Akashic Noir books in order

Reading order

The Akashic Noir series, published by Brooklyn-based independent press Akashic Books, is one of the longest-running and most geographically ambitious anthology projects in crime fiction. Each volume takes a different city as its setting and recruits a local editor, usually a well-known crime or literary writer, who commissions original short stories set in specific neighborhoods.

The series began with Brooklyn Noir in 2004, edited by Tim McLoughlin, and quickly expanded to cover cities across the United States and the globe. Volumes range from Manhattan Noir and Chicago Noir to more far-flung settings like Lagos Noir, Baghdad Noir, and Addis Ababa Noir. Some cities have received follow-up volumes or “Classics” editions that collect older work.

With well over 100 volumes published between 2002 and 2025, the series offers a panoramic view of crime writing rooted in local culture and geography. Contributors include both established crime writers and literary authors not typically associated with the genre.