor, he writes about music, books, architecture, food, and, occasionally, murder. He's the author of Architecture A to Z: An Elemental, Alphabetical Guide to Kansas City's Built Environment . A former bookseller and a native of Boston, he has served as a board member and officer of the National Book Critics Circle. About the Author Steve Paul: Steve Paul has been a writer and editor at The Kansas City Star since 1975. Currently the arts editor, he writes about music, books, architecture, food and, occasionally, murder. He's the author of "Architecture A to Z: An Elemental, Alphabetical Guide to Kansas City's Built Environment" (2011) and co-editor of and contributor to "War & Ink," a collection of essays about Ernest Hemingway's early work, forthcoming from Kent State University Press. A former bookseller and a native of Boston, he has served as a board member and officer of the National Book Critics Circle. ϡ쯦랠 Dark and gritty tales set in the “Paris of the Plains,” including Nancy Pickard's “Lightbulb”—selected for The Best American Mystery Stories 2013. Akashic Books'groundbreaking, globetrotting noir anthology series sets all-new stories in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective metropolitan area. Now “Kansas City, famous for its jazz, its barbecue, and its shady history, provides the venue for this solid addition” (Publishers Weekly). This collection includes brand-new stories from J. Malcolm Garcia, Grace Suh, Daniel Woodrell, Kevin Prufer, Matthew Eck, Philip Stephens, Catherine Browder, John Lutz, Nancy Pickard, Linda Rodriguez, Andrés Rodríguez, Mitch Brian, Nadia Pflaum, and Phong Nguyen. “Hard-used heroes and heroines seem to live a lifetime in the stories... Each one seems almost novelistic in scope. Half novels-in-waiting, half journalistic anecdotes that are equally likely to appeal to Kansas City boosters and strangers.”—Kirkus Reviews “Travel has many unexpected benefits, so even if you've never had a reason to visit the city itself, you'll find Kansas City Noir surprisingly well worth the price of the ticket.”—Bookgasm “Picture steam rising from a sewer grate on a rain-slicked street. The sound of footsteps comes closer and closer behind you as you walk down a dark, downtown Kansas City alley. If this scenario entices you, then you just might enjoy Kansas City Noir.”—Kansas City Public Television Akashic Books Continues Its Award-winning Series Of Original Noir Anthologies, Launched In 2004 With Brooklyn Noir. Each Book Is Comprised Of All New Stories, Each One Set In A Distinct Neighborhood Or Location Within The Respective City. In Kansas City Noir, Naked Ambition Meets Broken Dreams, And Blues And The Night Go Together Like Rye Whiskey, Vermouth, And Bitters.--back Cover. Introduction / Steve Paul -- Missing Gene / J. Malcolm Garcia -- Cat In A Box / Kevin Prufer -- Mission Hills Confidential / Grace Suh -- Come Murder Me Next, Babe / Daniel Woodrell -- The Softest Crime / Matthew Eck -- You Shouldn't Be Here / Philip Stephens -- The Incident / Catherine Browder -- The Good Neighbor / Linda Rodriguez -- Thelma And Laverne / John Lutz -- Lightbulb / Nancy Pickard -- Yesterdays / Andrés Rodríguez -- Last Night At The Rialto / Mitch Brian -- Charlie Price's Last Supper / Nadia Pflaum -- Pendergast's Last Musket / Phong Nguyen -- About The Authors. Edited By Steve Paul. Short Stories.