Characterized by gratuitous acts of brutality and surprise endings, these tales of obsession and violence are the creations of a twentieth-century French writer whose works were staged by the legendary Théâtre du Grand-Guignol of Paris. The precursors of modern thrillers and slasher films, these stories have been specially selected for this edition and introduced by horror specialist S. T. Joshi. Thirty-nine conte cruel ("e;cruel tales"e;) include "e;In the Light of the Red Lamp,"e; in which a husband's photographs of his dead wife reveal a deeper tragedy; "e;Fascination,"e; the tale of a morbid passion that develops when the narrator, determined to stay at home, shoots his mistress for the sake of peace and quiet; and "e;The Bastard,"e; concerning a father's suspicions about his son's paternity. Other stories include "e;The Taint,"e; a view of infanticide as mercy-killing; "e;The Test,"e; in which an accused murderer is forced to reenact his crime; and "e;A Maniac,"e; recounting a thrill-seeker's ghoulish impulse to witness death-defying stunts gone wrong.
