St. Louis Noir Read online

  And part of me—the noir part—is expecting a phone call from the writer, inviting me over for a smoke.

  Johnny Temple

  Brooklyn, NY

  July 2013

  ___________________

  More about USA Noir

  The best USA-based stories in the Akashic Noir Series, compiled into one volume and edited by Johnny Temple!

  “All the heavy hitters . . . came out for USA Noir . . . an important anthology of stories shrewdly culled by Johnny Temple.” —New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice

  “Readers will be hard put to find a better collection of short stories in any genre.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “A must read for mystery fans, not just devotees of Akashic’s ‘Noir’ series, this anthology serves as both an introduction for newcomers and a greatest-hits package for regular readers of the series . . . There isn’t a weak story in the collection . . . Strongly recommended for readers who enjoy mysteries published by Hard Case Crime, as well as for fans of police procedurals.” —Library Journal (starred review)

  “The 37 stories in this collection represent the best of the U.S.-based anthologies, and the list of contributors include virtually anyone who’s made the best-seller list with a work of crime fiction in the last decade . . . a must-have anthology.” —Booklist (starred review)

  “It’s hard to imagine how the present anthology could be topped for sheer marquee appeal . . . Perhaps the single most impressive feature of the collection is its range of voices, from Joyce Carol Oates’ faux innocent young family to Megan Abbott’s impressionable high school kids to the chorus of peremptory voices S.J. Rozan plants in a haunted thief’s head. Eat your heart out, Walt Whitman: These are the folks who hear America singing, and moaning and screaming.” —Kirkus Reviews

  “A less enlightened Temple cover collection of crime and mystery stories could easily reduce itself to stereotypical cartoons about white detectives with a whiskey bottle and a gun in the drawer but Akashic’s series takes itself very seriously in its mission to represent all aspects of a city’s dark side.” —Kirkus Reviews, Feature Story/Interview with Johnny Temple

  “For those who prefer their crime closer to home, there is USA Noir, a veritable greatest hits of Akashic’s long-running, acclaimed noir anthology series, rounding up solid gold blackness of the bleakest and darkest kind . . . Like Chuck Berry sang, ‘Anything you want, we got right here in the USA.’” —Mystery Scene Magazine

  Launched with the summer ’04 award-winning best seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books has published over sixty volumes in its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.

  Featuring Noir Series stories from: Dennis Lehane, Don Winslow, Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, Susan Straight, Jonathan Safran Foer, Laura Lippman, Pete Hamill, Joyce Carol Oates, Lee Child, T. Jefferson Parker, Lawrence Block, Terrance Hayes, Jerome Charyn, Jeffery Deaver, Maggie Estep, Bayo Ojikutu, Tim McLoughlin, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Reed Farrel Coleman, Megan Abbott, Elyssa East, James W. Hall, J. Malcolm Garcia, Julie Smith, Joseph Bruchac, Pir Rothenberg, Luis Alberto Urrea, Domenic Stansberry, John O’Brien, S.J. Rozan, Asali Solomon, William Kent Krueger, Tim Broderick, Bharti Kirchner, Karen Karbo, and Lisa Sandlin.

  JOHNNY TEMPLE is the publisher and editor in chief of Akashic Books, an award-winning Brooklyn-based independent company dedicated to publishing urban literary fiction and political nonfiction. Temple won the 2013 Ellery Queen Award; the American Association of Publishers’ 2005 Miriam Bass Award for Creativity in Independent Publishing; and the 2010 Jay and Deen Kogan Award for Excellence in Noir Literature. Temple plays bass guitar in the band Girls Against Boys, which has toured extensively across the globe and released numerous albums on independent and major record companies. He has contributed articles and political essays to various publications, including the Nation, Publishers Weekly, AlterNet, Poets & Writers, and BookForum. He is also the chair of the Brooklyn Literary Council, which works with Brooklyn’s borough president to plan the annual Brooklyn Book Festival in September.

  USA Noir is available in paperback from our website and in bookstores everywhere. The e-book edition is available wherever e-books are sold.

  ABOUT THE AKASHIC NOIR SERIES

  The Akashic Books Noir series was launched in 2004 with the award-winning anthology, Brooklyn Noir. Each book is comprised of all new stories, each taking place within a distinct location within the city of the book. Stories in the series have won multiple Edgar, Shamus, and Hammett awards and the volumes have been translated into 10 languages. Every book is available on our website, as eBooks from your favorite vendor, and in print at online and brick & mortar bookstores everywhere. For more information on the series, including an up-to-date list of available titles, please visit www.akashicbooks.com/noirseries.htm.

