Akashic Noir books in order

Reading order

The Akashic Noir series is one of the longest-running anthology projects in crime fiction, with over 120 volumes published since San Francisco Noir launched the series in 2002. Each book takes a city or region as its focus, collecting original noir and crime fiction stories set in that location. The series has covered cities on every continent, from Brooklyn to Baghdad, from Lagos to Stockholm.

The anthologies are edited by different writers and editors, often people with deep ties to the featured city. Sara Paretsky edited the Chicago Noir volume (2005), one of the series’ more popular entries. What makes the Akashic Noir project distinctive is its global scope, with volumes covering not just major American cities but places like Addis Ababa, Marrakech, and São Paulo, bringing readers crime fiction rooted in locations they might not encounter elsewhere.