“All the heavy hitters . . . came out for USA Noir . . . an important anthology of stories shrewdly culled by Johnny Temple.”
—New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice

One of Zoom Street Magazine‘s Favorite Books of 2014

Indie Books Roundup #1 Pick, Barnes & Noble Blog

Included in Zoom Street Magazine‘s Summer Reading (Mysteries/Noir) Roundup

One of 100 Best Books for Readers Young and Old, HispanicBusiness.com

“Readers will be hard put to find a better collection of short stories in any genre.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A must read for mystery fans, not just devotees of Akashic’s ‘Noir’ series, this anthology serves as both an introduction for newcomers and a greatest-hits package for regular readers of the series . . . There isn’t a weak story in the collection . . . Strongly recommended for readers who enjoy mysteries published by Hard Case Crime, as well as for fans of police procedurals.”
—Library Journal (starred review)

“The 37 stories in this collection represent the best of the U.S.-based anthologies, and the list of contributors include virtually anyone who’s made the best-seller list with a work of crime fiction in the last decade . . . a must-have anthology.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“It’s hard to imagine how the present anthology could be topped for sheer marquee appeal . . . Perhaps the single most impressive feature of the collection is its range of voices, from Joyce Carol Oates’ faux innocent young family to Megan Abbott’s impressionable high school kids to the chorus of peremptory voices S.J. Rozan plants in a haunted thief’s head. Eat your heart out, Walt Whitman: These are the folks who hear America singing, and moaning and screaming.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“A less enlightened Temple cover collection of crime and mystery stories could easily reduce itself to stereotypical cartoons about white detectives with a whiskey bottle and a gun in the drawer but Akashic’s series takes itself very seriously in its mission to represent all aspects of a city’s dark side.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Feature Story/Interview with Johnny Temple

“For those who prefer their crime closer to home, there is USA Noir, a veritable greatest hits of Akashic’s long-running, acclaimed noir anthology series, rounding up solid gold blackness of the bleakest and darkest kind . . . Like Chuck Berry sang, ‘Anything you want, we got right here in the USA.'”
—Mystery Scene Magazine

“In USA Noir we are treated to range of tales by accomplished writers, and reflecting the diversity of the nation. Each draws on the dark worlds, flawed characters, and jaded mood intrinsic to the genre we have come to call Noir. If you’re a fan, you’re in for a real treat. If you’re not a fan, try it—you just might change your mind.”
—Reviewing the Evidence

“The stories in USA Noir keep the reader guessing and waiting for the unavoidable plot twist at the end without having to sit through chapters of character development or side stories. Like good noir, everything is quick and dirty, keeps the reader engaged and shows that there is a little sex, violence and sleaziness in all of us, regardless of location.”
—Denver Post’s Yourhub

“So, thanks a million to antho editor and Akashic Books head honcho Johnny Temple for doing such a crackerjack job of overloading my schedule with these dark and dirty pleasures.”
—Austin Chronicle

“The sultry, mysterious tone plays out like Lynch writing an old pulp paperback. Much to love here.”
—Metro Times Blog (Detroit)

“In a way, the noir series at Akashic has always been a best of so you can’t really miss picking this one up.”
—Brooklyn Based

“This is, without question, a must-have collection that serves equally well as an introduction to each of the authors as it does the Noir series itself. Regardless if you read the stories in the order presented, or go directly to those by some of your favorites, you’ll find USA Noir on your nightstand or reading table for many nights.”
—Bookgasm

“This book is full of little gems that can be picked up, read and enjoyed in less than 10 minutes, and as the mother of a young child, this collection is the perfect answer when all I have is a few minutes of uninterrupted reading time.”
—NY Spender

“An excellent cross-section of today’s noir writers.”
—SKJAM! Reviews

“For Christmas, someone could give me USA Noir: Best of the Akashic Noir Series—a good way to offset all the goodwill and frivolity.”
—The Observer (UK), part of The Observer‘s Books of the Year

“Hold the eggnog: What you need is a draft of ‘edgy fatalism and sexy recklessness,’ of flashy crime, gallows humor, and ‘desperate deals with a variety of devils,’ served up every year since 2004 by the editors of Akashic Books’ brilliant noir anthologies. From Brooklyn to Boston, from Phoenix to pre- and post-Katrina New Orleans, each volume in the series reveals a city’s distinctive inner darkness.”
—O, the Oprah Magazine

“Over the past few years, some of the best collections of short stories have been the Noir anthologies published by Akashic . . . To me, these collections are total gems, a quality read from some of today’s best authors.”
—Oline Cogdill, Sun-Sentinel