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Amsterdam Noir
Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city.
Brand-new stories Michael Berg, Anneloes Timmerije, Murat Isik, René Appel & Josh Pachter, Simon de Waal, Hanna Bervoets, Karin Amatmoekrim, Christine Otten, Mensje van Keulen, Max van Olden, Theo Capel, Loes den Hollander, Herman Koch, Abdelkader Benali, and Walter van den Berg.
From the introduction by René Appel and Josh
Amsterdam has the amenities and, to a certain extent, the feel of a major world city, but one of its most attractive features is its relatively small size. It's easy to navigate on feet, by bike, and via its excellent public transportation network, especially with the semicircular perimeter of its famous Grachtengordel, or ring of concentric canals.
Like any other metropolis, though, Amsterdam also has its dark side, its shadowy corners--in other words, there is also an Amsterdam noir. No matter how beautiful, vital, and cheery a city might be, pure human emotions such as greed, jealousy, and the thirst for revenge will rear their ugly heads...with all their negative consequences. Amsterdam is a multidimensional city, populated by a wide assortment of social groups, and not all of those groups agree on what constitutes normal social values and mores. This results in a lively mix...and, as you will see, in problems.
272 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2019
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February 25, 2019
An early 2019 entry in Akashic Books’ award-winning noir series, Amsterdam Noir, features stories selected by Rene Appél and Josh Pachter. Pachter, being a writer himself, ably translated many of them from the Dutch. The volume is cast in four thematic sways, each inspired by a film noir classic.
Part 1: Out of the Past begins as past and present are juxtaposed in “Welcome to Amsterdam” by Michael Berg. The dehumanizing abuse of a prisoner in Syria seems worlds away from a business trip from New York to Amsterdam. But when a uniting element suddenly appears, the horrors of the past rush forward, giving rise to a new assault on our traveler’s haunted dreams. Berg won the Golden Noose, the award for the best Dutch-language crime novel in 2013.
“Spui 13” by Anneloes Timmerije is a beautifully written tragedy, “inspired by an actual Amsterdam murder case,” that spirals downward toward dark waters. Lifelong friends Ella and our unnamed narrator, grow from struggling college students unable to pay the rent, to successful careers—Ella a high-profile newspaper reporter, and our narrator, a publisher’s proofreader. Extravert and introvert. When Ella is kidnapped, events from the past they can never forget, bring the realization they can never escape either.
In “Ankle Monitor” (translated by Sam Garrett), author Herman Koch delivers a chilling first-person account of obsession with intent. A convicted felon turns sour on his biographer when he imagines the journalist’s interview sessions with his ex-wife. His controlled behavior takes a furlough along with his incarceration for a weekend on the outside. Tension builds as his cunning shines in his final confining moments.
“Salvation” by Simon de Waal (translated by Maria de Bruyn) provides a salacious tour of Amsterdam’s Red-Light District, the backdrop against which his protagonist, the roiled and wrung Waldemar, attempts to sort past and present, fact and figment. His struggle centers on a slain prostitute and the stains she left behind. A melancholy, beautifully written tragedy.
Part 2: Kiss Me Deadly Romance plus noir must equal heartache, so fair warning. In “The Tower” by Hanna Bervoets there is romance, and there is sorrow. I can’t think of a way to summarize the plot without giving too much away. Instead, let’s consider it from a greater distance. Why read a story you suspect will break your heart? And why do you think it was so good when it made you feel so sad? Like all fiction, it’s vicarious. Real enough to evoke emotion, but not so personal that you can’t walk away. In fact, it’s a relief you can. Maybe it’s teaching a life lesson you don’t have to learn the hard way, let the characters take the hit. Still, some heartaches are worth the pain for those moments of joy that precede them. Figuring out which ones are which is the hard part.
As “Silent Days” by Karin Amatmoekrim opens, its hero, an 82-year-old woman, observes the world below and around her fourth-story apartment, uninvolved—a watcher. But the world intrudes on her silent solitude when the building’s owner and his wife begin to quarrel, loudly and violently, one flight below. The sounds and sight of her battered neighbor break the old woman’s reclusive trance, and she chances a meeting. “After that conversation, I was determined to help her. I had done nothing in my life for which I needed to be embarrassed, but also nothing to be proud of. This, as I neared my finish line, would be my gift to the world.”
