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    Venice Noir
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    Venice Noir
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    Venice Noir
    Ebook313 pages4 hours

    Venice Noir

    By Maxim Jakubowski, Peter James, Emily St. John Mandel and

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Drifter” by Emily Mandel was selected for inclusion in The Best American Mystery Stories 2013, edited by Otto Penzler and Lisa Scottoline

    Original stories by: Peter James, Emily St. John Mandel, Barbara Baraldi, Mike Hodges, Mary Hoffman, Maria Tronca, Matteo Righetto, Tony Cartano, Francesco Ferracin, Isabella Santacroce, Michelle Lovric, Francesca Mazzucato, Maxim Jakubowski, and Michael Gregorio.

    "Forget the magnificence of Venice's art, architecture, and music, and delve into this tour of the City of Water's murky depths visions of a Venice not seen in tourist brochures."
    --Publishers Weekly

    "Editor Jakubowski does an excellent job of selecting a variety of stories that represent all strata of Venetian life, from tourists visiting for Carnevale to criminals running illegal operations in the bay A must-read for lovers of Venice the presence of a new and intriguing voices, many of them Italian, will pique the interest of international-mystery readers."
    --Booklist

    "Sex, food and real estate inspire 14 hot-blooded new takes on crime in the magical city of Venice...Rather than crimes of passion, this collection focuses on the passion of crime, painting its noir in robust tones rather than gritty gray."
    --Kirkus Reviews

    "Venice Noir, edited by Maxim Jakubowski, aims to shred through our preconceptions of this remarkable city. The 14 writers featured in this anthology of short stories take our travel brochure images of Venice and scatter them like confetti."
    --NY Journal of Books

    Maxim Jakubowski is a British editor and writer. Following a long career in book publishing, during which he was responsible for several major crime imprints, he opened London's mystery bookshop Murder One. He reviews crime fiction for the Guardian, runs London's Crime Scene Festival, and is an advisor to Italy's annual Courmayeur Noir in Festival. His latest crime novel is Confessions of a Romantic Pornographer, and he edits the annual Best British Mysteries series.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAkashic Books
    Release dateMay 29, 2012
    ISBN9781617751189
    Unavailable
    Venice Noir
    Author

    Peter James

    Peter James is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, now a hit ITV drama starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper. Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern day policing, he has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger. To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 19 Sunday Times No. 1s, sold over 21 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. His books are also often adapted for the stage – the most recent being Looking Good Dead.

