Philadelphia Noir » (Original)

Carlin Romano: Carlin Romano, critic-at-large of The Chronicle of Higher Education and literary critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer for 25 years, teaches philosophy and media theory at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2006, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Criticism, cited by the Pulitzer Board for "bringing new vitality to the classic essay across a formidable array of topics." He lives in University City, Philadelphia, in the only house on his block. 

Philly finally enters the Noir Series arena: the City of Brotherly Love becomes a City of Brotherly Malice.

Publishers Weekly

The 15 stories in this Akashic noir anthology mostly support Romano’s thesis in his introduction: “Philadelphia noir is different from the mood, the sensibility, the dimensions, of noir encountered in more glamorous American cities” such as New York or L.A., because it is “ordinary noir--the humble killings, robberies, collars, cold cases that confront people largely occupied with getting by.” Dennis Tafoya, one of the better known contributors, exemplifies Romano’s point with “Above the Imperial,” about a petty thief with a crush on a woman who works in the Chinese restaurant below his apartment. In contrast, a home invasion at the start of Solomon Jones’s well-written “Scarred” turns out to be anything but ordinary. Halimah Marcus’s “Swimming” and Laura Spagnoli’s “A Cut Above” don’t break any new ground, but their accounts of violent obsession and table-turning grip. Unsurprisingly, the book as a whole is comparable to Detroit Noir, another volume set in a less glamorous metropolis. (Nov.)

Introduction 11

Part I City of Bursts

Princess Aimee Labrie Labrie, Aimee 19

South Philadelphia

Scarred Solomon Jones Jones, Solomon 32

Strawberry Mansion

Secret Pool Asali Solomon Solomon, Asali 50

West Philadelphia

Devil's Pocket Keith Gilman Gilman, Keith 67

Grays Ferry

Part II City of Otherly Love

Above the Imperial Dennis Tafoya Tafoya, Dennis 89

East Falls

A Cut Above Laura Spagnoli Spagnoli, Laura 106

Rittenhouse Square

Swimming Halimah Marcus Marcus, Halimah 128

Narberth

Part III The Faker City

Fishtown Odyssey Meredith Anthony Anthony, Meredith 147

Fishtown

Your Brother, Who Loves You Jum Zervanos Zervanos, Jum 167

Fairmount

"Cannot Easy Normal Die" Carlin Romano Romano, Carlin 185

University City

Seeing Nothing Diane Ayres Ayres, Diane 196

Bella Vista

Part IV Those Who Forget The Past...

Lonergan's Girl Duane Swierczynski Swierczynski, Duane 209

Frankford

Reality Cordelia Frances Biddle Biddle, Cordelia Frances 219

Old City

The Ratcatcher Gerald Kolpan Kolpan, Gerald 236

South Street

Ghost Walk Cary Holladay Holladay, Cary 249

Chestnut Hill

About the Contributors 266