By Reason of Insanity

This is a picture of my well-worn copy of By Reason of Insanity. I should replace it with the newer version published by University of Chicago Press in 2007, but I'm attached to this copy. Finding this and Dead City at the library book sale when I came to college were hugely influential in my development as a writer.

Stevens' book not only predates Thomas Harris's novels but also the term "serial killer" itself and it's a better novel.

Despite the chilling appeal of Hannibal the Cannibal, he is ultimately the equivalent of a comic book villain...without the cape. With his genius level intelligence, photographic memory, artistic ability and capacity for physical violence, I'm always surprised we've never seen Lecter cackling maniacally as he prepares to unleash a death cloud over New York City. His exploits over the successive and less engaging novels are directly responsible for the serial killer sub-genre still wasting valuable shelf-space.

Stevens's killer is a much different beast. Thomas Bishop is a real monster. The kind only humans can make. And his victims are living, breathing people. Sad and lonely and vulnerable. Not just meat awaiting the carving knife.

If you've never read it, I suggest you pick up a copy. If you're a Stevens fan and multilingual, there have been some very nice editions released recently in France and Italy.