What do you think?
Rate this book
The Front Page Murders
'It takes a fearless mind to harbour such a dark heart, a heart that knows no nobility, no apology...'
Mumbai, April 2012. Over 21 days five murder cases were discovered that led to the unravelling of a spine-chilling tale of cold-blooded crime. Half-naked bodies; missing suspects; a desperate manhunt; connections with the underworld, police and Bollywood; and a seductress who lured victims - all led to a man named Vijay Palande.
Palande, who targeted dreamers, mainly Bollywood aspirants in Mumbai, had an uncomplicated modus operandi - he would befriend the target, gauge his wealth, murder him, hack his body into pieces, and abandon the remains in the Western Ghats. Equipped with the sophistication of Charles Sobhraj, the nonchalance of serial-killer Raman Raghav and the cruelty of Jack the Ripper, Palande had the country hooked.
In The Front Page Murders, Puja Changoiwala, who covered the story as it came to light, recounts in gripping detail one of the most sensational cases in India’s recent history and the personalities involved in it. In doing so, she delves into the functioning of daily crime reporting and police investigations, providing startling insights into the worlds of journalism and crime
Mumbai, April 2012. Over 21 days five murder cases were discovered that led to the unravelling of a spine-chilling tale of cold-blooded crime. Half-naked bodies; missing suspects; a desperate manhunt; connections with the underworld, police and Bollywood; and a seductress who lured victims - all led to a man named Vijay Palande.
Palande, who targeted dreamers, mainly Bollywood aspirants in Mumbai, had an uncomplicated modus operandi - he would befriend the target, gauge his wealth, murder him, hack his body into pieces, and abandon the remains in the Western Ghats. Equipped with the sophistication of Charles Sobhraj, the nonchalance of serial-killer Raman Raghav and the cruelty of Jack the Ripper, Palande had the country hooked.
In The Front Page Murders, Puja Changoiwala, who covered the story as it came to light, recounts in gripping detail one of the most sensational cases in India’s recent history and the personalities involved in it. In doing so, she delves into the functioning of daily crime reporting and police investigations, providing startling insights into the worlds of journalism and crime
312 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2016
10 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 6, 2016
“Try to touch the past. Try to deal with the past. It's not real. It's just a dream.”
----Ted Bundy
Puja Changoiwala, An Indian senior journalist-turned-crime-writer, pens a true crime story in her new book, The Front Page Murders in which the author weaves a bone-chilling account about one of India's most sophisticated serial killers, Vijay Palande, who preferred a glamorous Bollywood-themed life style and on the other hand, chose his victims with his victims through their bank balance, property, cars and other lavish and worthy material possessions. The account begins from Tikku Murder case until the last hidden pieces of human bone found in the Western Ghats and ends with the confession of the flamboyant serial killer's associates' confessions.
Synopsis:
'It takes a fearless mind to harbour such a dark heart, a heart that knows no nobility, no apology...'
Mumbai, April 2012. Over 21 days five murder cases were discovered that led to the unravelling of a spine-chilling tale of cold-blooded crime. Half-naked bodies; missing suspects; a desperate manhunt; connections with the underworld, police and Bollywood; and a seductress who lured victims - all led to a man named Vijay Palande.
Palande, who targeted dreamers, mainly Bollywood aspirants in Mumbai, had an uncomplicated modus operandi - he would befriend the target, gauge his wealth, murder him, hack his body into pieces, and abandon the remains in the Western Ghats. Equipped with the sophistication of Charles Sobhraj, the nonchalance of serial-killer Raman Raghav and the cruelty of Jack the Ripper, Palande had the country hooked.
In The Front Page Murders, Puja Changoiwala, who covered the story as it came to light, recounts in gripping detail one of the most sensational cases in India’s recent history and the personalities involved in it. In doing so, she delves into the functioning of daily crime reporting and police investigations, providing startling insights into the worlds of journalism and crime.
Arunkumar Tikku, father of the Bollywood actor, Anuj Tikku, was found murdered with lots of knife stab wounds on his chest, in his apartment in a posh complex in Mumbai. And as a resident had earlier witness the two tenants of the old man, hence the Mumbai police immediately arrests the two suspects and soon a thorough investigation leads the Mumbai police team to the doorstep of a lavish Bollywood-socialite-cum-crooked-businessman-cum-gangster-with-connections-to-the-Mumbai-underworld, Vijay Palande, who hatched a plan to steal the properties of the Tikkus by luring the son to a trip to Goa and asking his associates to pose as tenants to kill the father of the actor. Unfortunately his plan doesn't work out because of an eyewitness. Yet another case spills open right into the face of the Mumbai police when the disappearance of an wannabe Bollywood film producer named Karan Kakkad for more than 10 days, comes to light and with an instant, Palande and his alleged wife, Simran Sood, another fallen model of Bollywood world, come up and they are brought into custody. And gradually the bones of Kakkad are dug up from the Western Ghats followed by more murders and bones. We all know what the verdict says about Palande now, but the author has strikingly captured the twisted mind of a ruthless serial killer like Vijay Palande who loves to kill his victims in cold blood and then cut that body of the victim into pieces finally to bury them somewhere all the while making sure that no fingerprints or DNA prints are left back to trace it to the victim's original identity. A smart killer indeed!
The author, who was a then reporter of this sensational case that rocked the whole nation, covered the complete story and her journey through those terrible and struggling times to search along with her promising sources and the Mumbai Police for the missing film producer. The book is a sure shot page turner and will grip the readers mind right at the very beginning as the author gradually increases the real life tension of a journalist to find a breaking story amidst the competition from other leading daily newspapers and news channels. Although the Indian readers have gone through the case on a daily basis back in the year of 2012, this author makes this case like a first time one and the rush of story feels brand new from the readers perspective.
