Edited by Harold Schechter and Kurt Brown
Knopf, $13.50, 255 pages
ISBN 9780307700933

In the foreword of this collection, editors Harold Schechter and Kurt Brown mention the beauty of warfare artifacts in the MoMA in New York City and compare the intricacies of these beautiful weapons to the savage crimes committed with them. It’s the contradictions of life and death that make the offerings in this collection lead to a bit of hair raising along the collar and pique our interest about blood and guts. It’s the unanswered questions and the psychological allure of the kill that will keep readers mesmerized.

“Mrs. Murphy killed her mate.
The act was frowned on byt the state.
She murmured, just before they threw the switch, “It’s just what spiders do.”"

Through poems about famous murders like Cain and Abel, Lizzie Borden, Matthew Shepherd, or Jack the Ripper, verses that delve into the minds of the perpetrator and elegies honoring the memory of the victim, Schechter and Brown present a historical and yet disturbing look at this unnatural crime. From Scottish ballads to current pulp noir, readers may question why they can’t get enough.

If the poetry doesn’t grab your attention, the cover definitely will. Bright red strands of blood dripping down from the top set the tone. A must-read, must-own book for lovers of poetry and the workings of the human mind.

Reviewed by LuAnn Schindler