(Reviewed by JD Jung)
I’ve now read thirteen books in the Akashic Noir series, and one thing I’ve learned is that you don’t need to know a city to appreciate its stories. In fact, I’ve enjoyed several collections set in places I had never visited, and some I visited for the first time after I read the stories. Toulouse Noir, however, feels different. I suspect readers who have wandered Toulouse’s streets will get even more from this collection.
The anthology contains twelve stories, many of which explore the impact of gentrification. Although the book includes a dedicated section on the topic, the theme runs through many other stories as well. I also appreciate the strong focus on working-class neighborhoods and ethnically diverse protagonists.
Not every story completely worked for me. A few had intriguing premises but endings that left me wanting more. Still, several stood out. The closing story, Francis Émourgeon’s “Cold Buffet”, is a tale where vengeance ultimately destroys the man seeking it. Maïté Bernard’s “Love Love Love” offers a thoughtful look at a Muslim former law student who finds purpose working in a sex shop, discovering that empathy and acceptance are indeed marketable strengths. Benoît Séverac’s “Ovaloid Skulls” is an unusual portrait of an Albanian man fleeing the Albania mafia while battling his own poor decisions. My favorite may have been Manu Causse’s “Noir Canal”, which is a gritty, compassionate tale focused on survival about a trans woman who helps a trafficked Nigerian woman.
While Toulouse Noir isn’t my favorite collection in the Akashic Noir series, it remains a worthwhile anthology for readers interested in crime fiction rooted in a city’s history, culture, and social change.