Cross Town: Hogtown Noir Book 2

My latest novel, Cross Town, hit the virtual shelves this week. For the next month or so, it will be available exclusively on Amazon in ebook format. The paperback and hardcover editions will be released in early March.

It’s a true sequel in the sense that although the ‘A’ story is brand new, the ‘B’ story continues threads that were established in Port Lands. Like that novel, nothing is spoon fed. There's no “in case you missed it” instances of expository dialogue. In other words, it’s not a stand alone story. You need to read the first book to understand what’s going on.

But this also applies in reverse. Cross Town closes a number of loops that were purposely left open in book one. Several Port Lands characters make appearances, which may provide some clarity for readers who were left feeling curious. In fact, there’s a sense that without reading book two, you might not fully understand book one.

In Cross Town, we also see another side of William Keele. We learn personal details that help contextualize the bizarre events that took place (or didn’t) in Port Lands. Once again, we’re also privy to his uniquely entertaining perspective as he navigates his surroundings.

It’s a short book that moves fast, although it really does need to be read slowly and carefully. The best Noir Fiction—beginning with James M. Cain or Émile Zola or Albert Camus—these noirs were always slim little books, barely long enough to be considered novels. That’s what I was going for with Cross Town, although I realize that casual readers often confuse length with quality.

In the end, Cross Town is proudly and unapologetically a book about Toronto. If that’s something you’re unlikely to find interesting, please don’t buy it.

That’s all for now.

See you in the movies,

Tod