Santa Fe Noir (Book Notes)
Santa Fe Noir is a collection of 14 short stories edited by Ariel Gore, featuring contributions from different writers such as Ana Castillo, John Sayles, and Benjamin Percy. The stories are all set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a city known for its rich history, diverse culture, and art scene.
The book opens with Ana Castillo's High Desert Funeral, a story about a young woman returning home to Santa Fe for her mother's funeral. As she reconnects with her family and tries to come to terms with her mother's death, she is forced to confront a dark secret from her past. In Turquoise Trail, William Deverell explores the relationship between a local artist and a wealthy collector of Native American art. As the two men become increasingly entangled, they are forced to confront the darker aspects of the art world.
In The Awakening, Ariel Gore tells the story of a young woman who moves to Santa Fe in search of a new life. But as she becomes involved with a group of spiritual seekers, she discovers that not everything is as it seems. Similarly, in Feng Shui, Margaret Coel follows a woman who believes that rearranging her furniture will help her overcome a series of setbacks. But as she becomes more obsessed with the practice, she begins to lose sight of what really matters.
Other stories in the collection delve into themes of crime, corruption, and the seedy underbelly of Santa Fe. In The Water Shrine, Kurt Mitchell tells the story of a retired cop who is pulled back into the world of crime when a friend asks him to investigate a suspicious death. In El Camino Real, Luis Alberto Urrea explores the relationship between a drug dealer and a journalist as they navigate the dangerous streets of Santa Fe.
SUMMARY: Santa Fe Noir is a compelling and atmospheric collection of stories that captures the essence of a unique city and the people who inhabit it. The stories are diverse in their style and subject matter, but they all share a common thread of exploring the dark side of human nature. Fans of crime fiction and literary fiction alike will find something to enjoy in this collection.
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