Houston Noir?

If you read crime fiction, you probably already know about the series of noir anthologies Akashic Books has been putting out. Each volume includes a group of stories set in a particular location -- Brooklyn Noir, Baltimore Noir, Chicago Noir, and so on -- and there's even a city map up front showing where the bodies drop in each piece. New installments seem to be coming out all the time, with places like Brooklyn, Washington DC, and Manhattan already doubling up. Some exotic locales are on offer -- Moscow, Barcelona, Rome and Istanbul are all forthcoming -- and even some more obscure locales have made the cut. I picked up a copy of Twin Cities Noir last weekend (in Minneapolis, naturally) and according to the Akashic site Richmond Noir, Portland Noir, and even Trinidad Noir are on the way.

The question is, where's Houston? It's the fourth largest city in the nation, currently enjoying a post-Katrina crime spike and a crime lab scandal that refused to die, but it doesn't seem to be on the fictional map.

Which is interesting to me, because I'm writing a crime novel set in Houston. Naturally, I've been interested in how the city has been portrayed in the past -- but I've had a hard time tracking down novels set in H-Town. They exist (they have to) but I can't find them. I can't help wondering if this is a sign: perhaps the marshy ground isn't firm enough to support a detective series? Hard to believe. I'm hoping to find evidence to the contrary. If you know of any, drop me a line.

Comments

[Jacob]

You'd think there would be plenty of paperback crime novels about big greedy Houston oil execs. We all know that Dick Cheney's Haliburton friends got him to invade Iraq...

[J. Mark Bertrand]

Maybe that's why there aren't any -- censored by Haliburton. Although a big greedy Houston oil exec does make it into No Country for Old Men, and is suitably chastised.

[Nathan Knapp]

Sounds like Oklahoma. Besides The Grapes of Wrath, we got nothin'. Speaking of No Country, Mark, what do you think of Cormac McCarthy's writing? I just finished The Road a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it.

[Terri]

You're right. There aren't a lot, but Harris Co libraries usually stock a few:

Price
by Joan Johnston

Fade the Heat
by Colleen Thompson

The Gambit
by Greg Nunnally

[J. Mark Bertrand]

Thanks for the tips, Terri. I'll check them out.

[Suzan]

I have Bronx Noir. Wall Street Noir, Manhattan Noir, Paris Noir, and Dublin Noir are in my wish list. I don't think they have an Atlanta Noir, but there's nothing noir-ish about Atlanta anyway. :-) I don't really care for books set in Atlanta.

I'd love a Montreal Noir and a Quebec Noir.

[Ann Boland]

Please contact me about Houston Noir. I know of its demise. AB

[Jasper]

Houston is just too boring for anyone to take notice.
Seriously. Houston makes San Diego looks stimulating.