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237 Pages, $15.95
Editor: Kathleen George
When it comes to anthologies of fiction, one usually finds one or two decent tales worthy of note while the rest is completely forgettable. Pittsburgh Noir is not one of those.  The latest in Akashic Books’ award-winning Noir series, Pittsburgh Noir (2011, 237 pages) takes us to western-PA’s renowned metropolis and a cast of characters from all walks of life and eras, as well as a plethora of neighborhoods from around the Steel City. As with the publisher’s other books in the string, we have over a dozen short stories to indulge. Many stories conjure up the dank soot that once coated Pittsburgh’s blue collar based streets and skyscrapers, while others probe into the white collar malaise that now permeates its pristine shops and walkways. Nevertheless, it is proven once again that every place still has a dark underbelly worth exposing. Whether searching for sheer entertainment or ugly truths, you will find what you are looking for in this substantial selection.
If anyone has spent time in Pittsburgh, you will immediately recall the many neighborhoods, such as Squirrel Hill, Fox Chapel and Homewood that surround the cement center and pepper the collection. Better still, a cross section of the multi-cultural rainbow is also represented, leaving us with a body of work that inadvertently does its best to define a city once seen as the urban cornerstone for white Appalachia. But rest assured, the city’s coveted sport’s teams are referred to less than half a dozen times, allowing their obligatory mention to seemingly fall by the wayside. Instead, we are left with angry wives, disillusioned husbands, questionable witnesses to crime and even a coming of age tale like no other. Most importantly, even though the anthology is a strong tapestry of tales, a half-dozen pieces of fiction truly rise above the rest – and make it difficult to nail down a favorite:
“Still Air,†a solid inner-city crime drama, is delivered with the riveting word mastery of poet Terrance Hayes. Masterfully written, the pace is solid with an undercurrent of suspense that permeates the tale.
Nancy Martin sets a dreary tone in “Pray for Rain†that would make the darker side of the Coen brothers proud. Taking place at the docks along the Allegheny River, a sordid story emerges from the tumult of the floodwaters.
Kathleen George, the anthology’s editor, brings us “Intruder†– a classic noir tale with seasoned and semi-acerbic homicide detectives on the case. George brings us enough grit and drama to rival any one-hour crime show on television.
Rebecca Drake will get you with “Loaded†as she exposes the new Victorian era that encompasses not only Pittsburgh’s suburbia, but the United States as a whole. This is where more than one dark secret ferments behind a manicured lawn and flip-top mailbox.
Remember how weird life became once you hit puberty? Compare your story to Carlos Antonio Delgado’s well-crafted “Far Beneath†– and dare to find any similarities in this suburban anecdote that will till the soil of your mind.
Reminiscent of the late, great Ellen Miller, Aubrey Hirsch’s “Cheater†is the bizarre twist on “Looking for Mr. Goodbar.†And of all the tales, since this one resonates on so many levels, it is hoped that Hirsch will expand upon this unsettling yet intriguing character study regarding her lost yet driven heroine.
Granted, some tales do not even come close to being noir, let alone the gray-shaded definition of neo-noir. Traditionally, noir refers to film and involves an anti-hero solving a crime. As for neo-noir, in fiction form anyway, it seems to be any story that exploits a dark tone. In lieu of definitions and arguing over what makes a noir based story, most in this collection are excellent and are delivered beautifully, bringing us wonderful vignettes of a city and her people we can either relate to on some level, or simply appreciate – or both.
Comparing this anthology to the first in the series, Brooklyn Noir, this latest incarnation is a much stronger read with far greater depth and variety. Yet, even with so many scintillating tales and extremely talented authors, one can only wonder why George led off the pack with Lila Schaara’s lackluster “Atom Smasher†that took forever to get started. Furthermore, Stuart O’Nan’s “Duplex†and Kathryn Miller Haines’ “Homecoming†are almost immature in their execution and lack of complexity. The former comes off as a bad joke one can see coming from the very beginning, with the latter being nothing more than a weak melodrama, which is far removed from any denotation of noir.
Regardless, there is enough here to please the most skeptical of palates, especially when one wonders how far Akashic can go with the series. And with the bulk of the material being riveting and engaging in this Steel City installment, there is no doubt the noir succession has a much longer road to travel.
Pittsburgh Noir is certainly worthy of a place on your bookshelf.
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~Bill Prystauk is an award-winning screenwriter living on the east coast. In 2011, his dramatic horror, RAVENCRAFT, placed third in the AWS Screenplay Contest. His dramatic ghost story, RISEN, was the First Place Winner in the 2010 Horror Screenplay Contest. His script, RED AGENDA, was the First Place Winner in the 2008 International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival. In 2006, his erotic crime thriller, BLOODLETTING, won second place in the Screenwriters Showcase Screenplay Contest. He also has two short scripts in production, a short story forthcoming in Criminal Class Review, and has published numerous poems. Bill holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University and teaches English at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.