Noir at the Bar

The line between crime fiction and horror fiction is thin—after all, crime stories are often horrible, and what do they do if not produce ghosts? So we’re counting the return of Noir at the Bar as an early spooky treat for the Halloween season. The event, which brings together independent crime authors to read from and sell their contraband, originated in St. Louis and was replicated in other cities across the country. Our local crime boss is a shadowy fellow, last known alias Eryk Pruitt, who’s actually not very shadowy—instead, he’s a noted independent crime author, filmmaker, and erstwhile INDY contributor. At Yonder: Southern Cocktails and Local Brew, the newish bar he co-owns in Hillsborough, Pruitt convenes a devilish gallery of writers, including James Maxey (Bitterwood), Suzanne Adair (Deadly Occupation), and Shawn Cosby (My Darkest Prayer), and cultivates a convivial, perhaps raucous vibe. Tip your bartender. Or else?