Exquisite Corpse

The protagonist of the book, Andrew Compton, an English serial killer, homosexual and necrophile , is serving a sentence for his crimes. He manages to imitate his death, as a result of which the body is sent to the city morgue, from where the criminal manages to escape, killing the prosectors. In search of new victims, Compton flies to the United States, to New Orleans (the place where the action takes place and other works of Poppy Bright).

And in New Orleans, the spiritual brother of the English maniac Jay Byrne lives in his mansion. In the courtyard of his house is a slave hut, which the pervert uses to store the remains of the bodies of his victims. With Byrne, a Vietnamese boy Tran Vinh is trying to enter into a love affair, who, despite his age (21) looks like a teenager and has a very attractive appearance. Later, Andrew said that Tran has sexual energy, which asks to rip open his stomach. At the time of close communication with Jay, Tran is keenly breaking up with his boyfriend Luke Ransom. This happened after Luke showed a positive response to HIV . Tran is afraid of death, but at first does not suspect that meeting with Jay is much more dangerous than having a relationship with a former lover.

In one of the New Orleans drinking establishments, Compton meets with Byrne, who decides to bring the "English tourist" to his home and kill there. However, Andrew is quick, so Jay is forced to admit his superiority. He shows the Englishman his collection, during the inspection of which they exchange impressions of their deeds. Byrne offers Compton to eat the rest of the victims, which Andrew, after some thought, agrees. However, maniacs recognize the first drug addict killed by them as unfit for food and throw his remains into an acid tank. In addition, they enter into a sexual relationship with each other.

Then Jay still decides to kill Tran. Having lured a young man into the house, maniacs first rape and then kill the young man. Luke tries to help his lover, but he arrives in the slave hut too late - when Tran is already dead. Ransom only manages to kill Byrne. At the same time, Compton regrets only that he did not manage to kill his lover. Andrew cuts off a piece of Jay's flesh, leaves the city, and then eats his sandwich.

There are four storylines in the novel, which in the end are interwoven into one. However, the description of the line of Andrew Compton comes from the first person, while the other three - from the third.

• In 1997, the book was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in the category of "Best Novel" ^[1]

• Poppy Bright . Exquisite corpse. - M .: AST, 2005 .-- 285 s - ISBN 5-17-029085-3 . Series "Alternative"

• Review: Exquisite corpse by Poppy Z. Brite
• An Interview with Poppy Z. Brite