A review by bgg616
Belfast Noir by Stuart Neville, Adrian McKinty

4.0

Adrian McKinty and Stuart Neville have put together a terrific collection in the latest in the Akashic noir series, Belfast Noir. This volume introduces readers to several writers they may not have previously known including Steve Cavanagh, Claire McGowen, and Garbhan Downey. There are several authors included - Alex Barclay, Arlene Hunt and Sam Millar - who have a number of novels behind them but will be new to American readers . This collection shows us the range of what can be considered “noir” and stories range from comic to thrillers to violent (though never too graphic). Brian McGilloway’s opening story is a perfect introduction to the collection as it straddles both the past and present, and both sides of the border. The Troubles hover in the background and are sometimes forwarded as in Ruth Dudley Edward’s story Taking It Serious. I loved the premise of Glenn Patterson’s story Belfast Punk Rep which mentions Terri (Hooley we presume) and Good Vibrations (the record store and label). Perhaps my favorite story structure was Eoin McNamee’s Corpse Flowers, in which story segments are based on CCTV footage. I definitely want to read more of Sam Millar’s character Karl Kane, who has his own series of books. The Introduction “The Noirest City on Earth” by McKinty and Neville describes the evolution of the new generation of Ulster writers, giving much of the credit to a group of poets in the early 1970’s, including Seamus Heaney, Paul Muldoon, Ciaran Carson, and Michael Longley (among others), who “produced the greatest body of Irish literary work since the Celtic revival”. The short Foreword by David Torrans, proprietor of the only independent bookshop in Belfast, No Alibis, cements the link between the literary revival of the 1970’s instigated by poets, and crime fiction. For me the connection makes sense as Torrans and his shop provided the book tables with scores of poetry volumes at the Seamus Heaney Commemorative Conference at Queen’s University, Belfast in April of this year (2014). Additionally, Torrans hosts book launches and programs including authors and musicians beyond the mystery genre. This volume will make mystery readers around the world aware of Belfast’s great literary tradition.