Fiction Noir: Thirteen Stories, An Anthology

Edited by Rick Tannenbaum

Hen House Press

ISBN: 9780983460466

4 stars

This year I’ve been making an effort to read more short stories. When I was contacted by Hen House Press to review the Fiction Noir anthology I said yes. It was short stories but fiction noir which I enjoy —- dark stories always capture my attention. And this collection was really good.

I don’t want to give too much away so I thought a short sentence (question to entice?) about each would suffice.

Loser’s Ledge by Eve Gael — When you lose everything you thought important, what’s left?

Hey, Girlie by Joanne Dobson — A young girl is spooked by a neighbor but is there a reason to be scared?

Everyone’s a Critic by A.R. Philips — As a movie director, what lengths would you go to to ensure your movie gets the best reviews?

Dangerous Appetites by Amy Beth Arkawy — After marrying for money, a former caterer begins to see her life from a whole new perspective.

Johnny Passe by Scott Fivelson and Tim Cleavenger — An old fashioned private eye gets caught in a trap while looking for some Sinatra records.

Anvil by Steven Fried — A meditation, if you will, on the life and death process.

The Vinegar of the Seven Thieves by Dennis Brock — In wartime, a former soldier running from the law finds himself in a bad place while trying to survive.

Wrongful Death by Isaac Grimm — A lawyer with a needy wife comes across the perfect solution when a client visits.

Murder Brokers by Jennifer Leeper — A small town reporter’s curiosity gets the better of her, or does it?

The Village Idiot by Roberto Gottardello and Rivka Tadjer — A washed up FBI agent’s past comes back to haunt her.

When the Man Comes Around by Bernard Schaffer — How far would you go to protect a child?

High Stakes Graf by Semyon White — Vegas calls but the lure is sometimes more dangerous than one might know.

Love Noir by Ivan Jensen — A short poem, quite unique.

There are several gems here among them: Hey, Girlie, Everyone’s a Critic, Dangerous Appetites, Johnny Passe, The Vinegar of the Seven Thieves, Wrongful Death, Murder Brokers, and Love Noir. I have to say though, I really enjoyed them all. Usually when I’m reading short stories, especially a collection of several different authors, I take a break between stories. I didn’t do that with these stories. I jumped into the next story without a break eager to see what would be next. This might actually be the first time that’s ever happened to me. If you’re looking for some short stories, take a look, this collection is worth your time.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.