Perverts

by Adam Cosco

Perverts is a provocative, darkly comedic collection of interconnected stories set against the backdrop of Los Angeles in 2012, as the city burns. It pulls back the curtain on the secret lives of sexual deviants, abusers, addicts, and fame-chasers lurking in the shadows of the City of Angels. Each tale is boldly erotic and savagely satirical, exposing the hollowness behind Hollywood’s glamour.

From a powerful Tinseltown predator spinning a web of exploitation, to a desperate addict in search of salvation, these stories paint a raw, unfiltered portrait of a city in collapse. Unapologetically transgressive yet wickedly witty, Perverts blurs the line between comedy and horror; you’ll find yourself laughing one moment and recoiling the next. The result is a searing satire of Los Angeles where the real monsters wear human faces.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 13, 2025

About the author

Adam Cosco is an award-winning author and filmmaker whose work dives deep into the shadows of the human psyche. A graduate of the prestigious American Film Institute, Adam cut his teeth in Hollywood before turning his focus to novels—crafting stories that blend horror, psychological suspense, and dark satire.

His novels—Little Brother, Say Goodbye to Jonny Hollywood, Lowlands, The Heart of a Child, and his latest mind-bending thriller The Dream Killer—have captivated readers with their atmospheric dread and sharp psychological insight.

Fearless, provocative, and impossible to ignore, Adam Cosco writes the kind of stories that leave a mark.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Like sex after an apology, there's no dignity in it"

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book, all I knew was that the author felt the need make a release day post on r/EtremeHorrorLit and that sub hasn't really let me down yet, so I really wasn't prepared for the wild ride it turned out to be. I think this is one of these books that would make a nice bridge between regular horror and extreme horror/bizarro fiction.

Perverts is a unique blend of funny, heartbreaking and bleak. There were so many quotable lines, and the writing style was most pleasant. The story is told in interconnected short stories and the author managed to give each character a life of their own. The imagery was great too, the whole thing is set on a background of environmental disaster that's been normalized which I thought was a great choice.

Also, there's dolphin fuckboi, I said what I said, and that still didn't ruin the whole thing just gave a little extra *vibe* so you know that you need to read it at least for that!

[Cherise Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about this one. The first three stories failed to resonate with me at all. I just didn't connect with them. I just stayed because the book was written so well. I am so glad I did because those final stories were fantastic.

This was my first book by Adam Cosco, and it has definitely left its mark. It's dark, twisted, humorous, and grotesque. Set in Los Angeles that is on the brink of collapsing. The fire that is consuming the city lends to the sense of dread and foreboding that this book has.

Each story, despite me not loving all of them, definitely leaves it mark. Don't get me wrong, every story is good and expertly written. I just like my horror a little darker and the final stories really delivered in that area. I like the way the author hints that the city is literally hell itself and burning because of all the evil that takes place there. This book wasn't just written. It was crafted, well thought out, and ultimately, well executed. Adam is now on my radar.

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perverts is a jagged mirror held up to Los Angeles, reflecting every crack, stain, and rot festering beneath the neon glow. Cosco’s interconnected tales are cruelly funny, uncomfortably erotic, and steeped in a hopelessness that clings long after the last page. It’s satire sharpened into a knife—sometimes too vicious, sometimes too indulgent, but always unforgettable. Hollywood burns here, and all that’s left are its monsters.

[Daniel Nobles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam Cosco is at it again with a story like no other! This book hits numerous triggers and has just as many questions as to where it will go next, every story enjoyable in their own right. Some sad, some funny, a lot of WTF did I just read moments compiled to make a one of a kind read by an amazing writer!

[Honey Dy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start my review by being honest. I wasn’t sure what to expect when i dove right into Perverts, burying my nose into the Erotica, Extreme horror with sexualized themes but it's Adam Cosco, and frankly, WHY NOT?

Set in a city that's burning and virtually broken, I had my doubts that Adam Cosco would deliver. But now that I’ve read it, I’m seriously asking: is there anything this man can’t write?

The short answer is NO...and ill tell you why...

Lets just say, Cosco shows us the true nature of Hollywood's underbelly, and reveals a various cast of characters ranging from your addicts, your sexual predators, the fame whores, and those souls lost forever in society.

With each story, Adam peels back layer after layer of the filth and rot from LA's facade of glitz and glamour and literally throws and vomits it in your face.

