Bronx Noir

June 18, 2007
Akashic’s latest city-themed crime anthology successfully captures the immense diversity of the Bronx, from the mean streets of the South Bronx to affluent Riverdale, in 19 tales by authors both well known and obscure. The most imaginative entry, Joseph Wallace’s “The Big Five,” about a hunter who targets his prey in the Bronx Zoo as part of a national contest, concludes with a satisfying noir twist. Lawrence Block’s Riverdale story, “Rude Awakening,” also surprises the reader with its clever resolution of a one-night stand. Particularly inventive is Kevin Baker’s grim “The Cheers Like Waves,” set in the shadow of Yankee Stadium. Rozan, herself a contributor, has put together one of the series’ better entries, with memorable tales of betrayal and despair that reflect the borough’s varied ethnic populations and geography.