  NOW AVAILABLE IN THE AKASHIC NOIR SERIES

  BALTIMORE NOIR, edited by LAURA LIPPMAN

  BARCELONA NOIR (SPAIN), edited by ADRIANA V. LÓPEZ & CARMEN OSPINA

  BEIRUT NOIR (LEBANON), edited by IMAN HUMAYDAN

  BELFAST NOIR (NORTHERN IRELAND), edited by ADRIAN MCKINTY & STUART NEVILLE

  BOSTON NOIR, edited by DENNIS LEHANE

  BOSTON NOIR 2: THE CLASSICS, edited by DENNIS LEHANE, JAIME CLARKE & MARY COTTON

  BRONX NOIR, edited by S.J. ROZAN

  BROOKLYN NOIR, edited by TIM MCLOUGHLIN

  BROOKLYN NOIR 2: THE CLASSICS, edited by TIM MCLOUGHLIN

  BROOKLYN NOIR 3: NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, edited by TIM MCLOUGHLIN & THOMAS ADCOCK

  BUFFALO NOIR, edited by BRIGID HUGHES & ED PARK

  CAPE COD NOIR, edited by DAVID L. ULIN

  CHICAGO NOIR, edited by NEAL POLLACK

  CHICAGO NOIR: THE CLASSICS edited by JOE MENO

  COPENHAGEN NOIR (DENMARK), edited by BO TAO MICHAËLIS

  DALLAS NOIR, edited by DAVID HALE SMITH

  D.C. NOIR, edited by GEORGE PELECANOS

  D.C. NOIR 2: THE CLASSICS, edited by GEORGE PELECANOS

  DELHI NOIR (INDIA), edited by HIRSH SAWHNEY

  DETROIT NOIR, edited by E.J. OLSEN & JOHN C. HOCKING

  DUBLIN NOIR (IRELAND), edited by KEN BRUEN

  HAITI NOIR, edited by EDWIDGE DANTICAT

  HAITI NOIR 2: THE CLASSICS, edited by EDWIDGE DANTICAT

  HAVANA NOIR (CUBA), edited by ACHY OBEJAS

  HELSINKI NOIR, (FINLAND) edited by JAMES THOMPSON

  INDIAN COUNTRY NOIR, edited by SARAH CORTEZ & LIZ MARTÍNEZ

  ISTANBUL NOIR (TURKEY), edited by MUSTAFA ZIYALAN & AMY SPANGLER

  KANSAS CITY NOIR, edited by STEVE PAUL

  KINGSTON NOIR (JAMAICA), edited by COLIN CHANNER

  LAS VEGAS NOIR, edited by JARRET KEENE & TODD JAMES PIERCE

  LONDON NOIR (ENGLAND), edited by CATHI UNSWORTH

  LONE STAR NOIR, edited by BOBY BYRD & JOHNNY BYRD

  LONG ISLAND NOIR, edited by KAYLIE JONES

  LOS ANGELES NOIR, edited by DENISE HAMILTON

  LOS ANGELES NOIR 2: THE CLASSICS, edited by DENISE HAMILTON

  MANHATTAN NOIR, edited by LAWRENCE BLOCK

  MANHATTAN NOIR 2: THE CLASSICS, edited by LAWRENCE BLOCK

  MANILA NOIR, edited by JESSICA HAGEDORN

  MARSEILLE NOIR, (FRANCE) edited by CEDRIC FABRE

  MEMPHIS NOIR, edited by LAUREEN P. CANTWELL & LEONARD GILL

  MEXICO CITY NOIR (MEXICO), edited by PACO I. TAIBO II

  MIAMI NOIR, edited by LES STANDIFORD

  MOSCOW NOIR (RUSSIA), edited by NATALIA SMIRNOVA & JULIA GOUMEN

  MUMBAI NOIR (INDIA), edited by ALTAF TYREWALA

  NEW JERSEY NOIR, edited by JOYCE CAROL OATES

  NEW ORLEANS NOIR, edited by JULIE SMITH

  ORANGE COUNTY NOIR, edited by GARY PHILLIPS

  PARIS NOIR (FRANCE), edited by AURéLIEN MASSON

  PHILADELPHIA NOIR, edited by CARLIN ROMANO

  PHOENIX NOIR,
edited by PATRICK MILLIKIN

  PITTSBURGH NOIR, edited by KATHLEEN GEORGE

  PORTLAND NOIR, edited by KEVIN SAMPSELL

  PRISON NOIR, edited by JOYCE CAROL OATES

  PROVIDENCE NOIR, edited by ANN HOOD

  QUEENS NOIR, edited by ROBERT KNIGHTLY

  RICHMOND NOIR, edited by ANDREW BLOSSOM, BRIAN CASTLEBERRY & TOM DE HAVEN

  ROME NOIR (ITALY), edited by CHIARA STANGALINO & MAXIM JAKUBOWSKI

  SAN DIEGO NOIR, edited by MARYELIZABETH HART