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    Reviews for Venice Noir

    3.5/5

    20 ratings9 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I have learned something reading this book. The stories are great and I've enjoyed most of them. The problem and what I've discovered is that they're to short and that I don't care for the short-story medium of story-telling. I guess that's the reason I normally stay clear of short stories. As I said at the beginning, the stories are good and the setting was interesting. If you enjoy short stories, and don't mind the darker side of life, then give this a go.
    • 4/5
      "Venice Noir", an anthology of short stories about the 'City of Bridges', certainly lives up to the genre: each story tells of a dark, mysterious, and deadly Venice that few, if any, tourists or natives experience, simmering and reeking in the canals and cruising in the vaporettos. Each tale brings you to the deep and dark parts of 'La Serenissima' that you probably do not want to see or the things you do not want to find floating. Venice is sinking and these tales, however fabricated they may be, add to the eeriness of a city slowly declining into a dark hole of past glory and present depravity. Venice can be a beautiful city of sunlit canals and incredible art, but you won't find any of that in this collection.In the first story, "Cloudy Water" by Matteo Righetto, we learn of the bloodshed and death that follows those who steal the fetid and stinking mollusks brewing in the toxic waste of the factories to sell to unwary and ignorant tourists in Naples, Slovenia, Thailand and beyond. In "Lido Winter" by Maxim Jakubowski (the editor of the anthology) we learn what happens when death follows you to a place previously filled with blissful moments. Several stories are told from the point of view of animals: a rat searching for a home for the imminent birth of her babies stumbles upon a horrifying (even for a rat) scene in "Tourists for Supper" by Maria Tronca. From Mike Hodges in "Signor Gauke's Tongue" we learn of revenge extracted by a mysterious killer for a crime committed by a "prominent New York stock broker and investment adviser" - a revenge many will find appropriate. From passion gone bad to sweet retribution and a touch of semi-erotic overtones, these are stories you will not soon forget.While some of the stories are a tiny bit beyond the realm of credulity and do not provide an all encompassing look at Venice, many are a fascinating look at a city with secrets. The translation from Italian on many of them by Judith Forshaw is excellent - you know she has been faithful to the original because the creepiness is intact. Included are maps of Venice with the specific locations of each story marked as well as short biographies of the authors. It's apparent that each author has a tortured love for this city, but finds a certain delight in turning over the stone to see what scurries out from underneath."Venice Noir" is just one of many in the Akashic Noir series. From Baltimore to Istanbul to San Francisco to Toronto (and more), each city will have plenty of bizarre and strange stories. If those stories are anything like these, you may want to keep to the well-lit streets and well-known spaces because you never know who or what may be lurking around the corner or in the basement.
    • 4/5
      For many, including myself, Venice is a magical city, full of endless water vistas, amazing historic building and beautiful light. But the 14 stories in this collection present a vision of Venice that few visitors would think of, ranging from the disturbing to the really creepy. Noir indeed. They are a mixed bag of stories, ranging from a few really excellent one, to a majority of quite good ones to on or two that left me shaking my head. I am a fan of short stories and at their best, which a few of these were, a clever writer can tell a very complete, very satisfying story in a small number of pages. I think there is something very enjoyable about that.One of my favorite was The Comedy is Over by Francesco Ferrcin, about a young woman who had a very bad, very violent experience that caused her to undergo a spectacular change in her life. While I can not approve of what she did, there is something very understandable, even darkly admirable about it. Another favorite was the next story in the book, Commissario Clelia Vinci, by Barbara Baraldi, a rather bleak tale about revenge and despair, with a clever if dark twist at the end. And finally I will mention Lido Winter by Maxim Jakubowshi, who also edited the book, about a middle aged man on a vaporetto, the water buses, on his way to the island of Lido, admiring a young woman, a tourist who boards at San Marco. Oh, if he only knew who she was, would he be so friendly?Yes, there were one or two that were much less successful for me, one with just a few too many rats, one that may make visitors think twice about where they stay. But all in all, it was a very good mix, underlining many of humanity's darker qualities. Lust, greed, fear, love that turns to hatred, and yes, a few lost souls are all here, set against a Venice that is often dark and decaying and not a little scary. As you sail along the Grand Canal, you are stuck by Venice's timeless beauty, but do we ever know what is behind the beautiful, crumbling facades of those grand palazzos? Just step around a corner, into the maze of backstreets, endless small canals and countless bridges and you are in quite another world, the world of Venice Noir.
    • 3/5
      Venice Noir is a compilation of short stories edited by Maxim Jakubowski about La Serenissima (Venice) told from a variety of viewpoints--including two from the point of view of inhuman residents of the city. The stories in this collection are all presented in English, though many have been translated from the original Italian or French. The city-noir series of which this is a part attempts to reveal a side of the cities that are usually hidden from an outsider. This is not to say that the city is somehow diminished by the seedy-underbelly coming to life, but rather that the city that only existed in the post cards--one unscathed by the James Bond film Casino Royale--is augmented and made more real. It is clear throughout that the authors do, in fact, love Venice and are not trying to lessen it in any way.I have never been to Venice, so ultimately I cannot speak to the ability of the authors at bringing to life the "real" Venice. Nonetheless, the quality of the stories varied greatly, with some providing an enthralling story, characters, and vividness, while others were equally shallow and bland. None of the stories were difficult to get through or dragged on, though. The biggest problem with Venice Noir is that the picture offered of "the real Venice" is one as two dimensional (if not as picturesque) as the Venice of the post card. This may be a critique of a form that necessitates a quick narrative without significant depth or development and a genre that lends itself to bleakness and violence; the two combine to create a readable book that leaves the reader both unsatisfied and largely unmoved.I also suspect that a reader more familiar with the city and the people who live there--for whom Venice already is more than a post card--would have a different reaction because the would require less from the authors in order to make the connection with the city. Thus, I recommend that someone merely in the market for short stories look elsewhere for something that is better written, but for someone who already is a fan of short-noir or is more familiar with Venice, it is worth looking into as that reader would fall into the niche audience Venice Noir seems to target. In either situation, one of the great virtues of Venice Noir is that it will not prove too taxing or require too much on the part of the reader.
    • 3/5
