I was in the mood for a true crime story this week and wanted something different. I wanted something I had not heard about on the numerous YouTube videos and podcasts that I’ve seen in the past. Considering the language barrier, I am pretty oblivious to a lot of BIG true crime cases outside of America, so a case from France one hundred years ago was something that intrigued me. Henri Désiré Landru, a convicted conman working under a myriad of assumed names, took advantage of the lack of men during World War I and placed hundreds of “lonely hearts” classified ads with a dark motive behind it. His goal was to fleece money off of lonely women while having a family of his own, and “dispose” of the evidence by nefarious means. This book chronicles the crimes and eventual capture of a man that may have very well murdered more than one hundred women.

In Landru’s Secret – The Deadly Seductions of France’s Lonely Hearts Serial Killer, Richard Tomlinson uncovers some truly disturbing details that had been concealed within the depths of the Paris police archives for over a century. Landru’s sinister actions extended far beyond the ten women who are officially recognized as his victims. Shockingly, the authorities failed to trace at least 72 other women who had fallen into Landru’s web of deceit and manipulation. They ignored key witnesses and even victims that could have led authorities to stop his murderous rampage far earlier than they did. In a world where men ran the show with absolute certainty, listening to women was just not something that happened. Testimonies of prostitutes, downtrodden women, and others were overlooked simply due to misogynistic attitudes of the time.

Contrary to what one might assume, and what most have come to believe about this case, Landru’s motivation behind these brutal killings was not driven simply by a desire for financial gain. Sure, he was taking money from his victims, and it allowed him to basically “work” without having a real job and support his family that aided him, but this was merely a perk of his “hobby”. Rather, his murderous intent stemmed from a disturbing thirst for power and control over what he perceived as the “feeble sex.” This revelation only adds to the chilling and profound nature of the case, painting a picture of a man who reveled in exerting dominance over vulnerable individuals.

Richard Tomlinson is truly a remarkable writer, with a unique skill for transforming snippets from old historical documents into captivating narratives that leave readers on the edge of their seats. What sets him apart is his meticulous attention to detail, as he doesn’t simply present the bullet points of a case, but delves into every aspect from numerous angles, drawing from an array of sources such as personal letters and witness testimony. This careful approach enables Tomlinson to recreate historical events in a way that is both informative and engaging. By weaving together diverse perspectives and piecing together the puzzle of the past, he creates a rich tapestry that brings history to life. I truthfully don’t read a lot of true crime books because most of them read like Wikipedia articles, but this is a solid exception.

Landru’s Secret – The Deadly Seductions of France’s Lonely Hearts Serial Killer by Richard Tomlinson stands as a chilling testament to the darkness that can lurk behind a seemingly ordinary facade, a stark reminder of the importance of thorough investigations and justice for all victims involved. This is a great book by a somewhat overlooked publisher from the UK (Pen and Sword) and should get more attention. I am glad I got to learn about such an interesting case, and need to both follow this author and other true crime books from this publisher.

This is a fascinating story, well written and thoroughly researched. Henri Désiré Landru, is one of France’s most infamous serial killers, who found his future victims by putting lonely-hearts adverts in newspapers. A brief declaration that he was a gentleman of means who was looking for a partner was enough to attract hundreds women over a two-year period some of whom would go on to become his victims.

Thoroughly recommend it.

A fascinating case and the materials provided, including photographs, add to the sense of thoroughness of the detailed research behind this book. I enjoyed reading about a case which is in a country other than USA, UK or Australia and had not heard about this case prior to reading this book, which made for a gripping reading experience.

I really did try to read this one and had a very hard time with it. I found it too wordy, too many details with every point played out that finally turned this book into a boring exercise.

Sorry to say this one was not for me as it often put me to sleep while reading it.

Thank you to NeGalley for a copy of this story.

This is a fascinating book about a serial killer who is one of the most prolific to ever live. In spite of that, no bodies were ever found. The author does a thorough job of detailing what happened. Highly recommended for those with an interest in this type of subject.

I love a good murder. And I love a good non-fiction. I enjoyed reading this quite a bit. I'm not an expert so I couldn't say if the book was well-researched or not, but it seemed it was and I liked learning some new things.

On 12 April 1919, the Paris police arrested a bald, short, 50-year-old swindler at his apartment near the Gare du Nord, acting on a lead from a humble housemaid. A century later, Henri Désiré Landru remains the most notorious and enigmatic serial killer in French criminal history, a riddle at the heart of an unsolved murder puzzle.

The official version of Landru’s lethal rampage was so shocking that it almost defied belief. According to the authorities, Landru had made “romantic contact” with 283 women during the First World War, luring ten of them to his country houses outside Paris where he killed them for their money.

Yet no bodies were ever found, while Landru obdurately protested his innocence. “It is for you to prove the deeds of which I am accused,” he sneered at the investigating magistrate.

The true story of l’affaire Landru, buried in the Paris police archives for the past century, was altogether more disturbing. In Landru’s Secret, Richard Tomlinson draws on more than 5,000 pages of original case documents, including witness statements, police reports and private correspondence, to reveal for the first time that:

Landru killed more women than the 10 victims on the charge sheet.

The police failed to trace at least 72 of the women he contacted.

The authorities ignored the key victim who explained why the killings began.

Landru did not kill for money, but to revel in his power over what he called the “feeble sex”.

Wow wow wow I love true crime and this book was spellbinding! Recommend

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pen and Sword History for fulfilling my wish and providing me with a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love true crime but I’ve not heard of Landru - Frenchman, swindler, and potentially prolific serial murderer. This book covers the period of time between his first and last alleged victims, and his subsequent murder trial.

I found this book entertaining and engaging. I’ve been on quite a historical true crime kick recently, and this was definitely one I enjoyed. It read as very well researched, and I especially liked how the history of the time was flavour rather than a large part of the book - these disappearances (no bodies were ever found so was it murder?) occurred during the tumultuous back drop of WWI which is a huge topic in and of itself, so I really appreciated the focus on the lives of the women and Landru rather than that.

I also really enjoyed the nuanced writing of the trial. You couldn’t help but feel that Landru was completely guilty but there were no bodies and no evidence alongside some questionable detective work, and it was interesting reading how it played out and why the jury likely convicted like they did.

As with all cases this old, we will never know the full truth of what happened, and Landru took his secrets with him. But I thought this book went a long way in laying out the facts so you could make up your own mind. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone interested in historical true crime!

Henri Landru is supposed to be the worst serial killer in French history. In this stunning case, no bodies were ever found, and only 10 charges were brought. The count is likely much, much higher though. The facts of the real story were locked away in secret French police files for 100 years and only came out in the last 40 to 50 years. During the early years of WWI when Paris was nearly bare of men, Landru was placing lonely heart ads in order to meet women. He got tons of responses, and set about meeting multiple women around the city each day. Good true crime, filling in my knowledge about Mr. Landru and his wretched murders. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Richard Tomlinson, and the publisher.

Very interesting. I was granted this wish by the publisher and can not thank them enough! I flew right through this book!