Where Angels Fall: The Noir Collective

British authors Newman, Bowie, and Heatley demonstrate that less is more in this solid anthology. The best of the three is Newman’s “Twist of the Blade,” set in 1994 Birmingham, England. Ronnie, a prison inmate, is hoping just to serve out the remainder of his sentence and begin anew. Then fellow prisoner Monaghan, a lifer who was once a sadistic enforcer, orders wardens to escort Ronnie to a meeting with a stranger named Frank. When Frank tells Ronnie that gangster Malkie Thompson wants him to keep an eye on a new prisoner deemed a risk to Thompson’s business, Ronnie is forced to make some hard choices. In Heatley’s memorable “Video Nasty,” Danielle, who appears in “illicit under the counter movies,” goes to extremes to get the pay the director owes her. Bowie’s “Spitting Feathers,” set in 1990s Bristol, deepens a familiar genre trope—the hard-bitten crook looking to go clean. Desperate lives, with the threat of violence and death always looming, are presented convincingly. All three tales serve as fine introductions to the noir subgenre. (Self-published)