(reviewed by JD Jung)
“I arrived in Berkeley, back in 1991. A Berkeley that seemed to be still living off the fumes of the late sixties, which were fumes so strong you might just want to breathe them in all your life, especially when you add a car and a redwood hot tub.”
How do those who once embraced political activism and social equality reconcile that with new-found wealth? “Twin Flames” by Mara Faye Lethem delves into this in a unique way.
These fifteen diverse stories include those who graduated and never moved on in life, drifters you always see in university towns, or even those who grew up in the area. Many feature those who live off the grid. The stories capture the problems with gentrification and corruption, and though not all revolve around murder, they all embody some elements of the noir genre.
There’s the ex-con from San Quentin in “Wifebeater Tank Top” by J.M. Curet who just wanted to stay clean and alive, but after one week in West Berkeley, found he couldn’t.
My favorites appear in the middle of the collection. “Eat your pheasant, drink your wine” by Shanthis Sekaran combines murder with social commentary along with an unusual “non-human” co-protagonist. “Still life, reviving” exemplifies dark, classic noir with the traditional “double- cross”. Though the ending is satisfying, I hope the author writes a sequel or converts it to a full-length novel. An educator must find a more lucrative job in “Shallow and Deep” by Jason S. Ridley, one of the more bizarre stories. I definitely want to read more from these three authors.
Not all the pieces are winners though, as some concluded abruptly, which can be a problem with the short story format. However, all are well-written and there is enough in the collection to keep each reader engaged.
I am quite familiar with Berkeley and feel that these stories captured the essence of this East San Francisco Bay City. However, you don’t need to have visited this part of California to enjoy Berkeley Noir. You just need to embrace the dark and eclectic.
