Born Bad

Born Bad gathers short stories by Andrew Vachss, a novelist whose work is known for its dark look at violence and cruelty. Several of the stories have never been printed before. Some of the pieces read as if they were pulled from the news: a stalker circling a faceless apartment tower, a killer whose crimes trace back to years of appalling childhood abuse, and a young gunman from the city who would kill a whole block of people just to feel he belongs somewhere.

The stories are spare and precise, and many end with a cold, deliberate twist of irony. Each one pushes the reader toward a fear that hides in ordinary, everyday places, and the collection makes clear that the danger is not far away. It is right outside the bedroom window.