“Soul Mates” by Christine Otten is based on an actual murder case in Amsterdam, so to say it’s a bit far-fetched could be fictitious. But it seems like it anyway. A twenty-four-year-old food delivery boy writes about the early-morning visit from the police, who wonder what he knows about the murder and dismemberment of his boss, the old Chinese cook who runs the Mercury Snackbar. He tells the two detectives nothing helpful, sharing his own theory about the real victim and the murderer with readers via his journal. It’s a bit too graphic and snarky for my taste.
Part 3: Touch of Evil The unifying element in this section is the movie’s title. In “Devil’s Island” by Mensje van Keulen, most of the story’s action takes place inside smoking groups where Amsterdam smokers gather to indulge their habit. Like dining on Amtrak, you never know who you might meet. Our narrator’s friend, Jacob, has had a devastating breakup with his girlfriend. In sympathy, he takes Jacob to dinner, and since Jacob smokes, stands with him in the smoker’s circle outside the restaurant while they wait for a table. Here they meet at art dealer who quickly mesmerizes Jacob with his accouterments of success and accounts of twisted deeds. Incredibly, Jacob remains with the hustler when their table is called, his fate clinched in a beguiling, evil snare.
“The Man on the Jetty” by Murat Isik begins with Metin’s memory of a man exposing himself in an elevator. Sometime later Metin and his pal Saleem are approached by a Spandexed biker asking directions. Saleem responds as recognition dawns on Metin: it’s the same guy. And the Spandex makes it easy to spot what’s still on his mind. The two boys run, but the biker gives chase until, at last, he turns away. When the boys tell Saleem’s Uncle Imran what’s happened, they can see his anger rise. The Dutch police won’t do anything about it. “In Pakistan, the cops would beat the shit out of a bastard like this guy. Then he’d never do such a thing again.” So Imran takes matters into his own hands. By the end, they’ve all been touched by evil.
What comes after a windfall? “Lucky Sevens” by Theo Capel gives us a few clues when Fetty Jollema wins fifty thousand euros in the lottery. While her cop friend Felix cashes in her ticket, she’s murdered. Felix is dumbfounded when he hears the news but recovers enough to ferret away the winnings in his safe. As the investigation advances, Fetty’s baggage and suspects emerge, along with their secrets. Capel delivers a satisfying taste of Amsterdam’s locals, locations, and universal evils.
“The Stranger Inside Me” by Loes den Hollander delves into our mentally ill narrator’s twisted reality. After dark, he’s visited by Ted Bundy who grooms him to continue the infamous serial killer’s work. “He came closer. ‘They stopped me,’ he said. ‘I want you to pick up where I left off.’” Hollander gives us the timeline for the first mission upfront, and since we know what’s coming, the tension accelerates along with each new paragraph.
Part 4: They Live by Night In “Seven Bridges” by Max van Olden, Lisa is the server on the tour boat Princess Beatrix that ambles down the Amstel River en route to Grachtengordel, the Canal District. She’s onboard for three runs, the last of which is the evening’s candlelight cruise. Their route slips by the houseboat of the new love of her life, Timo, and she breaks her attention from her duties, hoping to catch a glimpse of him whenever they pass. As she serves sightseers, her mind dwells on Timo and his predecessor, Stefan, with whom things ended badly. Olden weaves the Amstel River’s charms with Lisa’s rising doubts about Timo, as she endures the routine and isolation of the Princess on a cruise over dark waters.
In “The Girl at the End of the Line” by Abdelkader Benali, a Moroccan policeman investigates the murder of a young woman whose body is discovered at the city’s edge. Benali’s writing shines with memorable lines like “In my head, I divide Amsterdam into places where you can safely hide a body and places where you can’t.” And “Better drunk and in hell than sober among the hypocrites.” Benali’s cop advances the narrative with as much time spent in reflection as in active investigation, reminding us this case is only a moment of a journey that has no easy resolution.
The pace quickens considerably in “Get Rich Quick” by Walter van den Berg. A couple of goofy punks decide to carjack a serious chunk of cache and rocket toward their foregone conclusion. Berg delivers a fast-paced romp with snappy dialog, a love-struck gofer, and a femme fatale who’s the brightest bulb in the dim of Osdorp after dark.