At times, i found the eroticism somewhat uncomfortable, but i guess that's the whole point with having Perverts as the title.

And the horror? Deliberate and unflinching.

What makes Perverts really stick is how Cosco blurs the line between the disgusting and the deeply human. Somehow, amidst the sleaze, you find empathy. It’s terrifying how good he is at this.

This collection isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s raw, wild, and 100% unfiltered. If you’re brave enough to dive in, Perverts will leave one of two things, either it will scar you, or it'll have you grinning like a cat that got the cream.

There are numerous novels i've read by Adam, Heart of a Child, The End (BETA READ), and Dream Killer. Each and every time Adam consistently proves that he can write literally anything and make it unforgettable.

I highly recommend Perverts!

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although "Perverts" is marketed as a collection of interrelated stories, I prefer to see it as a non-standardly plotted, single tale of perversion and sin, belonging in the tradition of Cronenberg and Ballard: the connections between the stories, the writing style, the atmosphere, and the setting, make this a cohesive, smartly unified and solid narrative of multiple POVs revolving around each other, till the horrifying, practically perfect ending is reached.

The book reads like a brilliant and original horror noir, full of cantankerous and flawed characters, punctuated by morbid twists, with a silent and filthy LA in the background, permanently in flames. The characters keep wandering about, sometimes in boredom, other times in hopelessness, most often in quiet resignation and bleak despair. And yet love can bloom even among these failed actresses, maladaptive junkies and depraved producers, though LA proves not to be the place love can flourish. So many monsters are lurking in the corner, ready to reveal themselves the moment they can take advantage of someone's need. Branding all this predatory attitude and the ensuing degradation as the expression of perversion may be an understatement, but it absolutely fits for most of the situations in the story: a threesome that turns into a sick proof of emotional dependence; an addict turning detective to find hope and purpose; the wife of a Hollywood celebrity charged with plagiarism; a girl allying herself with the wrong people; an amateur cameraman dreaming of making banned movies.

That said, it soon becomes clear that Adam Cosco is having a lot of fun with this story. It's brimming with intelligence, cynicism, and dark wit. The psychological aspects feel spot on. Several of the chapters felt to me like Cosco’s best work. And the ending is genuinely powerful. In brief, a terrific horror book for fans of complex plot and penetrating insights into corrupt humanity! Highly recommended!

[Plottwistsandchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished Perverts and honestly? I had to sit and digest it (appropriate choice of word or what?) before I could even attempt a review. I feel like I need a shower… and maybe a therapist.

It’s a collection of interconnected stories, each one more unhinged, inappropriate, and downright vulgar than the last ....and somehow? It’s kind of genius. Adam Cosco manages to make you laugh, cringe, recoil, and question your own moral compass all at once. It made me feel dirty… but then again, haven’t the sordid, corrupt stories spilling out of Hollywood in recent years made us feel the same way?

And speaking of Hollywood… the whole backdrop of “Hollywood being on fire”— not just metaphorically, but literally. We’ve watched it burn on the news, and we’ve watched it burn figuratively too, as all the gross, corrupt, and downright evil “untouchables” have finally started getting smoked out.( although I fear we've barley scrapped the surface) Cosco leans right into that energy, exposing the rot in a way that felt uncomfortably true to the real world.

Dark, stomach churning, uncomfortable — and absolutely unforgettable. I love something thought provoking and that stays with you days later even after you've read other books.

Rating updated to 4.5 *

Thanks to Adam Cosco & Book Sirens for this ARC

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟

Thank you to Adam for the ARC!

This could be my favourite book of the month. Everything about this I loved. I loved how refreshing it was to jump from story to story, I loved that in some way or another all the stories were connected, bringing the depth that I crave. I loved the spice (the weirder the better imo) & trust me when I say it gets weird 😂

If a book has cult like vibes, the bad side of Hollywood, murder, torture, cannibalism AND great writing. Sign me up buttercup, im all in.

Plus the cover got me, like weird, stunning drag race vibes, more pls 🙏

[Shae Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ - Perverts is a collection of short stories set in 2012 Los Angeles as the city burns. It pulls back the shiny Hollywood curtain to reveal the darker, stranger and downright perverse lives of its inhabitants. Each story is bizarre in its own way, but together they form a vivid picture of a city teeming with twisted realities and the hidden horrors behind Hollywood’s glamorous facade.

