Klappentext
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 ("cruel tales") include "In the Light of the Red Lamp," in which a husband's photographs of his dead wife reveal a deeper tragedy; "Fascination," 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 "The Bastard," concerning a father's suspicions about his son's paternity. Other stories include "The Taint," a view of infanticide as mercy-killing; "The Test," in which an accused murderer is forced to reenact his crime; and "A Maniac," recounting a thrill-seeker's ghoulish impulse to witness death-defying stunts gone wrong.
Dover (2016) original publication.
See every Dover book in print at
www.doverpublications.com
Inhalt
Introduction by S. T. Joshi
The Debt Collector
The Kennel
Who?
Illusion
In the Light of the Red Lamp
A Mistake
Extenuating Circumstances
The Confession
The Test
Poussette
The Father
"For Nothing"
In the Wheat
The Beggar
Under Chloroform
The Man Who Lay Asleep
Fascination
The Bastard
That Scoundrel Miron
The Taint
The Kiss
A Maniac
The 10:50 Express
Blue Eyes
The Empty House
The Last Kiss
Under Ether
The Spirit of Alsace
At the Movies
The Little Soldier
The Great Scene
After the War
The Appalling Gift
Night and Silence
The Cripple
The Look
The Horror on the Night Express
Thirty Hours with a Corpse
She Thought of Everything