Philadelphia Noir

(Akashic Books) Each of the 15 stories in this anthology is set in a distinct neighborhood or location within Philadelphia. Among the contributors are Diane Ayres, Solomon Jones, and Dennis Tafoya. Philadelphia noir is different from the other types of noir encountered in more glamorous American cities, such as New York or Los Angeles, writes Romano in the introduction. “In Philadelphia, we do ordinary noir — the humble killings, robberies, collars, cold cases that confront people largely occupied with getting by.” Romano is a critic-at-large at the Chronicle for Higher Education and literary critic of The Philadelphia Inquirer, and he teaches philosophy and media theory at the University of Pennsylvania.