Queens Noir

EDITED BY

ROBERT KNIGHTLY

Baltimore Noir, edited by Laura Lippman

Bronx Noir, edited by S.J. Rozan

Brooklyn Noir, edited by Tim McLoughlin

Brooklyn Noir2: 7be Classics, edited by Tim McLoughlin

Chicago Noir, edited by Neal Pollack

D.C. Noir, edited by George Pelecanos

DetroitNoir, edited by E.J. Olsen &John C. Hocking

Dublin Noir (Ireland), edited by Ken Bruen

Havana Noir (Cuba), edited by Achy Obejas

London Noir (England), edited by Cathi Unsworth

LosAngelesNoir, edited by Denise Hamilton

Manhattan Noir, edited by Lawrence Block

Miami Noir, edited by Les Standiford

New Orleans Noir, edited byJulie Smith

San Francisco Noir, edited by Peter Maravelis

Twin Cities Noir, edited by Julie Schaper & Steven Horwitz

Wall StreetNoir, edited by Peter Spiegelman

Brooklyn Noir 3, edited by Tim McLoughlin &Zhomas Adcock

D.C. Noir2:7be Classics, edited by George Pelecanos

Delhi Noir (India), edited by Hirsh Sawhney

Istanbul Noir (Turkey), edited by Mustafa Ziyalan & Amy Spangler

Lagos Noir (Nigeria), edited by Chris Abani

Las Vegas Noir, edited by Jarret Keene &Todd James Pierce

Manhattan Noir2: The Classics, edited by Lawrence Block

Mexico City Noir (Mexico), edited by Paco I. Taibo II

Moscow Noir (Russia), edited by Natalia Smirnova & Julia Goumen

Paris Noir (France), edited by Aurelien Masson

PortlandNoir, edited by Kevin Sampsell

Rome Noir (Italy), edited by Chiara Stangalino & Maxim Jakubowski

San Francisco Noir2: The Classics, edited by Peter Maravelis

Toronto Noir (Canada), edited by Janine Armin & Nathaniel G. Moore

Trinidad Noir, edited by Lisa Allen-Agostini & Jeanne Mason

To the women in my life: my beloved wife Rose,
without whom this book would still be a thought;
and my precious sisters, Maureen and Lillian.

13
Introduction

PART I: QUEENS ON THE FLY: BY SEA, HORSE, TRAIN, PLANE, AND SILVER SCREEN

23
MAGGIE ESTEP Aqueduct Racetrack Alice Fantastic

39 DENIS HAMILL Bayside Under the Throgs Neck Bridge

64
JILL EISENSTADT The Rockaways Golden Venture

77
JOSEPH GUGLIELMELLI Shea Stadium Buckner's Error

89
PATRICIA KING JFK Airport Baggage Claim

95
KIM SYKES Long Island City Arrivederci, Aldo

PART II: OLD QUEENS

113
MEGAN ABBOTT Forest Hills Hollywood Lanes

128
MARY BYRNE Astoria Only the Strong Survive

156
ROBERT KNIGHTLY Blissyille First Calvary

160
ALAN GORDON Rego Park Bottom of the Sixth

182
VICTORIA ENG Flushing The Flower of Flushing

192
STEPHEN SOLOMITA College Point Crazy Jill Saves the Slinky

213
TORI CARRINGTON Ditmars Last Stop, Ditmars

PART III: FOREIGN SHORES

231
SHAILLY AGNIHOTRI Jackson Heights Avoid Agony

246
K.J.A. WISHNIA Corona Viernes Loco

270
GLENVILLE LOVELL South Jamaica Out of Body

281
Liz MARTINEZ Woodside Lights Out for Frankie

303
JILLIAN ABBOTT Richmond Hill Jihad Sucks; or, The Conversion of the Jews

327
BELINDA FARLEY Jamaica The Investigation

344
About the Contributors

ueens is New York City's biggest borough, with the
most parks and cemeteries, both major airports,
Shea Stadium, the city's only racetrack, and 150
languages spoken by more foreign-born residents than live
anywhere else in the U.S. No wonder Queens has attitude.
And plenty of noir to go around. That's the premise of Queens
Noir. I chose these nineteen authors for their solid connections
to the borough, not to mention their skewed worldviews. This
introduction is organized as a tour of the neighborhoods. It
begins at the point where a traveler from Manhattan touches
down in Queens.