The Deadly Dozen: India's Most Notorious Serial Killers

If there’s one thing that grinds my gears, it’s reviewers who belittle an author’s painstaking research by claiming it’s nothing more than what you can find in a quick Google search. When I picked up *The Deadly Dozen: India's Most Notorious Serial Killers* by Anirban Bhattacharya, I expected a deep dive into the dark recesses of Indian crime history, not a spark notes summary, and let me tell you, Bhattacharya delivered. So, to those critics out there, let’s give credit where it’s due—compiling and narrating historical facts with accuracy and sensitivity is no walk in the park. Now, let’s address another gripe that some have: the language. Yes, the language in this book is simple. But let’s get real—this isn’t a work of literary fiction, it’s a meticulously researched account of some of the most chilling figures in Indian history. Bhattacharya’s straightforward prose makes these stories accessible to a wider audience, which is precisely the point. Sometimes, it’s not about flowery language but about the cold, hard facts—and the way those facts make your blood run cold. Diving into *The Deadly Dozen* was like binge-watching a true crime docuseries, but with the added bonus of not having to worry about creepy reenactments. Each chapter unravels the life and crimes of a different serial killer, and boy, does it get under your skin. From Raman Raghav’s horrifying reign of terror to the unsettling calm of Auto Shankar, Bhattacharya brings these figures to life (in the most unnerving way possible). The author doesn’t just lay out the crimes; he delves into the psyche behind them. It’s fascinating and terrifying in equal measure. There were times I had to remind myself to breathe because, let’s be honest, reading about serial killers is not for the faint of heart—especially when those killers once walked the same streets we do. What I appreciate most about Bhattacharya’s approach is his ability to make these tales both informative and engaging without sensationalizing the horror. It’s a delicate balance, and he nails it. By the end of the book, I felt like I’d learned so much, even if I did sleep with one eye open for a few nights. So, here’s my advice: if you’re into true crime and you want a book that’s both chilling and enlightening, *The Deadly Dozen* is worth your time. Just make sure you read it with the lights on. Oh, and to the critics—next time, let’s not knock an author for doing their job well, okay?

Firstly very well researched, after reading it I have come to know that there might be a killer in all of us. The way all the victims were observed and killed, it really shows that too much obsession can lead to more harm than good. So totally loved all the dozen stories and the way it has been put by the author. Highly recommended to all readers.

The Deadly Dozen is undoubtedly one of the most disturbing books I have read till date. After reading this book, I can ascertain that not only truth is stranger than fiction, but is several times more gorier and murkier. I had known the accounts of some of the serial killers narrated in this book earlier from newspapers; while some, such as Darbara Singh and Cyanide Mallika were completely new to me. Out of the twelve faces of evil described in the book, I was most infuriated by the deplorable actions of Darbara Singh and scared off by the sinister acts of Amardeep Sada. And though this is a difficult book for a faint-hearted, it kept me engrossed through the sheer power of story-telling. So much so, that I finished this book in two-days flat! Bhattacharya has successfully painted a canvas that portrays the sinister nights of big metro cities, like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Noida to the sleepy afternoons of rural Punjab, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. A plethora of emotions surged through my heart as I kept reading though one macabre murder story to another. I felt enraged at the murderers, sad for the innocent victims, and breathless while going through the sensational accounts of court trials. Lovers of real-life crime stories will definitely enjoy this book!

All the stories were blood chilling and mind numbing. Once again incredible research and beautiful refined language of the highest quality. I can’t recall having read an Indian author writing English with such finesse! I hope I can sleep well tonight. If not, my lawyer will be filing a case against you for being a public nuisance!

The book narrates some bone chilling criminal activities. This is more of a police record presentation in a collective format. So no such twists n turns expected, plain narration.

Very engaging. Chilling. Horrific. Compelling read.

A decent book. Its basically a touch n go type writing on 12 killers, which means its not that detailed, does not go in-depth analysis of killers' mindsets, or the case studies. The informations provided, r nothing more than what u get on the internet about each of the killers. In a few incidents the dates were all jumbled up n it made no sense, now i am not sure if thats a mistake on printing or the writer himself. But still, i decided to give it a 4 star because crime books in India r not of good standards, let alone true crime books. Amidst all that, this book somewhat makes it own place. Even if its not special, it deserves a try, mostly as a beginner or introductory type book, to the world of real serial killers.

Reality is scarier than fiction and this book proves it absolutely. If you have night-mares after reading/ watching horror fiction, be ready for day-mares as you'll be scared of the thing tht you never thought, you'll ever be - a human being. If you ever laughed upon the idea that demons could exist on earth, than read this book and you'll laugh upon yourself for the foolishness. As if not for demons under the skin of humans, like Raman Raghav, Surender Kohli, Darbara Singh etc. then I don't have any other explanation for it. Some of the accounts of these serial killers are so horrific that I had to skip reading further. If someone ever said that crime is born out of necessity than he should read this book as it reflects that the only thing that begets a crime is a criminal mind. And coming to the main part, the manner in which these accounts are narrated are superb. The writing style of the debutant author is something I hadn't come across earlier. And wht to say of the research? The way the timeline of Kohli -Pandher case, the exact list of Cyanide Mohan's victims, etc are presented, the author has set a mark that sets it class apart from other serial killer's books and teaches the aspiring writers, the value of painful research behind a book, even if it takes indefinite time and tests your patience. To conclude, this book is a collection of true stories, you wish were all, untrue!