Mumbai Noir

January 16, 2012
Most of the 14 short stories in Akashic’s workmanlike Mumbai volume draw inspiration from the criminal networks and the sordid underbelly the city is infamous for. Riaz Mulla’s “Justice,” while lacking nuance, offers a vision of a future beyond the eye-for-eye logic that perpetuates the cycle of violence between Hindus and Muslims. Kalpish Ratna sets “At Leopold Café” right after the 2008 attack by Islamic terrorists on several of Mumbai’s tourist spots, but it’s just as much about times past as times present. Avtar Singh’s “Pakheezah” channels a Bollywood classic by the same name, albeit with less of a happy ending. The book’s best entry, Namita Devidayal’s “The Egg,” is a darkly funny tale about housing societies, taboos, and the impossible Mumbai real estate. While none of the selections is a mystery in the traditional sense, armchair travelers will find plenty of amusement in touring the seedier parts of this island city in perfect safety.

Starred review from March 1, 2012

In this bleak Long Island anthology, editor Jones (Lies My Mother Never Told Me) uses the American Dream as her overarching theme, a la The Great Gatsby. She divides the volume into four parts: Family Values, Hitting It Big, Love and Other Horrors, and American Dreamers. She has brought in Reed Farrel Coleman, Sarah Weinman, Nick Mamatas, Richie Narvaez, and others, who each write about their own geographic part of the island. For example, Kenneth Wishnia's "Blood Drive" features a Port Jefferson Station worker desperate to find a new job. An unexpected contributor to this volume is cartoonist Jules Feiffer with his graphic short story set in Southampton, "Boob Noir."

The Mumbai volume, edited by Tyrewala (No God in Sight) is similarly structured and divided into three parts: Bomb-ay, Dangerous Liaisons, and An Island Unto Itself. Tyrewala's insightful introduction greatly enhances the reading experience, and the glossary helps, too. There are PIs--meet Ahmed Bunglowala's Shorty Gomes proving his mettle in "Nagpada Blues." Or for historical context, try Kalpish Ratna's "At Leopold Cafe," which haunts long after the final word. The collection is astonishingly diverse. VERDICT Both volumes are worthy additions to Akashic's stellar series. If you can only buy one, go for Tyrewala's anthology for the experience of sampling brand-new authors and for his superb introduction. It might provide a fictional contrast to Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers.

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