His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood and Other Stories by Poppy Z. Brite

That is where the legendary aromatic drink that came to symbolise decadence was invented in the late 18th Century. It is a novel for those who dare trespass where the sacred and profane become one.Arthur Rimbaud called absinthe the “sagebrush of the glaciers” because a key ingredient, the bitter-tasting herb Artemisia absinthium or wormwood, is plentiful in the icy Val-de-Travers region of Switzerland. Exquisite Corpse confirms Brite as a writer who defies categorization. Brite dissects the landscape of torture and invites us into the mind of a killer. Ultimately all four characters converge on a singular bloody night after which their lives will be irrevocably changed - or terminated. Luke Ransom, Tran's ex-lover, who is dying of AIDS and who intends to wreak ultimate havoc before leaving this world, Exquisite Corpse unfolds into a labyrinth of murder and love. Swiftly moving from the grimy streets of London's Piccadilly Circus to the decadence of the New Orleans French Quarter, and punctuated by rants from radio talk show host Lush Rimbaud, a.k.a.

Together, Compton and Byrne set their sights on an exquisite young Vietnamese-American runaway, Tran, whom they deem to be the perfect victim. Tortured by his own perverse desires, and drawn to possess and destroy young boys, Compton inadvertently joins forces with Jay Byrne, a dissolute playboy who has pushed his 'art' to limits even Compton hadn't previously imagined. After feigning his own death to escape from prison, Compton makes his way to the United States with the sole ambition of bringing his 'art' to new heights. To serial slayer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art. Brite masterfully shakes equal parts ambition, scandal, ?lé powder, cocaine, and murder, and serves Liquor straight up, with a twist. But ?rst they need to pacify a local crank who doesn’t want to see his neighborhood disturbed, sidestep Rickey’s deranged ex-boss, rein in their big-mouth silent partner before he runs amok, and stay afloat in a stew of corruption in a town well known for its bottom feeders.Ī manic, spicy romp through the kitchens, back alleys, dive bars, and drug deals of the country’s most sublimely ridiculous city, author Poppy Z. With some wheeling and dealing, a slew of great recipes, and a few lucky breaks, Rickey and G-man are soon on their way to opening Liquor, their very own restaurant. When Rickey concocts the idea of opening a restaurant in their alcohol-loving hometown where every dish packs a spirited punch, they know they’re on their way to the bank.

New Orleans natives Rickey and G-man are lifetime friends and down-and-out line cooks desperate to make a quick buck.

His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood and Other Stories by Poppy Z. Brite