He Is Not Who He Seems: Why Women Fall in Love with Serial Killers

The idea for this book was born with French journalist Valérie Benaim when she first heard the story of a love affair in the solitary confinement of a brutal murderer and his girlfriend, a social worker. This story began through... correspondence, and the author was struck by how strong the bond was between the criminal and an ordinary woman – as it lasted almost three years. After that, she started to delve deeper into cases where women fell under the spell of inmates convicted of serious crimes. Her heroines are four French women of different professions and fates, with various motivations for communicating with the convicted, the conclusions of whose 'abnormal romances' were a surprise both for those around them and for themselves. In the actions of these extraordinary women, maternal instinct and compassion, a desire to overcome the judicial system, and genuine attachment are intertwined. The main message of the book is humanitarian. The author urges not to judge anyone without understanding the essence and to see, even in a murderer, primarily a human being.