  SAN FRANCISCO NOIR, edited by PETER MARAVELIS

  SAN FRANCISCO NOIR 2: THE CLASSICS, edited by PETER MARAVELIS

  SEATTLE NOIR, edited by CURT COLBERT

  SINGAPORE NOIR, edited by CHERYL LU-LIEN TAN

  STATEN ISLAND NOIR, edited by PATRICIA SMITH

  STOCKHOLM NOIR (SWEDEN), edited by NATHAN LARSON & CARL-MICHAEL EDENBORG

  ST. PETERSBURG NOIR, edited by NATALIA SMIRNOVA & JULIA GOUMEN

  TEHRAN NOIR (IRAN), edited by SALAR ABDOH

  TEL AVIV NOIR (ISRAEL), edited by ETGAR KERET & ASSAF GAVRON

  TORONTO NOIR (CANADA), edited by JANINE ARMIN & NATHANIEL G. MORE

  TRINIDAD NOIR (TRINIDAD & TOBAGO), edited by LISA ALEN-AGOSTINI & JEANNE MASON

  TWIN CITIES NOIR, edited by JULIE SCHAPER & STEVEN HORWITZ

  USA NOIR: BEST OF THE AKASHIC NOIR SERIES, edited by JOHNNY TEMPLE

  VENICE NOIR (ITALY), edited by MAXIM JAKUBOWSKI

  WALL STREET NOIR, edited by PETER SPIEGELMAN

  ZAGREB NOIR (CROATIA), edited by IVAN SRSEN

  FORTHCOMING

  ACCRA NOIR (GHANA), edited by MERI NANA-AMA DANQUAH

  ADDIS ABABA NOIR (ETHIOPIA), edited by MAAZA MENGISTE

  ATLANTA NOIR, edited by TAYARI JONES

  BAGHDAD NOIR (IRAQ), edited by SAMUEL SHIMON

  BOGOTÁ NOIR (COLOMBIA), edited by ANDREA MONTEJO

  BRUSSELS NOIR (BELGIUM), edited by MICHEL DUFRANNE

  BUENOS AIRES NOIR (ARGENTINA), edited by ERNESTO MALLO

  JERUSALEM NOIR, edited by DROR MISHANI

  LAGOS NOIR (NIGERIA), edited by CHRIS ABANI

  MARRAKECH NOIR (MOROCCO), edited by YASSIN ADNAN

  MISSISSIPPI NOIR, edited by TOM FRANKLIN

  MONTREAL NOIR (CANADA), edited by JOHN MCFETRIDGE & JACQUES FILIPPI

  NEW ORLEANS NOIR: THE CLASSICS edited by JULIE SMITH

  OAKLAND NOIR edited by JERRY THOMPSON AND EDDIE MULLER

  RIO NOIR, (BRAZIL) edited by TONY BELLOTTO

  SAN JUAN NOIR, (PUERTO RICO) edited by MAYRA SANTOS-FEBRES

  ST. LOUIS NOIR, edited by SCOTT PHILLIPS

  TRINIDAD NOIR: THE CLASSICS edited by EARL LOVELACE & ROBERT ANTONI

  NOIR SERIES AWARDS, PRIZES & HONORS

  Following is a list-in-progress of the various awards, prizes, and honors that Akashic Noir Series stories have either won or been short-listed for.

  Boston Noir

  Edgar Award Finalists 2010

  Dennis Lehane, “Animal Rescue”

  Dana Cameron, “Femme Sole”

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2010

  John Dufresne, “The Cross-Eyed Bear”

  Dennis Lehane, “Animal Rescue”

  Shamus Award Finalist 2010

  Brendan DuBois, “The Dark Island”

  Anthony Award Finalists 2010

  Dennis Lehane, “Animal Rescue”

  Dana Cameron, “Femme Sole”

  Macavity Award Finalist 2010

  Dana Cameron, “Femme Sole”

  Agatha Award Finalist 2009

  Dana Cameron, “Femme Sole”

  Bronx Noir

  Winner, New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association

  Book of the Year Award, Special Category 2008

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2008

  S.J. Rozan, “Hothouse”

  Brooklyn Noir

  Edgar Award Finalist 2005

  Pete Hamill, “The Book Signing”

  Robert L. Fish Memorial Award Winner 2005

  Thomas Morrissey, “Can’t Catch Me”

  Shamus Award Winner 2005

  Pearl Abraham, “Hasidic Noir”

