Lagos Noir

by Jude Dibia, Chris Abani (Editor), Chika Unigwe, Nnedi Okorafor

Overview

“A stellar cast of award-winning Nigerian authors . . . a must-read for crime lovers looking for something different.”—Brittle Paper
 
In Akashic Books’s acclaimed series of original noir anthologies, each book comprises all new stories set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city. Now, West Africa enters the Noir Series arena, meticulously edited by one of Nigeria’s best-known authors.

In Lagos Noir, the stories are set in “a city of more than 21 million and an amazing amalgam of wealth, poverty, corruption, humor, bravery, and tragedy. Abani and a dozen other contributors tell stories that are both unique to Lagos and universal in their humanity . . . This entry stands as one of the strongest recent additions to Akashic’s popular noir series” (Publishers Weekly, starred review, pick of the week).

The anthology includes stories by Chris Abani, Nnedi Okorafor, E.C. Osondu, Jude Dibia, Chika Unigwe, A. Igoni Barrett, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Adebola Rayo, Onyinye Ihezukwu, Uche Okonkwo, Wale Lawal, ’Pemi Aguda, and Leye Adenle.

“The beauty of this book, which contains 13 stories from Nigerian writers, is that it serves as a travelogue, too.”—Bloomberg, “The Darkest Summer Reading List for Those Bright, Beachy Days”

“With writers like Igoni Barrett, Leye Adenle, and E.C. Osondu contributing, Lagos Noir offers wildly different perspectives on both the city itself and the state of noir fiction. This book is almost like a world in itself, one that you’ll want to dive back into and get lost in again and again.”—CrimeReads, “One of the 10 Best Crime Anthologies of 2018”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781617756481
Publisher:	Akashic Books
Publication date:	06/05/2018
Series:	Akashic Noir Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Chris Abani, a Nigerian-born, award-winning poet and novelist, currently teaches at Northwestern University in Chicago. He is the recipient of a PEN USA Freedom-to-Write Award, a Prince Claus Award, a Lannan Literary Fellowship, a California Book Award, a Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, a PEN Beyond Margins Award, a PEN/Hemingway Award, and a Guggenheim Award.
Chris Abani is a Nigerian poet and novelist and the author of The Virgin of Flames, Becoming Abigail (a New York Times Editor’s Choice), and GraceLand (a selection of the Today Show Book Club and winner of the 2005 PEN/Hemingway Prize and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award). His other prizes include a PEN Freedom to Write Award, a Prince Claus Award, and a Lannan Literary Fellowship. He lives and teaches in California.
 

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction

PART I: COPS&ROBBERS
What They Did That Night by Jude Dibia (Lagos Island)
Heaven’s Gate by Chika Unigwe (Ojo)
Showlogo by Nnedi Okorafor (Ajegunle)
Just Ignore and Try to Endure by A. Igoni Barrett (Egbeda)

PART II: IN A FAMILY WAY
The Swimming Pool by Sarah Ladipo Manyika (Victoria Island)
What Are You Going To Do? by Adebola Rayo (Onikan)
For Baby, For Three by Onyinye Ihezukwu (Yaba)
Eden by Uche Okonkwo (Obalende)
Joy by Wale Lawal (Surulere)

PART III: ARRIVALS&DEPARTURES
Choir Boy by 'Pemi Aguda (Berger)
The Walking Stick by E.C. Osondu (Agege)
Uncle Sam by Leye Adenle (Murtala Muhammed International Airport)
Killer Ape by Chris Abani (Ikoyi)

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/16/2018
In the introduction to this excellent anthology, Abani welcomes readers to Lagos, Nigeria, a city of more than 21 million and an amazing amalgam of wealth, poverty, corruption, humor, bravery, and tragedy. Abani and a dozen other contributors tell stories that are both unique to Lagos and universal in their humanity. An ambitious and observant policeman investigates the murder of a white woman, one of a series of crimes, in Jude Dibia’s “What They Did That Night.” A taxi driver’s newfound riches disappear quickly in Chika Unigwe’s “Heaven’s Gate.” A Bunyanesque hero stars in Nnedi Okorafor’s amusing “Showlogo.” A father bullies his rebellious daughter in Sarah Ladipo Manyika’s “The Swimming Pool.” A childless husband and wife pin their hopes on a powerful pastor in Onyinye Ihezukwu’s “For Baby, for Three.” Abani closes the volume with the witty “Killer Ape,” about Det. Sgt. James Okoro, who idolizes Sherlock Holmes and welcomes the chance to solve a crime supposedly committed by a chimpanzee. This entry stands as one of the strongest recent additions to Akashic’s popular noir series. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"This volume is a must, as it introduces new writers of considerable talent and new works by writers you may have read and enjoyed previously . . . If you just like good stories about ordinary people with an extraordinary twist, this collection should not be missed."

New York Journal of Books

"A not-to-be-missed fiction anthology edited by Chris Abani, Lagos Noir features Nigeria’s most compelling writers on the darker side of Lagos. A must-read for literary fans of all kinds."

The Root

"There is . . . greed, innocence, ambition, and all the trappings that make crime stories so engaging. The Lagos angle is as educating and eye-opening as it is engaging, quickly encouraging the reader to side with any protagonist, no matter how shady, because they’re still better than the corruption all around them. Well, most of the time."