“Starry, Starry Night” by Rene Appél & Josh Pachter put a gratifying cap on Akashic’s latest serving of noir. Vincent, who stands to inherit his father’s very profitable business of snacks and refreshment kiosks, makes the mistake of restocking in the wee hours at Museum Square. There, past meets present when three of his old party pals turn up looking to relieve their pill-popping boredom.
Like most anthologies, the quality of the stories in Amsterdam Noir vary—but only slightly. Overall, it’s a 5-Star excursion in noir fiction.
Part 1: Out of the Past begins as past and present are juxtaposed in “Welcome to Amsterdam” by Michael Berg. The dehumanizing abuse of a prisoner in Syria seems worlds away from a business trip from New York to Amsterdam. But when a uniting element suddenly appears, the horrors of the past rush forward, giving rise to a new assault on our traveler’s haunted dreams. Berg won the Golden Noose, the award for the best Dutch-language crime novel in 2013.
“Spui 13” by Anneloes Timmerije is a beautifully written tragedy, “inspired by an actual Amsterdam murder case,” that spirals downward toward dark waters. Lifelong friends Ella and our unnamed narrator, grow from struggling college students unable to pay the rent, to successful careers—Ella a high-profile newspaper reporter, and our narrator, a publisher’s proofreader. Extravert and introvert. When Ella is kidnapped, events from the past they can never forget, bring the realization they can never escape either.
In “Ankle Monitor” (translated by Sam Garrett), author Herman Koch delivers a chilling first-person account of obsession with intent. A convicted felon turns sour on his biographer when he imagines the journalist’s interview sessions with his ex-wife. His controlled behavior takes a furlough along with his incarceration for a weekend on the outside. Tension builds as his cunning shines in his final confining moments.
“Salvation” by Simon de Waal (translated by Maria de Bruyn) provides a salacious tour of Amsterdam’s Red-Light District, the backdrop against which his protagonist, the roiled and wrung Waldemar, attempts to sort past and present, fact and figment. His struggle centers on a slain prostitute and the stains she left behind. A melancholy, beautifully written tragedy.
Part 2: Kiss Me Deadly Romance plus noir must equal heartache, so fair warning. In “The Tower” by Hanna Bervoets there is romance, and there is sorrow. I can’t think of a way to summarize the plot without giving too much away. Instead, let’s consider it from a greater distance. Why read a story you suspect will break your heart? And why do you think it was so good when it made you feel so sad? Like all fiction, it’s vicarious. Real enough to evoke emotion, but not so personal that you can’t walk away. In fact, it’s a relief you can. Maybe it’s teaching a life lesson you don’t have to learn the hard way, let the characters take the hit. Still, some heartaches are worth the pain for those moments of joy that precede them. Figuring out which ones are which is the hard part.
As “Silent Days” by Karin Amatmoekrim opens, its hero, an 82-year-old woman, observes the world below and around her fourth-story apartment, uninvolved—a watcher. But the world intrudes on her silent solitude when the building’s owner and his wife begin to quarrel, loudly and violently, one flight below. The sounds and sight of her battered neighbor break the old woman’s reclusive trance, and she chances a meeting. “After that conversation, I was determined to help her. I had done nothing in my life for which I needed to be embarrassed, but also nothing to be proud of. This, as I neared my finish line, would be my gift to the world.”
“Soul Mates” by Christine Otten is based on an actual murder case in Amsterdam, so to say it’s a bit far-fetched could be fictitious. But it seems like it anyway. A twenty-four-year-old food delivery boy writes about the early-morning visit from the police, who wonder what he knows about the murder and dismemberment of his boss, the old Chinese cook who runs the Mercury Snackbar. He tells the two detectives nothing helpful, sharing his own theory about the real victim and the murderer with readers via his journal. It’s a bit too graphic and snarky for my taste.