      The "Noir" series is hugely popular and rightfully so since the short stories are the perfect read for the odd moment here and there: doctor's waiting rooms, subway rides, sitting in a parked car while awaiting someone. The quality of the fiction varies from "city" to "city" (edition to edition) depending on who is writing and who is editing. Sometimes the draw is the city itself. It is often more enjoyable to read about a city and setting we know well. The "Noir" series gives readers a wide choice that sprawls across the world from Havana to Delhi. Without having read every book in the series, it is hard to say where "Venice Noir" fits in. It is, however, no where near as good as "San Francisco Noir" edited by Peter Maravelis, but is better in many ways than "Boston Noir," for instance.Maxim Jakubowski edits "Venice Noir" and just the choice of city gives him a step up from the beginning. For, after all, isn't Venice the home of a great deal of literary and artistic noir? Think of the classic 1973 film "Don't Look Now" based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier or the 1981 novel "The Comfort of Strangers" by Ian McEwan, set in a city without a name but one which most readers will identify with Venice. Of course, there is always Thomas Mann's "Death in Venice," which - even if not thought of in the noir genre - certainly has the feel.What is surprising is that it took so long for a "Venice Noir" to appear. But now that it is here and available to readers, what's the story? It can be said that it runs in the middle of the pack in terms of the "Noir" series as a whole. It is not disappointing, but it somehow doesn't live up to our expectations. There is a great deal of good, entertaining writing in this book, but not one story jumps out and proclaims itself a classic. A few days after reading the book, most of the tales are fading from mind.For those who have been to Venice, there will be a great deal to revisit by reading these stories. If one hasn't visited the storied city, the tales will intrigue and perhaps lead to fantasies of a vacation there . . . or not. The main problem with "Venice Noir" seems that there is a thin line between noir and horror that doesn't exist in all of the "Noir" series. Some may debate that the line crosses and naturally blends; others may think that noir is a more subtle, sophisiticated and psychological exploration of horror.Are you rigid in your definition of noir? If so, skip this book. If you are open to noir being a bit more of a fluid genre, then please - step right in! Mind the canal! We're in Venice, after all . . .
    • 4/5
      For a collection of short stories that I was going to pace myself by reading one story a night, I ended up finishing the 14 stories contained in the collection over the course of three evenings of reading. This collection of noir stories has a common theme: location. The seedier side of Venice Italy is examined in stories written by 14 unique contributors. I was delighted to discover Emily St. John Mandel and Michelle Lovric were among the contributors. The stories are grouped into 4 parts/categories of stories: Amongst the Venetians - stories of the dark underbelly of modern Venice; Shadows of the Past - stories with a historical/flash of the past aspect to them; Tourists and other Troubled Folk - self explanatory dark examination of visitors to Venice and lastly, An Imperfect Present - for stories that really didn't seem to fit the other three categories.As a rule, I am not usually taken with noir genre but the idea of Venice as a backdrop was enough to entice me to want to pick up the book. As with any collection of short stories, some appealed to me more than others. I found Maria Tronca's Tourists for Supper unique, written from the point of view of rats. Barbara Baraldi's Commissario Clelia Vinci left me wanting to read more of the Commissario and Inspector Franco Armati of the Venice police. I was intrigued by the mysterious woman in Maxim Jakubowski's Lido Winter and I was placed under a spell by Michelle Lovric's PanteganaOf all the stories, Francesco Ferracin's The Comedy is Over, Emily St John Madel's Drifter, Micheal Gregorio's Laguna Blues had the gritty crime feel I was expecting the stories to take. Overall, a very interesting and unique collection that has something for everyone but may be a bit of a letdown for more dedicated readers of crime/noir genre than myself. For me, it was a delicious escape into a genre and world that I don't usually venture into as part of my reading adventures and has whetted my appetite to consider adding more stories of this nature to my reading repertoire. It has also provided me with a further glimpse at the works of authors I have previously read as well as introducing me to new authors to keep an eye out for.
    • 3/5
      Venice Noir is the latest release in the ongoing 'cities' noir short stories collection. These tales vary in quality but overall Venice did not contain any particularly memorable tales. Akashic Books seems to be treading towards quantity over quality as they seem to release too many collections of late while the quality of the material seems to be slipping. Also the "Noir" theme seems to be fairly stretched in many of the stories lately!
    • 4/5
      Venice Noir is a collection of stories that have been edited by Maxim Jakubowski,. Validating his opinion that Venice is a city of the world, authors of different nationalities were invited to make contributions to this collection. Authors like Peter James from the UK, Michelle Lovric from Australia, Emily St John Mandel from Canada, as well as various European authors answered his call resulting in an anthology of fourteen stories, each set in a distinct neighbourhood that gives great flavor and authenticity to these stories.Venice Noir takes a look at the dark, underbelly of Venice, as stories of murder, treachery and passion unwind on the pages evoking a sense of decay and despair and showing a side of this city that is rarely seen. According to the dictionary, the definition of Noir is crime fiction that features hard boiled characters and bleak sleazy settings. This book comes close at times, in particular stories like Cloudy Water by Matteo Righetto and Little Sister by Francesca Mazzucato are very dark, while others such as Peter James’ Venice Aphrodisiac and Maria Tronca’s Tourists For Supper strike a chord of grotesque humor rather than noir.Even though these stories varied greatly in quality, I enjoyed this collection set in one of Europe’s premier cities. Dark, atmospheric and extremely readable, I will definitely be on the lookout for more in the Akashic Books Noir series.
    • 3/5
      Akashic Noir finally reached Venice... and I almost wish it had not. I like the series - having stories concentrated on a specific city is nice and adds something to the overall enjoyment of the anthologies. But while the first anthologies were noir at its finest, the later ones are departing from the genre and move toward something else - the stories either feel too light or end up way over in the dark side (Maria Tronca’s "Tourists for Supper" is a prime example for that).The 14 stories that make up the volume are set in Venice and the surrounding cities (Mestre for example) and range wildly both in quality and in the feeling of the stories. A big number of them are Italian - which adds something to the authenticity. And the authors tackle all kind of crime that goes into that beautiful city - from the lyrical "Lido Winter" to the more cruel and noirish "Laguna Blues", "Cloudy Water" and "The Comedy is Over". The story that stands out in the collection is "Commissario Clelia Vinci" by Barbara Baraldi - not perfect but it is the kind of story you expect in this kind of an anthology. Overall the selection felt weak - there should be better stories out there. Venice is a story in itself and it does not take that much to make something memorable out of it. And somehow, most of the authors managed to. But at least most of them managed to show Venice in its brilliance - and the selection spanned the city pretty well. Which at the end of the day may be what made the whole anthology not so bad.