• Winner of the 2023 Colorado Book Award, Anthology

“Denver Noir presents an impressive range of perspectives and observations. Between the writers and their characters, you’ll encounter dozens of distinct and compelling relationships with this place. Maybe you’ll start to see our city—and even yourself—in new ways.”
—Denver North Star

“This anthology of short fictional crime and suspense stories written by 14 local authors and edited by Cynthia Swanson tells hair-raising, spine-tingling tales set in Denver’s unique neighborhoods. Follow felons down Colfax, solve a murder mystery and root for runaways as you flip through the pages, but be warned—the book’s final words may haunt you even after you turn out the lights.”
—Denver Life Magazine

“The postcard version of Denver might look like a brilliant orange and blue sunset gleaming over the Rockies, beautiful young people in parks walking their dogs, everybody a mile high. Look a little deeper, or just take a drive down Colfax Avenue, and a different city appears. The second version is the one that shows up in Denver Noir, an anthology out this summer by Akashic Books.”
—Boulder Weekly

“Can’t decide on a local author, but still want to get something based here in the Mile High City? Can’t go wrong with a single title like Denver Noir, which includes local authors aplenty.”
—Westword, one of Ten Best Colorado Books from 2022 for Gift-Giving

“An exploration of the many pockets of the Mile High City as much as a look at one of the more complex—and compelling—sides of Denver, Denver Noir nails the paradoxes inherent in both.”
—Karen DeGroot Carter, for Medium

“Denver Noir is a fascinating exploration of this sunny city’s dark side. Mountain views, a roughneck Gold Rush past, and stories of murder and mayhem make this anthology a must-read for anyone curious about Denver and its environs. Like the countless entries before it, Akashic Books allows an editor to craft an anthology filled with stories varying in tone and perspective.”
—New York Journal of Books

“Swanson takes the editorial reign for the Denver book, which features 14 contributions . . . There isn’t a clinker in the bunch . . . You’ll find a treasure trove of mystery short stories in Denver Noir.”
—BookGasm

“Denver has a dark side. And more than a dozen local authors are telling you all about it . . . Together, in Denver Noir, these authors pen a diverse look at the underside of Denver.”
—Denver Post

“Noir in the mile high city! Just like Denver’s housing market, the city’s crime-writing scene appears to be blowing up, and these stories function as a fascinating guide to the trials and tribulations of a rapidly changing city.”
—CrimeReads, a Most Anticipated Crime Fiction Book of 2022

“Dreaming of Ella” by Francelia Belton a Little Big Crimes Best Mystery Story of the Week

Included in CrimeReads Summer Reading Roundup

“The 14 stories . . . span time periods, neighborhoods, and milestones in the Mile High City’s history . . . The ranging styles and broad variety of diverse voices will provide noir fans with plenty to savor.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Denver Noir is a great collection of stories. From P.I.’s to disappearing teens to period pieces to retribution, the stories cover a variety of adverse events and circumstances.”
—BVS Reviews

“This is a great collection of stories, and Swanson has done an excellent job introducing Noir readers to the neighborhoods of Denver . . . It is a fun, diverse, and immersive read.”
—The Cyberlibrarian