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2005

  Tim McLoughlin, “When All This Was Bay Ridge”

  Lou Manfredo, “Case Closed”

  Anthony Award Finalist 2005

  Arthur Nersesian, “Hunter/Trapper”

  Pushcart Prize Finalist 2005

  Ellen Miller, “Practicing”

  DC Noir

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2007

  Robert Andrews, “Solomon’s Alley”

  Detroit Noir

  Shamus Award Finalist 2008

  Loren D. Estleman, “Kill the Cat”

  Kansas City Noir

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2013

  Nancy Pickard, “Lightbulb”

  Las Vegas Noir

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2009

  David Corbett, “Pretty Little Parasite”

  Vu Tran, “This or Any Desert”

  Lone Star Noir

  Shamus Award Finalist 2011

  Lisa Sandlin, “Phelan’s First Case”

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2011

  David Corbett & Luis Alberto Urrea, “Who Stole My Monkey?”

  Long Island Noir

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2013

  Nick Mamatas, “The Shiny Car in the Night”

  Los Angeles Noir

  Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Winner 2007

  Edgar Award Winner 2008

  Susan Straight, “The Golden Gopher”

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2008

  Michael Connelly, “Mulholland Dive”

  Robert Ferrigno, “The Hour When the Ship Comes In”

  Manhattan Noir

  Edgar Award Finalists 2007

  S.J. Rozan, “Building”

  Thomas H. Cook, “Rain”

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2007

  Robert Knightly, “Take the Man’s Pay”

  Miami Noir

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2007

  John Bond, “T-bird”

  New Jersey Noir

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2012

  Lou Manfredo, “Soul Anatomy”

  New Orleans Noir

  Shamus Award Finalist 2008

  James Nolan, “Open Mike”

  Paris Noir

  Edgar Award Finalist 2009

  Dominique Mainard, “La Vie en Rose”

  Philadelphia Noir

  Macavity Award Finalist 2011

  Keith Gilman, “Devil’s Pocket”

  Phoenix Noir

  Edgar Award Winner 2010

  Luis Alberto Urrea, “Amapola”

  Anthony Award Finalist 2010

  Luis Alberto Urrea, “Amapola”

  Macavity Award Finalist 2010

  Luis Alberto Urrea, “Amapola”

  Shamus Award Finalist 2010

  Gary Phillips, “Blazin’ on Broadway”

  Queens Noir

  Robert L. Fish Memorial Award Winner 2009

  Joe Guglielmelli, “Buckner’s Error”

  San Diego Noir

  Southern California Independent Booksellers Association

  Award Finalist 2011

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2012

  T. Jefferson Parker, “Vic Primeval”

  San Francisco Noir

  Macavity Award Finalist 2006

  David Corbett, “It Can Happen”

  Staten Island Noir

  Robert L. Fish Memorial Award Winner 2013

  Patricia Smith, “When They Are Done with Us”

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2013

  Patricia Smith, “When They Are Done with Us”

  Toro
nto Noir

  Arthur Ellis Award Winner 2009

  Pasha Malla, “Filmsong”

  Arthur Ellis Award Finalist 2009

  Peter Robinson, “Walking the Dog”

  Twin Cities Noir

  Shamus Award Finalist 2007

  Bruce Rubenstein, “Smoke Got in My Eyes”

  Venice Noir

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2013

  Emily St. John Mandel, “Drifter”

  Wall Street Noir

  Derringer Award Finalist 2008

  Twist Phelan, “A Trader’s Lot”

  Included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2008

  Stephen Rhodes, “At the Top of His Game”

  About Akashic Books

  ___________________

  Thank you for purchasing this Akashic Books e-book.

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  Akashic Books is an award-winning independent company dedicated to publishing urban literary fiction and political nonfiction by authors who are either ignored by the mainstream, or who have no interest in working within the ever-consolidating ranks of the major corporate publishers. Akashic Books hosts additional imprints, including the Akashic Noir Series, the Akashic Drug Chronicles Series, the Akashic Urban Surreal Series, Infamous Books, Kaylie Jones Books, Punk Planet Books, Dennis Cooper's Little House on the Bowery Series, Open Lens, Chris Abani's Black Goat Poetry Series, and AkashiClassics: Renegade Reprint Series.

  Our books are available from our website and at online and brick & mortar bookstores everywhere.

  "As many in publishing struggle to find ways to improve on an increasingly outdated business model, independents such as Akashic—which are more nimble and less risk-averse than major publishing houses—are innovators to watch." —Los Angeles Times

  "It's heartening that even as the dinosaurs of publishing are lurching toward extinction, nimble independent publishers like Akashic are producing high-quality, innovative content." —Portland Mercury