Exquisite Corpse is a horror novel by American writer Poppy Z. Brite. The protagonist of the story is Andrew Compton, an English convicted homosexual serial killer, cannibal and necrophiliac. Brite has described it as "a necrophilic, cannibalistic, serial killer love story that explores the seamy politics of victimhood and disease." Plot summary The novel unfolds in alternating chapters from the points of view of the four main characters. Andrew Compton, a convicted serial killer (based on serial killer Dennis Nilsen), escapes his UK prison cell in a self-induced cataleptic trance. Mistaken for dead by the authorities, he makes his way to New Orleans' French Quarter to start a new life. Seeking new victims, he instead meets Jay Byrne (based on Jeffrey Dahmer), a wealthy recluse who is also a serial killer, as well as a cannibal. The two at first intend to victimize one another, but upon realizing their similar proclivities, instead begin a torrid affair based on sex and murder. After learning that he is HIV-positive, writer Lucas Ransom reacts by rejecting all his former friends and breaking up with his teenage lover Tran. Increasingly embittered by his illness, Lucas vents his frustration through his alternate persona "Lush Rimbaud", host of a pirate radio program (in a pirate station with the callsign "WHIV") where Lucas rails at society's denial of gay men and the AIDS epidemic (coincidently, the callsign would be used in real life for a licensed station in New Orleans that chose the call letters specifically to remove stigma about HIV/AIDS but with no other relation to Brite's novel). Soon even this outlet isn't enough, and Lucas, sensing that death is approaching, becomes fixated on reconciling with Tran. Meanwhile, Tran is driven from his home after his parents learn that he is gay. Tran, who previously had a casual acquaintance with Jay, takes refuge at Jay's home, where the two have a brief sexual encounter. Jay finds himself emotionally drawn to the beautiful, vulnerable Tran but refuses to pursue him any further because he cannot conceive of a relationship that does not end in death. When Jay introduces Tran to Andrew, Andrew becomes obsessed with the idea of murdering and eating him. Jay, though reluctant, agrees to Andrew's plan, in part to rid himself of the temptation of falling in love with Tran. The two kidnap Tran and begin to slowly torture him to death. Lucas realizes