1. [n]  reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others
2. [n]  the quality or nature of being harmful or evil

Mischief
In this 87th Precinct thriller, Detective Steve Carella must track down a killer who`s systematically rubbing out all the city`s graffiti artists, leaving each victim mischievously splashed with paint and blood.? Foul play takes another form when an old nemesis, the Dead Man, taunts Carella and the eight-seven with riddling clues for solving a crime - or crimes - not yet committed.? Given what he`s deduced from the prankish perpetrator, Carella strongly suspects the crime will take place during a free rock and rap concert scheduled to take place in the city`s largest park.? As Carella tries desperately to second guess him, the Dead Man meticulously puts together a plan to carry off a multi-million dollar coup.? Soon Carella finds himself racing against time in a game of wits that could leave the city reeling under an onslaught of dirty tricks from one of the underworld`s masters of criminal mischief.

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1. \Mis"chief\, n. [OE. meschef bad result, OF. meschief;
   pref. mes- (L. minus less) + chief end, head, F. chef chief.
   See {Minus}, and {Chief}.]
   1. Harm; damage; esp., disarrangement of order; trouble or
      vexation caused by human agency or by some living being,
      intentionally or not; often, calamity, mishap; trivial
      evil caused by thoughtlessness, or in sport. --Chaucer.
            Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs.        --Ps. lii. 2.
            The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from
            many mischiefs.                       --Fuller.
   2. Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. --Milton.
            The mischief was, these allies would never allow
            that the common enemy was subdued.    --Swift.
   {To be in mischief}, to be doing harm or causing annoyance.
   {To make mischief}, to do mischief, especially by exciting
      quarrels.
   {To play the mischief}, to cause great harm; to throw into
      confusion. [Colloq.]
   Syn: Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill.
   Usage: {Mischief}, {Damage}, {Harm}. Damage is an injury
          which diminishes the value of a thing; harm is an
          injury which causes trouble or inconvenience; mischief
          is an injury which disturbs the order and consistency
          of things. We often suffer damage or harm from
          accident, but mischief always springs from perversity
          or folly.
   

2. \Mis"chief\, v. t.
   To do harm to. [Obs.] --Milton.