Part 3: Touch of Evil The unifying element in this section is the movie’s title. In “Devil’s Island” by Mensje van Keulen, most of the story’s action takes place inside smoking groups where Amsterdam smokers gather to indulge their habit. Like dining on Amtrak, you never know who you might meet. Our narrator’s friend, Jacob, has had a devastating breakup with his girlfriend. In sympathy, he takes Jacob to dinner, and since Jacob smokes, stands with him in the smoker’s circle outside the restaurant while they wait for a table. Here they meet at art dealer who quickly mesmerizes Jacob with his accouterments of success and accounts of twisted deeds. Incredibly, Jacob remains with the hustler when their table is called, his fate clinched in a beguiling, evil snare.
“The Man on the Jetty” by Murat Isik begins with Metin’s memory of a man exposing himself in an elevator. Sometime later Metin and his pal Saleem are approached by a Spandexed biker asking directions. Saleem responds as recognition dawns on Metin: it’s the same guy. And the Spandex makes it easy to spot what’s still on his mind. The two boys run, but the biker gives chase until, at last, he turns away. When the boys tell Saleem’s Uncle Imran what’s happened, they can see his anger rise. The Dutch police won’t do anything about it. “In Pakistan, the cops would beat the shit out of a bastard like this guy. Then he’d never do such a thing again.” So Imran takes matters into his own hands. By the end, they’ve all been touched by evil.
What comes after a windfall? “Lucky Sevens” by Theo Capel gives us a few clues when Fetty Jollema wins fifty thousand euros in the lottery. While her cop friend Felix cashes in her ticket, she’s murdered. Felix is dumbfounded when he hears the news but recovers enough to ferret away the winnings in his safe. As the investigation advances, Fetty’s baggage and suspects emerge, along with their secrets. Capel delivers a satisfying taste of Amsterdam’s locals, locations, and universal evils.
“The Stranger Inside Me” by Loes den Hollander delves into our mentally ill narrator’s twisted reality. After dark, he’s visited by Ted Bundy who grooms him to continue the infamous serial killer’s work. “He came closer. ‘They stopped me,’ he said. ‘I want you to pick up where I left off.’” Hollander gives us the timeline for the first mission upfront, and since we know what’s coming, the tension accelerates along with each new paragraph.
Part 4: They Live by Night In “Seven Bridges” by Max van Olden, Lisa is the server on the tour boat Princess Beatrix that ambles down the Amstel River en route to Grachtengordel, the Canal District. She’s onboard for three runs, the last of which is the evening’s candlelight cruise. Their route slips by the houseboat of the new love of her life, Timo, and she breaks her attention from her duties, hoping to catch a glimpse of him whenever they pass. As she serves sightseers, her mind dwells on Timo and his predecessor, Stefan, with whom things ended badly. Olden weaves the Amstel River’s charms with Lisa’s rising doubts about Timo, as she endures the routine and isolation of the Princess on a cruise over dark waters.
In “The Girl at the End of the Line” by Abdelkader Benali, a Moroccan policeman investigates the murder of a young woman whose body is discovered at the city’s edge. Benali’s writing shines with memorable lines like “In my head, I divide Amsterdam into places where you can safely hide a body and places where you can’t.” And “Better drunk and in hell than sober among the hypocrites.” Benali’s cop advances the narrative with as much time spent in reflection as in active investigation, reminding us this case is only a moment of a journey that has no easy resolution.
The pace quickens considerably in “Get Rich Quick” by Walter van den Berg. A couple of goofy punks decide to carjack a serious chunk of cache and rocket toward their foregone conclusion. Berg delivers a fast-paced romp with snappy dialog, a love-struck gofer, and a femme fatale who’s the brightest bulb in the dim of Osdorp after dark.
“Starry, Starry Night” by Rene Appél & Josh Pachter put a gratifying cap on Akashic’s latest serving of noir. Vincent, who stands to inherit his father’s very profitable business of snacks and refreshment kiosks, makes the mistake of restocking in the wee hours at Museum Square. There, past meets present when three of his old party pals turn up looking to relieve their pill-popping boredom.
Like most anthologies, the quality of the stories in Amsterdam Noir vary—but only slightly. Overall, it’s a 5-Star excursion in noir fiction.
September 29, 2018
" .. in today's Amsterdam, almost anything goes .."
A great selection of noir, curated in the the style of the four best noir films whose themes are: dark deeds from the past; intrigue; corruption; failed romance.
Another great tome in this series by Akashic - a must read catalogue of great noir!
