by Julie Smith
First published 2016
This anthology collects classic noir fiction set in New Orleans, spanning from before the Civil War through Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. Editor Julie Smith assembled eighteen stories that capture distinct neighborhoods throughout the city. Writers including Tennessee Williams, James Lee Burke, Kate Chopin, Eudora Welty, and Poppy Z. Brite explore the dark undercurrents of life in the Big Easy. Each tale anchors itself in a specific location, from the French Quarter to the Garden District, revealing how place shapes character and crime. The collection includes Brite's standout piece "Mussolini and the Axeman's Jazz," described as a brutal ghost story that exemplifies the volume's blend of supernatural elements with gritty urban realism. These stories traverse different eras of New Orleans history, showing how the city's unique culture breeds particular forms of violence and moral ambiguity. The anthology serves both as literary tour guide for newcomers to New Orleans and nostalgic revisit for those familiar with its streets and stories.
Genres: anthologies, american-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, 21st-century
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: gritty, moral-ambiguity
Setting: French Quarter, Garden District, New Orleans
Period: Before Civil War, Hurricane Katrina
300 pages · Paperback · Akashic Books, Ltd.
Content warnings: violence