Houston Noir by Gwendolyn Zepeda

Reading this book makes Houston sound more violent than it looked.  But I was only there in the daytime.  It's always more dangerous at night...

Akashic Books sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

There are brand-new stories by: Tom Abrahams, Robert Boswell, Sarah Cortez, Anton DiSclafani, Stephanie Jaye Evans, Wanjiku Wa Ngugi, Adrienne Perry, Pia Pico, Reyes Ramirez, Icess Fernandez Rojas, Sehba Sarwar, Leslie Contreras Schwartz, Larry Watts, and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton.

Most of these authors were new to me but they know how to write dark noir stories.

One story that stood out to me was Xitlali Zaragoza, Curandera.  Reyes Ramirez writes a tale of a woman who is a witch doctor.  She helps those who see spirits or who have been cursed get well again.  It's an otherworldly story that caught my attention. 

There is a lot of death in these tales.  There is also a look at different races and how life is for them.  Welcome to Texas.