A great selection of noir, curated in the the style of the four best noir films whose themes are: dark deeds from the past; intrigue; corruption; failed romance.
Another great tome in this series by Akashic - a must read catalogue of great noir!
June 23, 2018
Kwaliteit op alle fronten! Vier en halve sterren. Mijn recensie op Samenlezenisleuker:
https://samenlezenisleuker.wordpress....
https://samenlezenisleuker.wordpress....
February 9, 2019
This is the second noir compilation I've read from this publisher (I've also read Belfast Noir) and while it wasn't my favorite, it wasn't bad. Some of the short stories in this are clearly better than others, but that's bound to happen when you have fifteen different authors spinning tales of deceit, darkness, murder, and intrigue. The thing I most enjoyed about this collection (and all in this series) is that the setting (Amsterdam) plays such a crucial element in every story. These dark, gritty stories make you feel as if you really are in Amsterdam. Some of the short stories deal with gangs, psychotic episodes, murder, revenge, and twisted fantasies. Again some are clearly better than others, but don't let that get in the way of reading this!
January 30, 2023
Voor deze Amsterdamse is het aantrekkelijkst van de meeste verhalen de herkenning van de beschrijvingen van de verschillende buurten, de verhalen zelf zijn betrekkelijk voorspelbaar
February 18, 2019
Fourteen of The Netherlands’ premier authors of crime and literary fiction contributed stories to this collection, with the editors—top-rated crime authors themselves—providing the fifteenth. Amsterdam Noir is the latest in Akashic Books’ long-running series of place-based crime anthologies.
If this enterprise is in part intended to impart a vision of the locale and its residents through the lens of crime, this collection is another success. Whenever a story purports to represent a certain place, you can fairly ask yourself, could these events have unfolded this way anywhere else? Geography, history, and culture all affect what can and does take place in a city and the official and unofficial reactions to events.
Appel and Pachter assigned the stories to four broad headings inspired by classic film noir, and below I briefly describe a story or two under each of their headings. The collection includes both well established authors, like Theo Capel, and writers new to the scene, like Karin Amatmoekrim. Meet some of the very best Dutch crime writers, right here in these pages.
Out of the Past
Welcome to Amsterdam by Michael Berg is a story of revenge—a revenge the wronged man never thought he could achieve. It’s pretty strong stuff. Berg was the 2013 winner of the Golden Noose, the award for the best Dutch-language crime novel of the year. Herman Koch, who wrote 2013’s best-selling crime novel, The Dinner, contributed Ankle Monitor, which launches with a brilliant first line: “Maybe it was a mistake to go back to my old neighborhood on the very first day of a weekend leave.” No stopping reading there.
Kiss Me Deadly
All three of these stories are about ill-conceived love and all are written by women, interestingly. Silent Days by Karin Amatmoekrim proves that just because a woman is old and alone doesn’t mean she is helpless.
Touch of Evil
Here you have Satan himself, a pedophile, an alcoholic fratricide, and a man channelling Ted Bundy (for an international touch), plus a hard-working police detective who unexpectedly comes out on top in Theo Capel’s entertaining Lucky Sevens.
They Live By Night
Echoing that film’s theme of inescapable tragedy, most of these stories are from the victim’s point of view, but Abdelkader Benali’s The Girl at the End of the Line is told through the eyes of a Moroccan police officer assigned to find the killer of a Muslim girl. Winner of a top literary prize, Benali opens this story, “A farmer found her with her head facing southeast, toward Mecca, as if in prayer.” It’s an effective reminder of the pluralistic culture of Western European cities today and a strong intimation of the layers of social complexity the story will probe.
If this enterprise is in part intended to impart a vision of the locale and its residents through the lens of crime, this collection is another success. Whenever a story purports to represent a certain place, you can fairly ask yourself, could these events have unfolded this way anywhere else? Geography, history, and culture all affect what can and does take place in a city and the official and unofficial reactions to events.
Appel and Pachter assigned the stories to four broad headings inspired by classic film noir, and below I briefly describe a story or two under each of their headings. The collection includes both well established authors, like Theo Capel, and writers new to the scene, like Karin Amatmoekrim. Meet some of the very best Dutch crime writers, right here in these pages.
