In New York City, an unsuccessful scriptwriter, Marvin Waller, comes under suspicion of being a Serial Killer. A 2011 novella by Stephen Leather.
- The Big Rotten Apple: New York City is portrayed as a seething hellscape of police corruption and sadistic, unsolved serial murder.
- The Bad Guy Wins:
- Marvin goads Turner into physically attacking him with racist abuse and stalking, ruining his career. For this, Marvin apparently gets interest from studios and moved to Los Angeles.
- Marchinko kills Marvin, is close to killing Sarah, and gets away with everything.
- Bunker Woman: Sarah Hall, and all the killer's victims before her.
- Psycho Lesbian: Marchinko is a serial rapist and murderer of other women.
- Samus Is a Girl: The serial killer and predator is Lisa Marchinko.
- Soulless Bedroom: When Marvin breaks into Lisa Marchinko's house at the end of the novella, he's disturbed to see how clean and ordered but unfurnished the house is. The bedroom is the biggest offender, containing only the occupant's clothes and nothing personal at all, to the point where he can't even see the point in trashing it. He goes downstairs and learns that she is the Serial Killer who has been sexually torturing and murdering women.
- Torture Cellar: The titular basement.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: The story is divided between Marvin (first person) and the Serial Killer (second person), who may or may not be one person. They're not.
