A Book by Richard Tomlinson

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.

“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.”

-Publisher description

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.

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NOTE: I received a free preliminary, and likely unedited copy of this book from Netgalley for the purposes of providing an honest, unbiased review of the material. Thank you to all involved.