"Nairobi Noir takes readers into the enigmas that haunt Kenya's most
populous city through the deft storytelling of a stellar cast of
writers, which includes Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Stanley Gazemba, Makena
Onjerika, Troy Onyango, and others." (Brittle Paper, One of 50 Notable
African Books of 2020)
"Nairobi is a city of 3 million souls, so it makes sense as a setting
Akashic Books' famed noir series. 14 new stories fill a collection with
Nairobi old and new; authors range in age from 24 to 81, and many layers
of the city and its complex subcultures will be revealed as the reader
makes their way through. Perfect for the armchair traveler!"
(CrimeReads, included in CrimeReads' Most Anticipated Crime Books of
2020)
"Racial, religious, and class divides are acutely observed in the 14 new
stories from Kenyan writers... Crime fiction fans will find much to
savor." (Publishers Weekly)
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 by: Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Stanley Gazemba, Ngumi
Kibera, Peter Kimani, Winfred Kiunga, Kinyanjui Kombani, Caroline Mose,
Kevin Mwachiro, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, Faith Oneya, Makena Onjerika, Troy
Onyango, J.E. Sibi-Okumu, and Rasna Warah.
From the introduction by Peter Kimani:
Nairobi Noir is an act of excavation, rediscovering the city's
ossified past and infusing life to preserve it for future generations.
It is also an act of celebration, reminding listeners of the brilliance
of the best-known writers to emerge from this part of the world, and
heralding the birth of new writers whose gifts, we can safely predict,
will shine brightly in the years ahead.
The oldest writer in this anthology is 81, the youngest is only 24; if
there is any inference one can draw from this demographic it is that
this anthology offers an entire spectrum of Kenyan writing: the past,
present, and future. If we can allow one extravagant claim, a collection
of this nature is unprecedented in Kenya's literary history.
Although the range of issues explored in Nairobi Noir is as diverse as
its contributors, it all gestures toward a common theme. In this
concrete jungle, the hunters and herders live on. As do the hunted....
