Indian Country Noir

April 12, 2010
Written by both Native American and non-Native authors, the 14 stories in this worthy volume in Akashic’s noir series range geographically from northern Canada to Puerto Rico and from New York’s Adirondacks to Los Angeles. One of the more impressive entries is Melissa Yi’s moving “Indian Time,” about Mohawk Fred Redish’s painful attempts to visit his young sons under the care of his white mother-in-law. “JaneJohnDoe.com,” David Cole’s story of a woman forced to forge a new identity for a drug lord or see her family slain, works perfectly. Leonard Schonberg’s “Lame Elk,” about an alcoholic’s last chance to reform, is a noir gem. Co-editor Martínez’s poignant “Prowling Wolves” recounts the sad fate of Iwo Jima flag-raiser Ira Hayes. Other contributors include Lawrence Block, Jean Rae Baxter, Reed Farrel Coleman, and Gerard Houarner.