Mordent is an irascible, anachronistic ex-cop turned PI who views the world through noir-tinted glasses. These nine stories are perfect accompaniments to the crime novels but also entertaining modern noir tales in their own right. Whether the reader is familiar with Mordent and seeking to understand his backstory or is coming to this singular detective for the first time, this collection is essential reading for lovers of crime fiction. Discover Mordent’s first bubblewrap love, how his relationship with Kovacs was forged, what the ingredients are for mobster thermidor, and how Francesca Albright rose to fame. Each of these nine stories puts a neo-noir twist on the genre conventions of bums and dames, corruption and perversion, and cops and informers; all played out on rain-soaked streets amid a shadow-filled city.