Most modern noir I've read is purely centered on crime, revenge- the dirty deeds. Nigel Bird's `Dirty Old Town' takes this a step further, digging underneath the dirty deeds to the mere oil slick black soul of it. There is depth, humanity, an ironic sense of humor mimicking real life. His stories reach in and ask questions, where most noir forces the answer without taking the time to build the question. I find this incredibly refreshing and it shows Nigel's talent. I would love to read a longer work by this writer. For lovers of noir and crime this collection is a must read. ( )

Just from story one "Taking a Line for a Walk" I know this collection is going to take turns making me chuckle and sucker punching me in the gut. From the fellow who wrote "Beat on the Brat," 9 more tales with heart. From heartbreakers like "Sea Minor" to good laughs like "Three Little Birds" (if you have a sick sense of humor like me) this collection of fine stories is worth your while. Nigel is known in crime fiction circles, but these city tales shouldn't be pigeonholed. Full of emotion, they run the gamut and reminded me of Dubliners in how as a whole, they give a picture to the Dirty Old Town he lives in.
5/5 ( )

This short volume consists of nine stories, most depressing, all fairly well-written. Actually, calling them stories probably paints the wrong picture. While things do happen and event follows event, they seem contrived to arrive at a certain point and leave you with a certain feeling. There is an art in that, and Bird does it pretty well a couple of times, but overall this just wasn't my cup of tea. You may like it better. I'm not opposed to downbeat stories, but they need a little more complexity than Bird brings to them. ( )