Delhi Noir

Starred review from June 29, 2009
For those whose view of India is shaped by The Jewel in the Crown
, conversations with a call-in center or even Slumdog Millionaire
, this anthology in Akashic's noir series will register simultaneously as a shock, an education and an entertainment. All 14 stories are briskly paced, beautifully written and populated by vivid, original characters. Standouts include “How I Lost My Clothes,” Radhika Jha's account of the bizarre robbery of a yuppie drug addict; “Hissing Cobras,” Nalinaksha Bhattacharya's tale of a meddlesome mother-in-law who meets her death in a temple; and Siddharth Chowdhury's “Hostel,” which concerns the horrific history of a piece of real estate. “Small Fry”—Meera Nair's unforgettable story of a young con artist—depicts the day he deserts his mentor/abuser and the scams they run in a city bus station. Few books can alter one's perception about the state of a society, but this does, while delivering noir that's first-class in any light.

May 1, 2009
The latest offering in Akashics international noir series takes readers to the dangerous and alluring capital city of India. Lacking the intense atmosphere coveyed in Trinidad Noir (2008), these stories still retain a strong sense of placethe reader never loses sight of the contemporary Indian setting. The collection is also notable for polished writing and strongly plotted stories, making it one of the most consistent in the series. The strong opener Yesterday Man, featuring a tough female PI, may be the highlight. A good introduction to contemporary crime writing in India.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)