Noir Short Stories

A collection of short noir fiction—some brief, some lingering.

For smaller fragments and quick exchanges from the same world, visit the Asides.

The Collection

Blonde woman with a tear in her eye sitting in a dimly lit diner booth, noir-style illustration suggesting emotional ambiguity.

Alligator Tears

He went looking for answers after she was killed.
What he finds isn’t grief. It’s something else.

Man in a butcher shop wearing an apron, noir-style illustration suggesting unease and hidden violence.

The Butcher of Wellesley

A village. A murder.
And too many people with a reason.

Man in a suit reading a document with smoke curling around him, noir-style illustration suggesting tension and secrecy.

The Substitute

For the right price, he becomes you.
And deals with what’s coming.

Man and woman sitting in a car at night, noir-style illustration suggesting tension and unresolved conflict.

Bostwick Blues

He just escaped from prison.
She’s the reason he might come back.

Man listening to an angry woman across a table, noir-style illustration suggesting tension and emotional conflict.

Anger Mismanagement

Max Moxie was having a bad day.
It was about to get worse.

Woman sitting alone at a bar with a drink, noir-style illustration with a seductive and dangerous atmosphere.

Cocaine Nights

She has information he needs.
She also has something to lose.