These stories are incredibly weird, depraved, and yet deeply human. Cosco pulls us into Hollywood’s underbelly, where addicts, sexual predators and fame chasers collide. The writing is filthy and raw, with surprising moments of emotion and empathy hidden amongst the sleaze. There are heavy trigger warnings, as the book dives headfirst into the dark side of fame, power, and manipulation. At times, the stories almost slip into fever dream territory, but they still manage to feel disturbingly real.

I loved the fast-paced writing style and the darkly funny, almost satirical undertones. The ending did feel a little abrupt, but overall I found this to be a really solid and memorable collection.

A huge thank you to Adam Cosco for reaching out, and to BookSirens for the ARC.

[Horror Haus Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a collection of stories about characters living in Los Angeles and it showcases the darker side to Hollywood. Some of the stories at times interconnected which I really enjoyed! The writing is fast paced, dark and twisted. A solid collection for sure!

[Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perverts is shocking, guttural, and depraved. Those are the first words to my mind to summarize the experience here. This is a collection of filthy little stories set against the backdrop of a burning Los Angeles. The flames aren’t just scenery but a symbol. A city on fire both literally and morally. The blaze feels like the city’s conscience combusting. It also serves as the interconnection between these stories. Always lurking in the back.

This isn’t just reading but an experience. My emotions ricocheted from discomfort to revulsion to intrigue, until I found myself staring at the wall, every nerve twitching.

This is infinity level spice. I had no idea what I was stepping into, but something in Cosco’s storytelling kept me hooked, compelled to cringe onward. You’ll need bleach for your eyeballs, but just when you’re ready to look away, the story shifts into something deeper. A raw and layered social commentary on fire beneath the grime. I don’t read much spice, but I respect when it serves a purpose and here, it does.

Cosco makes no apologies but it’s not just shock for the sake of shock (some of it may be). The stories dissect taboo subjects: Hollywood’s hidden rot, the elite’s secrecy, exploitation, trafficking, and snuff. The filth in LA.

The prose is both matter of fact and vague somehow. It swung from almost clinical one moment to nearly cryptic the next and that weird tension builds a unique kind of horror. You both want much less information and much more. There’s a touch of body horror, but the true terror is psychological.

I have more thoughts than I can articulate, but this is one of those works best experienced. I don’t endorse the acts within, but I deeply respect the way they’re used as commentary and catharsis. It’s ugly on purpose, and it should be. The method is abrasive, but it’s effective. I’m left shocked, disgusted, and a little enviouos of the massive audacity.

Thank you to Adam Cosco for the gifted copy. I’ll be checking out his other work. Though not before a few palate cleansers… and maybe some bleach.

[AWellReadBody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything by Adam Cosco and I am now this authors newest fan. The chapters are set up as interconnected short stories playing out during the 2012 Los Angeles fires. It’s as if Cosco found the true scum of LA and used it to create all of the characters found in this book. As a previous resident of Los Angeles for the first 33 years of my life, I felt like the a lot of the characters were pretty spot on. It’s terrible.
This book reeks of emptiness and desperation much like the alleyways of Sunset and Hollywood BLVD after dark. Nostalgic.
The writing is superb. I’ve read a lot of books in this genre and I’m sometimes turned off by an author’s writing style, but I was actually surprised by how beautifully written this book is. There were some lines that made me pause so I could really take them in. For example “…the wordless confession between two beings cursed with the same flaw, intelligence without fluency. Empathy without language.” I couldn’t just read past that. I needed to stop and digest it for a bit. And then there were descriptions that made me pause because of how accurate and visceral they are. For example, “… street outside Starfish Apartments smells like aluminum and sadness.” I remember what that smells like, but I could have never come up with the words to explain it myself.
And don’t get me started on the humor. I laughed…uncomfortably…multiple times while reading this. But NO this is NOT a comedy. Definitely not a comedy.
5 stars. Just do yourself a favor and read this book.

[Shawn Gipson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Weird in all the right ways."

Adam Cosco sent me a copy of Perverts in exchange for an honest review, promising it was a weird book—and he absolutely delivered on that front.

