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Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris Audiobook
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(3.00) - 2,201 listener ratings
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The gripping, true story of a brutal serial killer who unleashed his own reign of terror in Nazi-Occupied Paris. As decapitated heads and dismembered body parts surfaced in the Seine, Commissaire Georges-Victor Massu, head of the Brigade Criminelle, was tasked with tracking down the elusive murderer in a twilight world of Gestapo, gangsters, resistance fighters, pimps, prostitutes, spies, and other shadowy figures of the Parisian underworld. But while trying to solve the many mysteries of the case, Massu would unravel a plot of unspeakable deviousness. The main suspect, Dr. Marcel Petiot, was a handsome, charming physician with remarkable charisma. He was the “People’s Doctor,” known for his many acts of kindness and generosity, not least in providing free medical care for the poor. Petiot, however, would soon be charged with twenty-seven murders, though authorities suspected the total was considerably higher, perhaps even as many as 150. Petiot's trial quickly became a circus. Attempting to try all twenty-seven cases at once, the prosecution stumbled in its marathon cross-examinations, and Petiot, enjoying the spotlight, responded with astonishing ease. Soon, despite a team of prosecuting attorneys, dozens of witnesses, and over one ton of evidence, Petiot’s brilliance and wit threatened to win the day. Drawing extensively on many new sources, including the massive, classified French police file on Dr. Petiot, Death in the City of Light is a brilliant evocation of Nazi-Occupied Paris and a harrowing exploration of murder, betrayal, and evil of staggering proportions.
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"This book is an interesting blend of World War II history and true crime. It opens in 1944 in occupied Paris when a fire reveals a grotesque scene of burnt human remains in a rundown mansion. More bodies are discovered, grisly details of the crimes emerge, and the killer is revealed as a man using the hopes and dreams of people looking to escape the Nazis for his own gruesome profit. The picture of Paris in wartime is gritty and dark, and the author shows us how the crimes were very much a product of this setting. It raises important questions about who to believe amidst war. It's not a happy book by any means but it's certainly a fascinating one. Recommended for history buffs and true crime fans."
— Marcia (4 out of 5 stars)
Death in the City of Light Listener Reviews
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" Four stars if the bit about the trial wasn't so boring. "
— Ang, 2/3/2014 -
" While this had what was a very interesting story, it was not presented in a coherent, easily read manner. It was full of tedious details and was often confusing. "
— Alison, 1/17/2014 -
" This book was fascinating and disturbing. I have read many books about serial killers and Marcel Petoit rivaled the worst of them. He took people's hope and thrived on it and manipulated it into something so evil. As with most serial killer stories, many questions can never be answered, but the evidence points to many things. Also shocking in this book to me was the way that French courtrooms are conducted. It is mad chaos and unclear how fair trials can ever be accomplished. "
— Carly, 1/13/2014 -
" Talk about evil... crazy read "
— Carolina, 1/3/2014 -
" Absolutely fantastic. Such a bizarre and creepy story. Could not put this down. The comparisons to Devil In The White City are valid but this story is much more engrossing. "
— D., 1/2/2014 -
" At times a bit dry, but otherwise very intriguing and even suspenseful. I got so wrapped up in the outcome of the trial, this book became a page-turner for me. The author tries to present only the facts, but later does some speculation to try to explain unanswered questions. He seems to know his subject very will, and it is well-researched. Gruesome in spots, so not for the weak-stomached. If you are interested in serial killers, this is a must-read. "
— Debra, 1/2/2014 -
" Interesting history wise but pretty gory. "
— Ginny, 12/28/2013 -
" A fascinating chronicle of the investigation, capture, and trial of Dr. Marcel Petiot, a serial killer convicted of the gruesome murders 26 people in Nazi-occupied Paris and probably responsible for the murder of many, many more. A great true crime story. "
— Edward, 12/4/2013 -
" First reads book. I just started this book. So far it is very readable and I am enjoying the topic. "
— Jill, 9/9/2013 -
" Interesting piece of history but the writing was off for me. "
— Fil, 2/21/2013 -
" This is not a very good "true crime" book, and it is an even worse "serial killer" book. The author is incapable of sticking to the story of Marcel Petiot. "
— Erica, 1/25/2013 -
" Fascinating story of a true sociopath, but could have used better editing. "
— Monica, 11/30/2012 -
" Thought it would be interesting but really there wasn't much of a story so the author wrote every detail of any character mentioned. Biggest conclusion is that police work sucked in France in the 1940s. Amazing that any criminals were incarcerated. "
— Aprile, 7/6/2012 -
" Had a little too much detail as far as the court proceedings went, but still a very interesting story. Reminded me a bit of A Devil in the White City. "
— Holly, 4/14/2012 -
" "Tis strange; - but true; for truth is always strange; Stranger than fiction." -Lord Byron "
— Davidinlv, 1/16/2012 -
" This was a good read. Not quite "Devil in the White City" but, still good. "
— Paul, 1/1/2012 -
" An interesting story of a serial killer in the midst of occupied Paris. "
— John, 11/3/2011 -
" a great non fiction read for those interested in serial murderers. will leave you wondering how in the world this man got away with it for so long. The author lives in Lexington, Ky and used to teach at UK. "
— Robin, 11/2/2011 -
" Lots of slogging thru extraneous minutiae to follow the main story. Book had no point of view. Very dry indeed. Hard to read. "
— Clewis53, 10/31/2011 -
" I was really interested in the story, but did not like the writing style. "
— Kathryn, 10/28/2011 -
" Gets bogged down in the details a little, though the part about the strange French court system was interesting. "
— Don, 10/26/2011 -
" Besides the interesting tale of the serial killer, Dr. Petiot, there is a lot of information about the cultural atmosphere of Nazi-occupied Paris in the early 1940s. A fascinating period of which I know little, even though I studied French in college. "
— Jenn, 10/24/2011 -
" Eh, so, a serial killer in Paris... against the backdrop of the Nazi occupation, this was small potatoes... "
— Riv, 10/23/2011 -
" While I think the comparisons with Devil in the White City are well-founded, I think there is less atmosphere in this one. And there are a number of maddening questions left unanswered. But a fascinating read. "
— Jennifer, 10/15/2011 -
" "Tis strange; - but true; for truth is always strange; Stranger than fiction." -Lord Byron "
— Davidinlv, 10/14/2011
About David King
David King is a Fulbright scholar with a master’s degree from Cambridge University, and the author of Finding Atlantis, which was a Main Selection of the Book of the Month Club and which has been translated into several languages. He lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with his wife and daughter.
About Paul Michael
Paul Michael, winner of several Earphones Awards, has also won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He has acted on stage, radio, television, and in feature films in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. He has had leading roles in series and made-for-television movies and has guest starred in such series as VIP and Alias. He has been nominated for a Canadian Emmy and has recorded over 150 audiobooks, including the international bestseller The Da Vinci Code.