Monsieur Barbe-Bleue... et Madame

A narrator recounts an American criminal case in which a charismatic, ostensibly devout man used personal ads to court many women, then maintained villas where investigators later found cremated remains and feminine belongings. His arrest and trial unfold amid sensational evidence and conflicting claims, including his odd insistence that he was responsible for fewer deaths and that some recovered bones belonged to men. The narrative blends reportage and dark comedy to probe themes of deception, the exploitation of trust, the performative nature of marriage and courtship, and the public appetite for scandal and moral judgment.