Perverts is a collection of short stories that loosely (and sometimes tightly) interconnect, all orbiting around the bizarre, dark, and often perverse lives of people in Los Angeles. Some characters make brief cameos in other stories, while others are deeply entangled in each other's twisted realities. The structure reminded me a bit of a David Lynch film meets Crash (the Cronenberg one), with a healthy dose of satire and social commentary.

The writing is sharp, vivid, and at times unsettling—which fits the subject matter perfectly. I enjoyed most of the stories, especially the ones where the connections were more obvious or cleverly layered. That said, I did feel like the ending came a bit too quickly and didn’t land with the same impact as the rest of the book. It felt more abrupt than conclusive.

At 230 pages, it’s a quick read and honestly the perfect length for what it set out to do. If you're into strange, slightly depraved, but ultimately human stories, Perverts is worth checking out.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perverts by Adam Cosco
🧠 interconnected stories | 🎧 dark comedy | ⚖️ satire of Hollywood

➡️ɢᴏᴏᴅ ꜰᴏʀ:
Fans of transgressive lit, dark comedy, and books that laugh in your face while dragging you through the mud.
➡️ꜱᴋɪᴘ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴇᴅ:
A neat happy ending, wholesome vibes, or characters you can fully root for.

➡️ᴀᴅᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʙʀ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ…
° Like interconnected short stories that crash into each other in shocking ways
° Want satire that’s as sharp as a razorblade
° Have a soft spot for Hollywood horror

➡️ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
A collection of dark, erotic, and unsettling stories set in 2012 Los Angeles, as the city burns both literally and morally. Behind the glamour lurks predators, addicts, abusers, and fame-hungry souls, all orbiting a Hollywood collapsing under its own rot.

➡️ᴛʜʀɪʟʟ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
This was epic. The way the stories fold into each other is wild and so satisfying. As someone who grew up in Southern California, the setting hit me hard—the toxic glow of LA feels like a character itself. Think Maeve Fly but splintered into jagged shards. Nothing here is safe or sacred, and Cosco doesn’t flinch from peeling back the veneer. It’s grotesque, funny, and disturbingly honest.

[CozyBookReviewz · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be completely transparent, I was nervous going in. I’m a very picky reader and have DNF’d plenty of books. But from the very first page, I was hooked. The writing is sharp, witty, and fast-paced — there’s never a dull moment.

⚠️ That said, this is not a light or feel-good read. There are heavy trigger warnings, and the story dives headfirst into the darkest corners of fame, power, and manipulation. While fictional, it paints a disturbingly believable picture of the horrors that can exist behind the glamor of Hollywood.

It’s twisted, it’s unsettling, and it never lets up — but it’s also incredibly well-written. A strong 4 stars from me.

[Sarahsbookishthoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly thank you Adam for allowing me to read an advanced copy for free! I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

Where do I even begin? Even with the description and the brief “heads up” at the start, nothing could have prepared me for what unfolded in this book. It dives deep into the darker side of Hollywood, and what’s unsettling is how plausible it all feels. You never really know what happens behind closed doors, but this book offers a glimpse into what just might be going on.

The stories are well written as well as being fast-paced which makes the book impossible to put down. Each one pulls you in immediately, and I loved how they interconnected. That added layer gave more depth to each narrative, and it was fascinating to watch everything come together by the end.

This is the first book i've read by the author but it certainly won't be the last!

[Lily Salinas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book might not appeal to everyone. I have to say, though, that this is a really good book. There are some spicy scenes in this intense horror book. There are trigger warnings available. It is really well written. I couldn't stop reading the book.

[Brooke Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected surprise- has horror but I actually really enjoyed it. Collection of interconnected short stories!

[TiffanysBookCult · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ This was a good if not semi chaotic horror read! Overall I like where the story started and ended but the middle threw me off.
I love the idea of Hollywood burning and being consumed by its greed, evilness and perversions. The author does a great job setting the backdrop with the fires and creating an overall feel of chaos and almost manic emotions.
The story was comprised of parts and I honestly thought they were all going to be separate, not connected stories. When we got finished with the dolphin story and went back to the other I got really confused. Truly I’m still a little lost at what happened there in the middle.
I really did like the overall theme and vibe of the book though and recommend to someone who wants to embrace the chaos.

[pastiesandpages - Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perverts by Adam Cosco

Thank you @adam_cosco for the eARC.

A provocative title for this collection of inter-connected short stories that merely hints at the contents.
Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles on fire this is a provocative, savagely satirical & darkly comedic, kink-driven narrative of horror and depravity.