Out of the Past
Welcome to Amsterdam by Michael Berg is a story of revenge—a revenge the wronged man never thought he could achieve. It’s pretty strong stuff. Berg was the 2013 winner of the Golden Noose, the award for the best Dutch-language crime novel of the year. Herman Koch, who wrote 2013’s best-selling crime novel, The Dinner, contributed Ankle Monitor, which launches with a brilliant first line: “Maybe it was a mistake to go back to my old neighborhood on the very first day of a weekend leave.” No stopping reading there.
Kiss Me Deadly
All three of these stories are about ill-conceived love and all are written by women, interestingly. Silent Days by Karin Amatmoekrim proves that just because a woman is old and alone doesn’t mean she is helpless.
Touch of Evil
Here you have Satan himself, a pedophile, an alcoholic fratricide, and a man channelling Ted Bundy (for an international touch), plus a hard-working police detective who unexpectedly comes out on top in Theo Capel’s entertaining Lucky Sevens.
They Live By Night
Echoing that film’s theme of inescapable tragedy, most of these stories are from the victim’s point of view, but Abdelkader Benali’s The Girl at the End of the Line is told through the eyes of a Moroccan police officer assigned to find the killer of a Muslim girl. Winner of a top literary prize, Benali opens this story, “A farmer found her with her head facing southeast, toward Mecca, as if in prayer.” It’s an effective reminder of the pluralistic culture of Western European cities today and a strong intimation of the layers of social complexity the story will probe.
February 5, 2019
Amsterdam Noir is an excellent addition to the uncommon mystery anthology series Akashic Noir. In this edition, editors René Appel and Josh Pachter selected twenty-two short stories that evoke the noir sensibilities of Amsterdam. They took inspiration from four classic noir films. Out of the Past, Kiss Me Deadly, Touch of Evil, and They Live By Night. What a genius idea!
The four stories in Out of the Past are rooted in past experiences, of war, marriage, grief, and even a long-ago murder. I thought they were all strong stories but particularly loved Spui 13. The next section, Kiss Me Deadly, has three stories of love, though Silent Days is not about romantic love at all, but the kind of sisterhood that can make a woman defend another woman she doesn’t even know because she wants to do something to be proud of. A Touch of Evil has four stories and three are clearly representations of evil’s malignancy, but Lucky Sevens strikes me differently. A woman is murdered and that is evil, but the killer is not a central character. The last section, They Lived by Night, has four stories. I thought The Girl at the End of the Line was haunting and beautifully done.
I loved Amsterdam Noir and think its selection of stories was excellent and the way they were organized was a stroke of genius. There were a few stories that were not as strong as the rest and oddly, the weakest story was Starry, Starry Night by the co-editors. I suppose there had to be some tie-in to Van Gogh somewhere, but having a guy named Vincent get his ear slashed by muggers is not it. I appreciated the sly effort, but it turned out to sound like something they concocted during a beer-addled, and-then-we-can conversation.
I received an e-galley of Amsterdam Noir from the publisher through Edelweiss
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
The four stories in Out of the Past are rooted in past experiences, of war, marriage, grief, and even a long-ago murder. I thought they were all strong stories but particularly loved Spui 13. The next section, Kiss Me Deadly, has three stories of love, though Silent Days is not about romantic love at all, but the kind of sisterhood that can make a woman defend another woman she doesn’t even know because she wants to do something to be proud of. A Touch of Evil has four stories and three are clearly representations of evil’s malignancy, but Lucky Sevens strikes me differently. A woman is murdered and that is evil, but the killer is not a central character. The last section, They Lived by Night, has four stories. I thought The Girl at the End of the Line was haunting and beautifully done.
I loved Amsterdam Noir and think its selection of stories was excellent and the way they were organized was a stroke of genius. There were a few stories that were not as strong as the rest and oddly, the weakest story was Starry, Starry Night by the co-editors. I suppose there had to be some tie-in to Van Gogh somewhere, but having a guy named Vincent get his ear slashed by muggers is not it. I appreciated the sly effort, but it turned out to sound like something they concocted during a beer-addled, and-then-we-can conversation.
