Los Angeles Noir 2: The Classics

by Paul Cain, Denise Hamilton (Editor), Leigh Brackett, James M. Cain

Overview

“This entry, with its high-quality stories from such genre masters as Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain, outshines the typical all-original anthology.”—Publishers Weekly
 
In Akashic Books’s acclaimed series of original noir anthologies, each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city. This collection of classic stories—the sequel to the award-winning, bestselling Los Angeles Noir—“reaffirm[s] that the shadows cast by the Southland’s sun, and its gloomy ocean fog, have proved some of noir’s most fertile territory” (Los Angeles Times).
 
This anthology features stories by Raymond Chandler, Paul Cain, James Ellroy, Leigh Brackett, James M. Cain, Chester Himes, Ross MacDonald, Walter Mosley, Naomi Hirahara, Margaret Millar, Joseph Hansen, William Campbell Gault, Jervey Tervalon, Kate Braverman, and Yxta Maya Murray.
 
“If you love either mysteries or tales about our corner of the world, pick up Noir 2 . . . Hey, the concept of ‘noir’—dark, steamy mystery stories—was invented here.”—Los Angeles Daily News

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781617752209
Publisher:	Akashic Books
Publication date:	04/01/2010
Series:	Akashic Noir Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	300
Sales rank:	745,522
File size:	838 KB

About the Author

Denise Hamilton writes the Eve Diamond series. Her books have been shortlisted for the Edgar, Macavity, Anthony and Willa Cather awards. The Los Angeles Times named 'Last Lullaby' a 'Best Book of 2004' and it was also a USA Today Summer Pick and a finalist for a Southern California Booksellers Association 2004 award.'
James M. Cain (1892–1977) was one of the most important authors in the history of crime fiction. Born in Maryland, he became a journalist after giving up on a childhood dream of singing opera. After two decades writing for newspapers in Baltimore, New York, and the army—and a brief stint as the managing editor of the New Yorker—Cain moved to Hollywood in the early 1930s. While writing for the movies, he turned to fiction, penning the novella The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934). This tightly wound tale of passion, murder, and greed became one of the most controversial bestsellers of its day, and remains one of the foremost examples of American noir writing. It set the tone for Cain’s next few novels, including Serenade (1937), Mildred Pierce (1941), Double Indemnity (1943), and The Butterfly (1947). Several of his books became equally successful noir films, particularly the classic 1940s adaptations of Mildred Pierce and Double Indemnity. Cain moved back to Maryland in 1948. Though he wrote prolifically until his death, Cain remains most famous for his early work.     

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part I: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

“I’ll Be Waiting” by Raymond Chandler (Mid-Wilshire, 1939)

“Murder in Blue” by Paul Cain (Downtown, 1933)

“I Feel Bad Killing You” by Leigh Brackett (Santa Monica, 1944)

“Dead Man” by James M. Cain (San Fernando, 1936)

“The Night’s for Cryin'” by Chester Himes (South Los Angeles, 1937)

Part II: After the War

“Find the Woman” by Ross Macdonald (Beverly Hills, 1946)

“The Chirashi Covenant” by Naomi Hirahara (Terminal Island, 2007)

“High Darktown” by James Ellroy (West Adams, 1986)

Part III: Killer Views

“The People Across the Canyon” by Margaret Millar (L.A. Canyon, 1962)

“Surf” by Joseph Hansen (Venice, 1976)

“The Kerman Kill” by William Campbell Gault (Pacific Palisades, 1987)

Part IV: Modern Classics

“Crimson Shadow” by Walter Mosley (Watts, 1995)

“Rika” by Jervey Tervalon (Baldwin Hills, 1994)

“Lucía” by Yxta Maya Murray (Echo Park, 1997)

“Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta” by Kate Braverman (Bel Air, 1990)

Editorial Reviews

Like Manhattan Noir 2 and other previous “classics” entries in Akashic’s noir series, this entry, with its high-quality stories from such genre masters as Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain, outshines the typical all-original anthology in the series. Hamilton has been wise to select lesser-known works by legendary writers, guaranteeing that the volume will appeal both to fans unfamiliar with the stories and readers new to their hard-edged prose. The two best come from the pens of husband and wife Ross Macdonald and Margaret Millar. Macdonald’s Lew Archer looks into an actress’s disappearance in his taut “Find the Woman,” while Millar’s “The People Across the Canyon,” about a young girl who forms an unhealthy attachment to some new neighbors, offers an unconventional look at the darkness in the human soul. With the exception of Walter Mosley’s “Crimson Shadow,” the tales in the final “modern” section fall short by comparison. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly