Black Is The Night - Stories Inspired by Cornell Woolrich - edited by Maxim Jakubowski

I would like to thank Sarah from Titan for an advance copy of this anthology in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher - Titan

Published - Out Now

Price - £18.99 hardback £9.99 Kindle eBook

A gritty and thrilling anthology of 28 new short stories in tribute to pulp noir master, Cornell Woolrich, author of 'Rear Window' that inspired Alfred Hitchock's classic film.

Featuring Neil Gaiman, Kim Newman, James Sallis, A.K. Benedict, USA Today-bestseller Samantha Lee Howe, Joe R. Lansdale and many more.

An anthology of exclusive new short stories in tribute to the master of pulp era crime writing, Cornell Woolrich. Woolrich, also published as William Irish and George Hopley, stands with Raymond Chandler, Erle Stanley Gardner and Dashiell Hammett as a legend in the genre.

He is a hugely influential figure for crime writers, and is also remembered through the 50+ films made from his novels and stories, including Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, The Bride Wore Black, I Married a Dead Man, Phantom Lady, Truffaut's La Sirene du Mississippi, and Black Alibi.

Noir to crime fiction holds a dear place in my heart. As a child I used to enjoy watching the old movies where detective walked down mean streets and I always appreciated the more morally grey characters. Its less being edgy for me and being more realistic that no one is ever 100% heroic but always stylish. Grimdark owes a lot more to noir than people think. Not everyone will recognise the author Cornell Woolrich but you’ll probably be very familiar with the tale that Alfred Hitchcock adapted - Rear Window where a man trapped at home becomes a voyeur of his neighbours and sees a murder. Woolrich’s influence has lasted long after his death and for many authors. In the great anthology Black Is The Night Maxim Jakubowski has assembled a fine collection of tales in tribute to this author’s legacy on the genre.

Among the many tales I enjoyed were

Missing Sister by Joe R Lansdale - a fine crime horror tale where very quickly we see a young brother comfort his parents about his missing sister. But perhaps he knows where she is. Brutal, nasty and open-ended

A Thin Slice of Heaven by Vaseem Khan - This has the classic noir detective tale of a desperate client turning to a mouthy but smart PI for help. A man is accused of his ex-girlfriend’s murder; and this is a tlme where no one covers themself in glory. From corrupt police to powerful crime lords Khan mixes it all really well with a very fine sharp resolution too.

Two Wrongs by Brandon Barrows - A man plans the murder of his wife in a few moments. This is a smart and quick tale of revenge and holds a few stings in its tale too.

The Husband Machine by Tara Moss - an ingenious tale playing with the Rear Window format. Lara watches her Manhattan neighbours from her wheelchair. Her friend/minder Betty gets herself involved with a rich but dangerous bachelor. Moss plays with the reader’s expectations; delivers a great tale with tension and an unexpected last few revelations to make this a stand-out tale.

People You May Know by Mason Cross - Another interesting riff on Rear Window that has a great idea. Our young and selfish narrator finds himself stuck at home in his flat but for him escape lies in The Room a web forum where the users can tell anyone anything. Its full of secrets and addictive but then one user admits to murder. I really liked the strange direction this tale goes which you do not expect.

First You Dream. Then You Die by Donna Moore - one of my favourites brings noir to a present day rundown Scottish Seaside town. Alberta owes too much money to a loan shark and is about to hand over her business to him. Moss tells us swiftly this woman’s hopes, dreams, failures and triumphs and makes you care about what is to come and then very swiftly in a few paragraphs wrongfoots the reader twice deliciously. Beautiful storytelling.

Eyes Without A Face by James Grady - This smart tale is one of several to use the pandemic as a backdrop. Two residents of a tower block start a relationship behind doors and masks and slowly bond over a love of movies. But someone appears to be using a dead woman’s name and her past comes back to haunt her. Mystery, action and a very noir final scene makes this a hugely enjoyable modern tale.

The Case of Baby X by Lavie Tidhar - I really liked this and it is both noir and refreshingly different to the many tales in the collection. A domestic terrorism incident in Israel destroys a family in the wrong place at the wrong time and decades later justice is finally sought. Crosses the globe nimbly, carefully explains itself and has a number of unexpected murders and its engrossing. Another favourite in the collection.

The Lake, The Moon And The Murder by A K Benedict - A tale of noir and the supernatural as a detective races to find a missing woman. Benedict creates a haunting atmospheric tale where good outcomes are still unlikely to be found. As well aas stylish this remembers that victims of murder are always people not props.

Institutional Memory by M W Craven - a classic but excellently told tale of a hitman having his night before he retires. An old colleague and he remember the past and there is an ever-growing sense of menace and tension in the story. Leads up to a powerful finale and all the pieces slowly come together perfectly.

Trophy Wife by Samnatha Lee Howe - A Femme Fatal has a mark in sight but realises her rich husband himself has secerts. I loed the way our narrator’s calculating persona reveals herself and the final scenes really come together.

Overall a fine collection of crime stories I really enjoyed with plenty of variety, unforgettable characters and situations to entangle.