“Flashbacks and ‘Second Sight’: The Ravine” by Ken Hall

FILM REVIEW: “The combination of noir, suspense, and spiritual and fantastic elements prevents the film from being an ordinary inspirational piece.”

Help NoirCon Return in 2022

Through our GoFundMe campaign, we seek to raise $5000 to cover costs for a virtual platform for our 2022 conference. Any funds raised beyond that will go towards future NoirCon events. Donations of any size will guarantee access to the 2022 NoirCon (limited to the first 400 contributors).

“Hard Case Crime, April 2022: It’s Westlake!” by Matthew Sorrento

NONFICTION: “As the renown imprint presents the last unpublished novel by the author, it delivers one of his most unique and rewarding….”

“Resurrection” by Barbara Buckley Ristine

FLASH FICTION: “There had been a time when she was too squeamish to touch a spider, when she would cry at the sight of a dead bird, but not now….”

“Dead at the Center: Enigmatic Noir Femmes and Psychopaths” by Ken Hall

NONFICTION: “Such characters differ in their affect from another class of noir figures, those who seem ‘dead at the center,’ displaying little or no genuine emotion as they proceed through the narrative. Perhaps these characters might be classified popularly as ‘psychopaths,’ although the definition of the term according to psychological theory and practice is complex….”

“Oh and One” by Joseph Hirsch

POETRY: “Unburdened of victory, and with it, expectation….”

“Headline: City Mourns Slain Pol, Chicago Style” by David Hagerty

FICTION: “Compared to a generation ago, when bootleggers and gangsters controlled this city, it’s uncommon for an alderman to die violently now, and many people still looked shocked….”

“Race, Corruption, and Cover-ups: Aaron Clark on Under Color of Law” by Johnnie Hobbs III

INTERVIEW: “I wanted to explore themes of social justice, police abuses, race and identity, and the impacts of trauma. In many ways, Under Color of Law is a character study….”

“The Prodigy” by Jim Towns

POETRY: “The burned shell / of the house / sat empty for years….”

“Graham Moore’s Unified and Inventive The Outfit” by Ken Hall

REVIEW: “The intricately plotted tale of betrayals, informants, and outbreaks of violence is presented in a format familiar to classical theatre but not as common in contemporary filmmaking. The scope of the onscreen narrative is restricted to the tailor shop, the time span is very limited, and the action of the film, while complex, focuses on the importance of some elusive evidence of a ‘rat’ in the Boyle gang.”