Mystery sensation Pelecanos pens the lead story and edits this groundbreaking collection of stories detailing the seedy underside of the nation’s capital. “Every story in this all-original noir anthology set in the nation’s capital is well-written.” ― Publishers Weekly Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with  Brooklyn Noir . Each story is set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book. Brand-new stories by: George Pelecanos, Laura Lippman, James Grady, Kenji Jasper, Jim Beane, Ruben Castaneda, Jim Patton, Robert Wisdom, Norman Kelley, Jennifer Howard, Jim Fusilli, Richard Currey, Lester Irby, Quintin Peterson, Robert Andrews, and David Slater. From the introduction by George Pelecanos: “It’s about the collective memories of the locals, and also about the voices. If you close your eyes and listen to the people of this city, you will hear the many different voices . . .We have tried to explore every quadrant of the city and many of the neighborhoods within them, and have not forgotten the federal city and downtown. We have enlisted the well-known and the someday-will-be. The writers include lifelong Washingtonians, imports and exports, a gentleman who was incarcerated when he wrote his story, a police officer, an actor, bloggers, journalists, blacks, whites, Hispanics, males and females, and yeah, even a Greek American.“ The publisher's Noir series, launched with Brooklyn Noir (2004), is growing with viruslike rapidity--even though it's not always infectious. The problem may lie with the choice of editors. Chicago Noir , for example, was selected by Neal Pollack ( Never Mind the Pollacks, 2003). Whatever his talents may be, murder is not his metier, and his lineup included some lightweights. For D.C. Noir , Akashic had the good sense to turn to Pelecanos ( Drama City , 2005), who delivers a wholly satisfying volume. From his own "Confidential Informant," to James Grady's "Bottom Line," Pelecanos shows us how both trash-strewn alleys and oak-paneled offices can trap their occupants with dreams, compromise, and heartbreak. Even Quintin Peterson's "Cold as Ice," which features an O. Henry-like twist and a happy ending, has a downbeat feel, reminding us that victories wrought by violence are still losses. The forthcoming Manhattan Noir will be edited by Lawrence Block--too bad they couldn't get Michael Connelly for Los Angeles Noir . Keir Graff Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "From the Chevy Chase housewife who commits a shocking act to the watchful bum protecting Georgetown street vendors, the tome offers a startling glimpse into the cityscape’s darkest corners . . . Fans of the [noir] genre will find solid writing, palpable tension and surprise endings." ― Washington Post "Imbued with countless collective years of local experience." ― Washington City Paper "[Pelecanos] has assembled a compelling mix of ex-convicts, retired police officers, former crime beat reporters and a few writing pros willing to turn their storytelling eye, whether jaundiced or tender, inward toward the neighborhood . . . Local haunts and hangouts are lovingly drawn." ― Washington Times "Pick up a copy of the book D.C. Noir . . . and prepare to be transported to a different D.C. that the tourists see . . . Pure Washingtonian." ― Washingtonian "Those looking for redemption in humanity would do well to look elsewhere, but this set of gritty urban tales, written with all the requisite touches of shadow and fog of the noir masters, is a rare cut for crime aficionados and should pique the interest of anyone who calls the Dark City home." ― Examiner Washington GEORGE PELECANOS is the author of twenty-two novels and story collections set in and around Washington, DC, and has been the recipient of numerous international writing awards. He is a screenwriter, essayist, and television writer/producer whose credits include The Wire, Treme, The Deuce, and We Own This City. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland. The short stories in D.C. Noir (Akashic; paperback), edited by George Pelecanos, are grouped by subject matter and neighborhood, allowing the reader to take a felonious tour of the city. Interested in the gritty side of Georgetown? Try Robert Andrews's "Solomon's Alley." Not so sure Mt. Pleasant always lives up to its name? You'll find confirmation in (The Washington Post's) Ruben Castaneda's "Coyote Hunt." You can travel vicariously to the mean streets of Petworth and Chevy Chase, Logan Circle and the Hill -- and even to K Street, maybe not the meanest but probably the crookedest area of all, thanks to formidable recent efforts by corrupt lobbyists. The noir-dealing contributors include Pelecanos himself; mystery novelist Laura Lippman, on leave from her home turf in Baltimore; and former Book World contributing editor Jennifer Howard. Also among them is the veteran James Grady, best known for his