When a story about a woman falling in love with a dolphin (and acting on that love!) feels like the most normal thing in the book you know you're in for a wild ride where one moment you're smirking at the witty dialogue and the next thing you know you're recovering from a thousand yard stare, slack-jawed at the taboo-busting horror just witnessed.

This book is a Hollywood fever dream with the focus on the seedy underbelly of life and as the fire burns out of control the level of horror increases.

The first three stories work as standalone stories with links between them but as we move onto the fourth story, Lost In Hollywood, the book changes pace and the subsequent stories follow on directly, gradually turning more into chapters of a novel with more and more connections to the earlier part of the book.
Lost in Hollywood in particular has whip-smart dialogue and prose that crackles, virtually demanding to be read aloud like some kind of deranged beat poetry performance.

The second half of the book is ultra-dark, a noir film on steroids, with a main character emerging from a haze of heroin high to take on a crusade against depravity and protect a woman who could be his redemption. I won't give any more details. No spoilers here.

One of the stories is called Initiation and I think I've just been initiated into Cosco's dark imagination of perversion that is too dark for any Hollywood Babylon. These are narratives of consensual depravity, fame chasing wannabes selling their souls, characters whose consciences have gone to a fiery hell as everything burns around them.

The writing is smart and surprising but you may want to check out the trigger warnings before diving into this one.

[Nelli Lakatos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A breathtakingly beautiful and brutal collection of unique short stories I absolutely fell in love with.

I highly recommend checking out this collection if you love dark reads!

𝐍𝐨 "𝐈" 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞
A dark and unforgettable read that made me fall in love with Adam's writing from the very first page. I couldn't put it down and it left me craving more!

𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥
"𝙳𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚔𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚊?"
"𝙽𝚘,"𝙸 𝚜𝚊𝚢.
𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝.
𝙷𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚜,"𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚕... 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞."

"𝙶𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚝'𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙸𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝... 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗. 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚝 𝚔𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚊. 𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚛. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝚠𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗."

A satisfying and exquisite read.

𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝
"𝚆𝚎'𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗."
A deep and powerful story.
🌊🐬🌊

𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝
"𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎'𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚞𝚎𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢'𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍. 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚏 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝... 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍?"

This was such an interesting tale. A continuation to the previous stories intertwined.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧
"𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚛𝚍?" 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚜, 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔."𝙸 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜... 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚔𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐,'𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗.' 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗... 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎."

𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
"𝙸'𝚖 𝚜𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚜𝚝. 𝚂𝚘 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐.. 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚊𝚝." 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚜. "𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎!" 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚖.

𝐖𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝
A tender and intense ending for this extraordinary collection that became a new all time favorite. And I'm sure now that this will end up in my favorite books of 2025 too.
This book definitely isn't for everyone but I absolutely loved every second of it!

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

Thank you so much BookSirens and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Sam Veltre · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up *Perverts*, I had no idea what to expect, but this collection of interconnected stories, set against the grim backdrop of a perpetually burning, environmentally-ravaged Los Angeles, was an utterly unique and unforgettable experience. The book functions less like a simple anthology and more like a single, cohesive narrative that holds a **jagged mirror** up to Hollywood’s seedy underbelly. Adam Cosco's writing is expertly crafted, brimming with intelligence, dark wit, and cynicism, constantly delivering surprising, quotable lines and a deeply compelling atmosphere of **dread and foreboding**. He populates this decaying world—which felt almost like a literal hell consumed by the evil within it—with a diverse cast of flawed, cantankerous characters: addicts, fame-seekers, predators, and lost souls forever wandering in bleak despair.

This book is a truly remarkable blend of the funny, the heartbreaking, and the aggressively bleak. Cosco doesn’t shy away from the **extreme horror** and **uncomfortable eroticism** that the title promises, deliberately **blurring the line between the disgusting and the deeply human**. While the intensity and subject matter can be a lot to handle—sometimes feeling too vicious or too indulgent—the way he finds an unsettling empathy amidst the filth is terrifyingly good. Though a few of the earlier narratives didn't fully resonate with me, the final stories are fantastic, delivering the darkest horror and leading to a **horrifying, practically perfect ending**. *Perverts* is an unflinching, raw, and wild look at corrupt humanity that I highly recommend, especially if you enjoy genre-bending work that bridges regular horror with bizarro fiction.