I received an e-galley of Amsterdam Noir from the publisher through Edelweiss
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
October 10, 2019
Very repetitive themes. These stories make one suspect that the authors all took the same writing class at about the same time. Apparently the presence of Muslim young men in the community is a prime artistic theme/driver for these folks. And we all need to have the place set in the out of fashion (though once nice) streets/canals/districts identified mostly by the simple expedient of naming streets/canals/neighborhoods. (The volume contains a map helping readers check this out for what it is worth.) Still, easily readable stuff. Has the advantage of not being overly gristly and nasty which are attributes that many now seem to be necessary to define "noir". Occasional insights into the historic culture of Amsterdam.
December 26, 2018
Thank you to Akashic Books for sending me an ARC of this latest installment in the noir series! It was an exciting and fast-paces collection of stories, and deliciously gritty as well. I especially liked the way the stories were organized in this collection, grouped around central themes and connected to classic films.
This series never disappoints!
This series never disappoints!
June 22, 2022
I've been a fan of the Akashic Noir series for some time and get excited when they are set in cities I have some familiarity with. When I had a chance to pick up a review copy of Amsterdam Noir, a city I visited just a couple of years ago and a country I lived in for five years as youth, I was jumping for joy.
While none of the stories in this book are bad, this was a disappointment for me. There were no memorable standout stories, and I didn't feel that most of the stories gave me a great sense of the city. The one exception was Seven Bridges, by Max van Olden, a revenge tale set on a canal cruise. While others give hints of the city, in most cases, they could be set anywhere.
That's not to say they aren't well written, or engaging stories. A young man visited by the ghost of Ted Bundy and a couple of stories based on true crime show some real interest.
I also like how the stories were organized thematically around classic noir movies.
Looking forward to more books in the series.
While none of the stories in this book are bad, this was a disappointment for me. There were no memorable standout stories, and I didn't feel that most of the stories gave me a great sense of the city. The one exception was Seven Bridges, by Max van Olden, a revenge tale set on a canal cruise. While others give hints of the city, in most cases, they could be set anywhere.
That's not to say they aren't well written, or engaging stories. A young man visited by the ghost of Ted Bundy and a couple of stories based on true crime show some real interest.
I also like how the stories were organized thematically around classic noir movies.
Looking forward to more books in the series.
June 8, 2019
It's a nice collection of short stories. But to be honest, I was expecting more. I guess that's the challenge for short stories. It has to be all there for a limited number of words. Anyway, the book is divided into four parts (Out of the Past, Kiss Me Deadly, Touch of Evil, and They Live by Night) and each part has three to four entries. Here are my picks:
Part 1: Ankle Monitor by Herman Koch.
It tells the story of a convicted felon, his biographer, his wife, and his suspicions.
Part 2: Silent Days by Karin Amatmoekrim.
The story revolves around an old woman and the intrusion in her silent solitude.
Part 3: The Stranger Inside Me by Loes den Hollander
It's about a mentally ill serial-killer.
Part 4: Get Rich Quick by Walter van den Berg
If I can only choose one, then this must be it. It's about two punks who carjack their way to get rich quick. It's funny btw.
Part 1: Ankle Monitor by Herman Koch.
It tells the story of a convicted felon, his biographer, his wife, and his suspicions.
Part 2: Silent Days by Karin Amatmoekrim.
The story revolves around an old woman and the intrusion in her silent solitude.
Part 3: The Stranger Inside Me by Loes den Hollander
It's about a mentally ill serial-killer.
Part 4: Get Rich Quick by Walter van den Berg
If I can only choose one, then this must be it. It's about two punks who carjack their way to get rich quick. It's funny btw.
November 21, 2021
This Akashic Noir series just sounded like such an interesting project, and I had just been to Amsterdam and loved it, so I picked this city to read first. Every story was truly worthy and gave a different sense of the city - the different neighborhoods and sensibilities. Some were mysteries, some were definitely a bit darker. There were stories about various types of crime, relationships, minority communities, mental illness. I enjoyed them all. I believe that the translators did a superb job with these stories, because each feels unique, with beautiful prose and the voice of the author coming through in each tale, as it should. Having enjoyed this one, I now have to think about which city to explore next.
January 2, 2019
I've read lots of short story collections, very little of anything set in Amsterdam, and apparently no noir until now. I typically enjoy experiencing different writing styles in quick succession. This book delivers on that expectation and was enjoyable to read over a few sessions during a winter break. I learned just how dark noir can be. Most of the stories provided an enjoyable level of insight into the hard side of human nature. A few of the stories went further than I would care to read again. I'll take suspense over horror. This book delivers both in an experience that will make you think about at least some of the characters and scenes the next day.
