Twin Cities Noir: The Expanded Edition

The three new stories included in this expanded edition of the Akashic noir anthology devoted to Minneapolis and St. Paul, originally published in 2006, add only marginal value. Grouped under the section titled "Star of the North," they are John Jodzio's "Someday All of This Will Probably Be Yours," about a scamming couple's plans suffering a sudden change; Peter Schilling Jr.'s "16mm Blues," in which rare-film preservation leads to murder; and Tom Kaczynski's bizarre story in graphic-novel form, "Skyway Sleepless," about a city's skyway system taking on a life of its own. Of the 15 selections comprising the original volume, contemporary stories by David Housewright, William Kent Krueger, Ellen Hart, and Mary Sharratt are stand-outs. Also notable are Gary Bush and Larry Millett's respective tales exploring the cities' rough-and-tumble past. Crime fans who missed the first round will find this expanded version worthwhile. (Aug.)