Sydney Noir

Sydney is a good choice for Akashic’s first noir anthology set in Australia … The 14 uniformly strong selections feature familiar subgenre figures: gangsters, ethically compromised cops, and people bent on revenge for the loss of a loved one … Fans of dark crime fiction will want to seek out other works by these contributors, most of whom will be unfamiliar to American readers.

The former British penal colony provides fertile ground for dark doings, as these 14 tales demonstrate … The stories [Dale’s] assembled offer ample variety in this cavalcade of crime Down Under.

The writing is fantastic across the board. It’s evocative and engaging … If you have any interest in noir, crime novels, or just excellent writing, you can’t go wrong with this collection.

This long-time fan of the series breathed a sigh of relief upon discovering that not only is Sydney Noir very good indeed, it is one of the best in Akashic’s canon for some time … As a snapshot of contemporary Australia, this collection delivers in ways that most middlebrow literary fiction cannot seem to get its head around, even though much literary fiction flirts with the noir genre without fully committing. Here is a touch but tender vision of multicultural working-class Australia, with all its warts and anxieties.

Akashic delivers another impeccable anthology with Sydney Noir, a deep dive into the mean streets, artistic outlets, and sultry demimonde of Australia’s largest (and liveliest) city.

At a time when a significant swathe of Australian crime fiction has relocated to the regions and the drought-stricken interior … it’s good to get back to the grime of the city … Edited by John Dale, Sydney Noir brings together 14 compelling short stories by established and emerging Australian authors, each offering a startling glimpse into the dark heart of Sydney and its sprawling suburbs.