[Jess Reads Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an e-copy for an honest review. And since this book was so… raw (hah) and honest, it is now my turn.

Los Angeles is burning. Wild fires. That’s not necessarily surprising. But this book is not about that. While LA is burning, it’s burning from the inside as well. Depravity has no limits, and each of the careful crafter characters and stories help bring out the bigger story. Many extreme triggers should be noted.

I rarely venture into the world of extreme horror, and that is how I would categorize this book at least. It’s extreme in a way that’s not just violent, but also very taboo. I have no issue with this, as I understand that no matter how extreme a story can get, someone out there has probably done something similar, or even worse. Just look into the world of true crime. Nothing is off the table. If you can think it, it’s probably already happened to someone somewhere. It reads like fiction, but really, who knows.

I appreciate the author’s take on this. Kind of like bringing this… hidden but not so hidden world to light. Despite the book being short, I was able to develop emotions towards many of the characters, some good and some pretty much bordering on hatred. It’s very fast paced and straightforward. Really no time to linger and smell the flowers.

Definitely down to read more from this author.

[Amanda (spooky.octopus.reads) Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙨 // 𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘮 𝘊𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰 ⁣
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Wow! This was weird. Hear me out…so weird, but in the best of weird ways. Seriously- I really did enjoy this collection, and it helped to give me everything I’ve been missing with books that are offbeat but still profoundly meaningful. ⁣
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So on first glance, you may think a book set against the backdrop of 2012 Los Angeles (while it is literally on fire) that exposes the secret lives of deviants, abusers, addicts, and fame chasers would be, well…shallow? Uhhh- this book is anything but. These stories hold a mirror up to the disgusting corrupters of the human condition. The dark satire runs deep through these pages. Just like any expertly done satire, 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘴 straddles the line between comedy and downright horrific, dark realities. ⁣
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Should I say it? Do I dare say it? …. 🤔 I’m fairly positive that Cosco is on his way to being a Chandler Morrison type of extreme satirist who can portray the dark underbelly of our society in a horrific but deeply introspective and (sometimes even) beautiful way. ⁣
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This book certainly is not for the faint of heart. It comes with a myriad of trigger warnings. It is raw; it is difficult and problematic; and it is pitch black. But, for those who dare, I assure you that you’ll also find that it is as well written and poignant as it is unsettling. ⁣
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🖤🖤🖤🖤💕/5 ⁣
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*Thank you @adam_cosco for this #gifted book! ⁣
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[Selena Spiropoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perverts by Adam Cosco starts out like you’re on a children’s ride in an amusement park, by the end of the book you’re on the most thrilling, super intense ride you’ll never forget.
The first couple of chapters are pretty tame, odd but tame. Then…. then the reasoning being the title makes itself known.
Each chapter is interconnected, they build upon each other until the story you end up with has you contemplating what the hell you just read (in a good way!!).
Main characters and supporting characters mesh into this beautifully chilling story. An example: There’s a character introduced in the first chapter and they surprisingly turn out to be one of the main characters. It surprised me because they seemed to be a side character, their importance didn’t seem key to the plot, but as the story continued their transformation and perseverance was what kept me from wanting to put the book down.
Perverts will be a universally enjoyed book. It isn’t jump scare horror but the psychological horror will give the same hair raising effect.
The corruption of Hollywood and the entertainment industry is one of the main themes in Pervert, it takes place in Los Angeles during the devastating fires we witnessed.
If you’re a Southern Californian you’ll especially enjoy this book. 🤗

[Kallie Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam reached out to me & asked if I’d be interested in reading this book.

It’s most definitely out of my normal realm. But I was intrigued by the synopsis of the book and honestly, by the cover as well!

I didn’t truly know what was going to unfold within these interconnected standalone short stories. Let me just tell you. It was A LOT. A whole lot of jaw-dropping “what the ffffff” moments. A lot of jaw clenching, eyes squinting moments. I stayed up all night because I couldn’t put it down once the characters started popping back up in the next stories.

There was some dolphin/human weirdness going on at one point. There was some drug addiction & un-aliving. Cannibalism & how the rich & famous of Hollywood eat humans for “benefits” to help their success.
The fires of L.A. kept being mentioned.
L.A. was slowly burning down more in each story. It made perfect sense at the end, as to what it portrayed.

