LITTLE DEMON IN THE CITY OF LIGHT A True Story of Murder and Mesmerism in Belle Epoque Paris

John Lee narrates this true-crime story in the straightforward tone of a newscaster. In 1889, Alexandre Toussaint-Augustin Gouffé, a Parisian court official, was murdered by Gabrielle Bompard, a mesmerised woman under the sway of the ruthless hypnotist Michel Eyraud. Gruesome descriptions of dead bodies alternate with a detailed account of the crime and subsequent cover-up. At the heart of this story is the question of whether a hypnotized person can commit murder. Lee's relentless tone will draw listeners into the seamy underside of the City of Light. Details of the investigation are interspersed with forensic science as the detectives track the couple through Paris and the nearby countryside. This true-crime tale will draw listeners into the dark corners of this timeless city. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2014]