Venice Noir

Forget the magnificence of Venice’s art, architecture, and music, and delve into this tour of the City of Water’s murky depths. The 14 stories in this solid Akashic noir anthology reveal a Venice where the natives scramble to make a living, as in Matteo Righetto’s “Cloudy Water,” a dark tale of toxic clams dredged while watching for both police and criminals. An old woman takes vengeance on the tourists who have ruined her city in Maria Tronca’s chilling “Tourists for Supper.” The city was an annual treat for lovers in Peter James’s “Venice Aphrodisiac,” until the magic left, only to be reclaimed in unique fashion by one of the pair. Jakubowski’s “Lido Winter” traces the actions of a middle-aged man recalling his most memorable affairs, and then meeting the most fantastic lover of all. Italian authors predominate, but British, Canadian, and French ones chime in, all sharing visions of a Venice not seen in tourist brochures. (June)