Eric Poole and Lori are about as nasty a pair of characters as one is likely to find in literature. Poole is a psychopath—he feels nothing for anyone and lives entirely for his own self-gratification, which includes being "tender." He begins by finding "tenderness" with kittens. He breaks their fragile bones and eventually kills them. He takes it upon himself to rid his neighborhood of felines, killing them with his special brand of tenderness. He eventually takes to tormenting and killing other animals. When they no longer satisfy him, he turns to killing young women. He sees this as entirely logical; when animals will not suffice, then human beings must.

He gets away with his seemingly intolerably cruel crimes because much of society conspires with him, helping him succeed. Even his victims help. When a little boy, people would comment on what a pretty and fine-looking...