It is a strange fact that many people find violence entertaining as long as it's fictional. Encountering a chainsaw-wielding maniac on television in one's own home is obviously less traumatising than meeting one at the bus stop. But is it actually fun? The same is often true of reading crime novels. Take, for example, the popularity of the violent Swedish 'Millennium Trilogy' also now made into films. Psychologists call this enjoyment 'the horror paradox'. However, today's increase in violent – and frankly unpleasant – crime proves that for a growing number of people simply reading about or watching horror on screen is not enough 'fun'; they need to go out to stalk and horribly kill a passerby to get their kicks.