Manhattan Book Review

"Covering one of the widest spectrums of genre-inspired stories, Chris Abani is as masterful as he is meticulous in his assembly of noir...Lagos Noir is a colorful and harrowing vision preserving the distinct voice of each contributor contained within its pages. The collection carries a moving and self-contained quality while simultaneously sparking hope that the Noir series will eventually forge its way into further explorations of Africa."
—World Literature Today

"There is...greed, innocence, ambition, and all the trappings that make crime stories so engaging. The Lagos angle is as educating and eye-opening as it is engaging, quickly encouraging the reader to side with any protagonist, no matter how shady, because they're still better than the corruption all around them. Well, most of the time."
—Manhattan Book Review

"This volume is a must, as it introduces new writers of considerable talent and new works by writers you may have read and enjoyed previously...If you just like good stories about ordinary people with an extraordinary twist, this collection should not be missed."
—New York Journal of Books

"The African megalopolis of Lagos, Nigeria, makes a perfect setting for mystery stories with a noir bent...With its breadth of contributors, this latest volume in the publisher's city noir series will satisfy both the fan of contemporary African fiction and the newcomer interested in discovering some new voices."
—Library Journal

"In June, Akashic has three of the more exciting recent installments to its wildly popular Noir city series: Santa Cruz, Lagos, and São Paulo. The Lagos volume is a standout, with Chris Abani serving as editor and tapping into the city's vibrant literary scene, but Santa Cruz and São Paulo both have plenty to be excited about, especially if you're a fan of seaside noir or Brazilian fiction. These are three vibrant, international cities with distinct cultures and social issues best explored through noir."
—CrimeReads, included in "Summer's Most Anticipated Crime, Mystery, and Thrillers"

"Many stories have been written about the continent's largest megacity Lagos, but let's be honest—you can never have enough stories about Lagos."
—OkayAfrica, included in "5 Books by African Writers You Need to Read This Summer"

"Lagos Noir, one of the Akashic's 'location noir' collections, [is] where you can meet thirteen excellent Nigerian writers who've turned their pens to crime writing. Edited by well-known writer Chris Abani, the stories run the gamut from atmospheric pieces with a vicious twist in the tail, through mini-thrillers, to unusual police procedurals. Read it to discover a Nigerian perspective and be rewarded with some stunning writing and insights."
—CrimeReads, included in A Beginner's Guide to African Crime Fiction

"The stories run the gamut from atmospheric pieces with a vicious twist in the tail, through to mini thrillers and some unusual police procedurals. All are set in Lagos, and although the sense of place is strong across the collection, the authors' styles are quite different. It's one of the most interesting collections I've read in the genre."
—The Big Thrill

"Any reader that has actually lived in Lagos will definitely nod in agreement to certain stories that describe their Lagos experience."
—Bella Naija

"I have never been to Lagos, Nigeria, but it didn't take long before I was immersed in the sounds and smells of the city. The stories in Lagos Noir might deal with the dark side of the city, but even stories about crooked cops or suspicious landlords can't disguise how enamored the writers are with the city—and it's likely that readers soon will be, too."
—MuggleNet

"Each story is skillfully chosen and placed in the anthology. I highly recommend this addition to the Akashic series."
—The CyberLibrarian (blog)

"The collection of 13 stories Abani has put together brings Lagos, largest city and former capital of Nigeria and one of the largest cities in Africa, to life...This may not be the book the Nigerian tourist industry wants you to read as an inducement to come visit their country, but it sure is a lot of fun to read. Each of the writers brings their own little piece of Lagos to life with such vividness you can almost hear the rats stirring in the garbage and feel the layers of humidity and heat weighing on your skin."
—BlogCritics

"This anthology stands out because of its unique approach to crime and punishment, and its intense focus on the sociological aspects of crime in one of the world's largest, fastest growing and most complex regions. Lagos Noir is a must-read for crime lovers looking for something different to read in a highly saturated market."
—Brittle Paper

From the Publisher

2018-03-05
Noir comes to Africa.Abani's introduction promises that these 13 mostly new stories—Nnedi Okorafor's "Showlogo" already appeared in an earlier version, as did the introduction—will reveal "much more truth at the heart of this tremendous city than any guidebook, TV show, film, or book you are likely to find." That claim is doubly disingenuous, since (1) the whole premise of Akashic's far-flung series, that noir is different from place to place, encourages genre tourism in exotic locales, and (2) this is, in fact, a book. So what does it reveal about Lagos? For better or worse, pretty much what you already suspected. A. Igoni Barrett's "Just Ignore and Try to Endure" and editor Abani's "Killer Ape" emphasize the perilously narrow frontier between humans and animals. Jude Dibia's "What They Did That Night" and Adebola Rayo's "What Are You Going to Do?" sketch bureaucratic corruption so deep that it's an unblinking fact of life. The family units in Sarah Ladipo Manyika's "The Swimming Pool," Onyinye Ihezukwu's "For Baby, for Three," Uche Okonkwo's "Eden," and Wale Lawal's "Joy" intensify rather than providing respite from the pervasive darkness. Chika Unigwe's "Heaven's Gate" and Leye Adenle's "Uncle Sam" suggest that foreign visitors to Nigeria are advised to watch themselves and their surroundings very carefully indeed. E.C. Osondu's "The Walking Stick" provides a reminder that some mysteries just aren't meant to be solved. And Pemi Aguda's "Choir Boy," perhaps the most evocative of all these stories, presents a deeply shamed robbery victim's portrait of an even more devastated victim. In nearly every case, noir's ritualistic revelation of evil fits surprisingly well in a city of tragically diminished expectations.Nor should you think for a minute that Lagos has a corner on African noir. Akashic has Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Accra, and Marrakech waiting in the wings.

Kirkus Reviews