Tehran Noir

An aspiring criminal finds himself in a drug deal-gone-bad. A reporter delves deep into a missing person’s case. An explosion in the street sparks racial tension between Iranians and Afghans. A war crime follows a man home. A missing statue becomes the target of a peculiar heist. Police close in on a serial killer with elaborate religious rituals. People gather to stone a young woman to death.

Akashic’s Noir series rolls onward, this time taking readers into Iran to explore a city more nuanced and vibrant than they might’ve expected. Tehran Noir is not only a solid crime collection, but an illuminating look into day-to-day life in the Middle East, with religious and political implications galore, as well as racial tensions bubbling just beneath the surface.

Thanks to a glossary of key Persian words and phrases, the reader gains deeper insight into the area and maintains a greater connection with each story. As I recognized more words and titles, the narrative grew more vivid. I hope this is something they’ll consider including for other Noir entries in the future.

The stories in Tehran Noir aren’t always easy to read, but they are engaging in the extreme.