March 19, 2023
Mooie bundel ‘zwarte’ verhalen die zich afspelen in Amsterdam. Je ziet dat de schrijvers echt hun best hebben gedaan ook Amsterdam goed in verhalen te verwerken. Bv verhaal op rondvaartboot, verhaal in de Bijlmer, I AMsterdam -letters, enz. Accra Noir maakte meer indruk, maar juist omdat daar de herkenbaarheid zo leuk was. Amsterdam is wat dat betreft minder ‘verrassend’.
March 21, 2021
Het niveau wisselde heftig per verhaal maar de meerderheid van de auteurs gaf een interessante invulling aan het thema. Vooral Hanna Bervoets en Murat Isik scoren wat mij betreft punten voor originaliteit op dat vlak.
May 17, 2024
An interesting collection of short Stories … of varying levels of greatness. That they were all amsterdam- centered and that they illustrated the details and lifestyles of the lives of some of the locals made it valuable for me.
March 13, 2019
A set of stories that are never particularly good or bad, just fairly bland. Interesting for the setting, but not really worth reading otherwise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2019
Overall decent stories, but very much "noir light" compared to some other countries' entries.
April 13, 2020
Luisterboek 🧩
January 1, 2022
Collection of stories with some connection to crime or the dark side of life. These take place in Amsterdam and are written by Dutch authors. An ok volume. None I disliked, but none I loved either. Just an ok entry in the Akashic Noir series.
January 21, 2019
This latest addition to the Noir series is a collection of short stories set in various neighborhoods around the title city. This makes the stories more interesting since only one story in each book can be set in each of the city’s famous locales. Each story is also written by a different author, each bringing their own style, perspective, experience and personality into their story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories—each is well-written and evocative its setting and characters.
Four of the stories really stood out to me as the best in the collection. “The Tower,” is a classic train wreck in slow motion—you can see how awful it is going to be, yet you can’t turn away. Similarly, but yet in a very different way is “Get Rich Quick” in which two young me realize all too quickly that they are in way over their heads. In “Seven Bridges,” the city’s famed canals are the stage for a young woman to witness the unraveling of her life. A more straightforward story in “The Man on the Jetty,” captures both a sense of rough justice as well as a glimpse into immigrant life in one of Europe’s most open cities.
There are a dozen other stories in the collection that each follow their own dark twists on human nature, the evils of personal vengeance and the ugliness of greed in action.
If you enjoy the Noir series, this is a worthy addition to the series. If you haven’t yet read any of the series—this is a good and dark place to start.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories—each is well-written and evocative its setting and characters.
Four of the stories really stood out to me as the best in the collection. “The Tower,” is a classic train wreck in slow motion—you can see how awful it is going to be, yet you can’t turn away. Similarly, but yet in a very different way is “Get Rich Quick” in which two young me realize all too quickly that they are in way over their heads. In “Seven Bridges,” the city’s famed canals are the stage for a young woman to witness the unraveling of her life. A more straightforward story in “The Man on the Jetty,” captures both a sense of rough justice as well as a glimpse into immigrant life in one of Europe’s most open cities.
There are a dozen other stories in the collection that each follow their own dark twists on human nature, the evils of personal vengeance and the ugliness of greed in action.
If you enjoy the Noir series, this is a worthy addition to the series. If you haven’t yet read any of the series—this is a good and dark place to start.
June 11, 2024
My reading and the reviews I've seen agree that this series is full of dark, gritty, violent stories "redeemed" by the very detailed invocation of the city they take place. Having been to Amsterdam a number of times, I felt like I was revisiting a place I knew, but seeing the dark underbelly not visible in the trendy, touristy parts of town. The stories themselves are cameos and vignettes -- quick photos taken to show the noir side of life. A couple were experimental; a couple, touching; a few misses; but, all worth the quick read they are.
April 7, 2022
A good collection of stories about the seamier side of Amsterdam. Many of the stories were really engaging and some not so much. Especially liked “Spui 13” and “The Tower”.
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