You definitely have to go into this with an open mind & strong stomach. 😆

I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. It was way different from what I’m used to. But the smoothness of drifting between stories and the way characters were threaded back through the following stories, was great.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by BookSirens. All thoughts are my own.

Trigger Warnings: explicit sexual content; sexual violence/assault; coercion/manipulation; emotional abuse; substance use; self-harm ideation; degrading language.


Perverts follows several sets of messy, interconnected lives entangled in sex, power, and self-destruction in the heat and heart of Hollywood. At first, I thought they were separate small stories. As a whole, they were hard to piece together, but by the end, they came together in a way that gave the book more weight and purpose.

Some parts felt irrelevant to the overall storyline and pulled me out of the narrative (Peter, the dolphin), but I found Jake and Shelley’s story especially intriguing. It stood out as one of the strongest threads. I also liked the addition of the fires; they added a layer of chaos and atmosphere that tied into the book’s larger themes of destruction and unyielding power. Several other arcs had moments of sharp insight, too, even if the constant push of shock sometimes overshadowed what seemed to be the heart of the book.

Overall, this was a thought-provoking read. I liked parts of it more than the whole, and while it didn’t fully land for me, it has flashes of brilliance that made me glad I gave it a try. I’d definitely be curious to pick up more of Cosco’s work to see how his other books compare.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from this short story collection, the author being new to me, but with its backdrop of LA during the 2012 fires, I thought it would have a similar grit and seediness like Maeve Fly, so gave it a shot. It touches on all the dark clichés of Hollywood; underage actresses, sycophantic assistants, marriages of convenience, desperate wannabe directors, and elitist cults. The stories are interconnected, but I do wish we were left to organically discover the connections instead of being told outright when a character from a previous story entered the scene. The only story that felt a little out of place for me was the dolphin story, which took place in the 1960s, but what I took from that one was you can't even trust a dolphin if it's a male 🐬 This is not the sort of story you ever want to find relatable, and yet, I did relate to Lulu and some of her feelings on her marriage. We don't need to unpack that. This was weird and gritty, and probably somewhat realistic, because Hollywood is messed up. Don't let the shock value title scare you off, this was a well written snapshot of LA's dark underbelly. 


🔥 Thank you Adam Cosco for sending me a copy of Perverts

[Sudeshna Banerjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam Cosco's Perverts is a seething, wickedly funny plunge into the dark underbelly of Los Angeles—a town where ambition festers into obsession and celebrity is an ugly cult. Narrated in 2012 as LA literally (and metaphorically) goes up in flames, the novel interweaves a collection of loosely connected narratives to reveal the rotting moral rot hidden beneath the sheen of Hollywood.

The author's prose is fearless and hypnotic. He skewers the city's culture of exploitation with razor-sharp wit, fashioning characters who are at once repulsive and deeply human—predators, addicts, and fame-hungry dreamers hounding approval in all the wrong places. The tone subtly shifts between biting satire and bleak tragedy, leaving readers unsettled yet captivated.

What distinguishes Perverts is its unwillingness to moralize. The writer does not call for sympathy or censure; he merely holds up a mirror to the monstrous absurdity of contemporary celebrity and desire. The result is part noir, part social commentary, and wholly unflinching.

Perverts is not for the squeamish, but for readers who enjoy transgressive literature with a beat of black humor and savage honesty, it's a gripping, discomfiting masterpiece that lays the city's beauty and its corruption bare.

[K.G. Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boy, will this book not be for everyone but I read it so quickly on one sitting and I’m fairly certain I won’t be able to stop thinking about it for a while.

Perverts is a collection of provocative, darkly comedic interconnected short stories. The stories are set in LA in mostly 2012 under the backdrop of a burning city which serves as a very interesting metaphor to all the darkness around it.

This a very raw and unfiltered book which the author explores with wild abandon. The writing is extremely approachable and very evocative. I was drawn in from the first page and couldn’t tear my eyes away from the insanity being thrust at me. 😂 it’s cinematic, intense while being compelling and disturbing, it’s so many things at once.

It’s definitely a visceral and exhilarating experience that I think I’d recommend? Please god, read the content warnings because this one is not for the faint of heart.

Overall, 4 ⭐️— pretty sure I liked it lol I certainly couldn’t put it down so that must count for something.

Thank you so much to the author for an honest review!