Launched by the summer '04 award-winning bestseller Brooklyn Noir,Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.

In this chilling portrait of America's Sin City, lady luck is just as likely to dispense cold hard cash as a cold-hearted killing.

Brand-new stories by: John O’Brien, David Corbett, Scott Phillips, Nora Pierce, Bliss Esposito, Felicia Campbell, Jaq Greenspon, José Skinner, Pablo Medina, Christine McKellar, Lori Kozlowski, Vu Tran, Celeste Starr, Preston L. Allen, Tod Goldberg, and Janet Berliner. ??

Las Vegas provides the classic sophistication and darkness necessary for a deadly noir story. Stylish, sultry, brimming with ambition and greed, the characters that populate this literary Las Vegas are pushed to the extremes of human experience. From the neon glitter of the Strip to the treacherous views of Red Rock Canyon and Boulder City, from the desperation of Naked City to the racial tensions of the Westside, no other location offers so many different avenues leading to serious trouble.  

Many legendary authors have turned their attention to Vegas to investigate the city's moods and mysteries. Now, the most recent crop of acclaimed writers explore the secret neighborhoods and byways of America's most sinful city, offering readers not only compelling noir tales but also an insider's understanding of this steamy oasis. These authors take readers beneath the surface flash of Freemont Street and the Strip and into the gritty multicultural environs of underground Vegas.

Jarret Keene is author/editor of three books, including the poetry collection Monster Fashion, the alt-travel tome The Underground Guide to Las Vegasand the unauthorized rock bio The Killers: Destiny Is Calling MeHe lives in Las Vegas.

Todd James Pierce is the author of three books, including the novel A Woman of Stoneand the short story collection Newsworld,which won the 2006 Drue Heinz Literature Prize. He is an assistant professor of English at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, California.??

"Just because mystery fans will be unfamiliar with many of the 16 contributors to Akashic's latest entry in its acclaimed noir series (Brooklyn Noir, etc.) doesn't mean the quality isn't up to volumes boasting bigger names. The late John O'Brien, best known for his novel-turned-film, Leaving Las Vegas, offers a typically warped and nihilistic vision of the city with 'The Tik,' about a thrill-killing duo, narrated by the male half, whose indifference to his prey is chilling.Columnist Tod Goldberg's 'Mitzvah' makes good use of the Las Vegas myth that people come to the city to bury their past identities and reinvent themselves. His antihero, mobster Sal Cuperine, has for years posed as Rabbi David Cohen, managing to handle the demands of the pulpit until the strain of his charade becomes too much to bear. While some readers might regret that no tale other than Janet Berliner's 'The Road to Rachel' explores Las Vegas's past, this anthology does a fine job of illuminating the dark underbelly of Sin City." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Stylish, sultry, and brimming with ambition and greed, the characters that populate this literary Las Vegas are pushed to the extremes of human experience.

Features brand-new stories by John O'Brien, Scott Phillips, David Corbett, Nora Pierce, Bliss Esposito, Felicia Campbell, Gary Phillips, Jaq Greenspon, Jose Skinner, Pablo Medina, Christine McKellar, Mark Winegardner, Lori Kowalski, Dayvid Figler, Trish Geran, and more.

Jarret Keene is author/editor of three books, including the poetry collection Monster Fashion, the alt-travel tome The Underground Guide to Las Vegas and the unauthorized rock bio The Killers: Destiny is Calling Me. He lives in Las Vegas.