The author's writing is fresh, flawless and sensitively depicted about such a case involving human emotions and anticipation. The readers will find it easy enough to comprehend with the story line. The narrative, though is real-life, yet it is engagingly penned down to arrest the minds of the readers. The pacing is really fast as one after another case of missing person starts spilling out after the first murder.
The story is wrapped with so many layers which the author peels away one after the another thereby not at once the story will feel rushed or containing any loose-threads, instead it is thoroughly satisfying. The mystery is bone-deep and the details are penned by the author in a visually graphic manner so its best for faint hearted readers to skip this book, as some of the details are gruesome and really painful to read about those. The author has projected the case so cleverly and skillfully that each and every scene from the book comes alive right in front of the eyes of the readers and also the backdrop too is striking enough to make the readers feel the real-life thrill and rush of the events.
The characters from the killers to the suspects to the victims to the victims' kin are exceptionally painted with realism and emotions to make the readers look straight into the minds of those characters. The serial killer, Vijay Palande, is short, is sophisticated, clever and with a penchant to show that whatever he does, he does it for the country. His obsession towards money and other such material possession is very evident from the choice of his victims. Yet the readers will stay rooted to this story line as well as with this cool serial killer as the author digs deep into his childhood days, his background, his teenage days and the pain that he endured while growing up, finally figuring out the psychologically flawed mind set of this killer. The author also captures the sense of loss of a human being through the struggling and hurtful emotions of the victims' family members and how that death eventually affects their psychology and social well being.
Not only that, the author intricately conveys the modus operandi of a journalist who everyday runs through the city to look for a breaking news or front page-kind of story. Their lives are hectic and are subjected to insults and humiliations but that never deters them from their goal to achieve the raw and unedited version of a story. The readers will feel enlightened with the world of Indian newspapers' reporters' lives and their method of work and their ways of breaking a story.
In a nutshell, this true crime book is engrossing and will keep the readers glued to read about one of the most infamous Indian serial killers and his affluent victims' tragic plight.
Verdict: A sensational book of the season!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Hachette India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Ted Bundy
Puja Changoiwala, An Indian senior journalist-turned-crime-writer, pens a true crime story in her new book, The Front Page Murders in which the author weaves a bone-chilling account about one of India's most sophisticated serial killers, Vijay Palande, who preferred a glamorous Bollywood-themed life style and on the other hand, chose his victims with his victims through their bank balance, property, cars and other lavish and worthy material possessions. The account begins from Tikku Murder case until the last hidden pieces of human bone found in the Western Ghats and ends with the confession of the flamboyant serial killer's associates' confessions.
Synopsis:
'It takes a fearless mind to harbour such a dark heart, a heart that knows no nobility, no apology...'
Mumbai, April 2012. Over 21 days five murder cases were discovered that led to the unravelling of a spine-chilling tale of cold-blooded crime. Half-naked bodies; missing suspects; a desperate manhunt; connections with the underworld, police and Bollywood; and a seductress who lured victims - all led to a man named Vijay Palande.
Palande, who targeted dreamers, mainly Bollywood aspirants in Mumbai, had an uncomplicated modus operandi - he would befriend the target, gauge his wealth, murder him, hack his body into pieces, and abandon the remains in the Western Ghats. Equipped with the sophistication of Charles Sobhraj, the nonchalance of serial-killer Raman Raghav and the cruelty of Jack the Ripper, Palande had the country hooked.
In The Front Page Murders, Puja Changoiwala, who covered the story as it came to light, recounts in gripping detail one of the most sensational cases in India’s recent history and the personalities involved in it. In doing so, she delves into the functioning of daily crime reporting and police investigations, providing startling insights into the worlds of journalism and crime.
Arunkumar Tikku, father of the Bollywood actor, Anuj Tikku, was found murdered with lots of knife stab wounds on his chest, in his apartment in a posh complex in Mumbai. And as a resident had earlier witness the two tenants of the old man, hence the Mumbai police immediately arrests the two suspects and soon a thorough investigation leads the Mumbai police team to the doorstep of a lavish Bollywood-socialite-cum-crooked-businessman-cum-gangster-with-connections-to-the-Mumbai-underworld, Vijay Palande, who hatched a plan to steal the properties of the Tikkus by luring the son to a trip to Goa and asking his associates to pose as tenants to kill the father of the actor. Unfortunately his plan doesn't work out because of an eyewitness. Yet another case spills open right into the face of the Mumbai police when the disappearance of an wannabe Bollywood film producer named Karan Kakkad for more than 10 days, comes to light and with an instant, Palande and his alleged wife, Simran Sood, another fallen model of Bollywood world, come up and they are brought into custody. And gradually the bones of Kakkad are dug up from the Western Ghats followed by more murders and bones. We all know what the verdict says about Palande now, but the author has strikingly captured the twisted mind of a ruthless serial killer like Vijay Palande who loves to kill his victims in cold blood and then cut that body of the victim into pieces finally to bury them somewhere all the while making sure that no fingerprints or DNA prints are left back to trace it to the victim's original identity. A smart killer indeed!
The author, who was a then reporter of this sensational case that rocked the whole nation, covered the complete story and her journey through those terrible and struggling times to search along with her promising sources and the Mumbai Police for the missing film producer. The book is a sure shot page turner and will grip the readers mind right at the very beginning as the author gradually increases the real life tension of a journalist to find a breaking story amidst the competition from other leading daily newspapers and news channels. Although the Indian readers have gone through the case on a daily basis back in the year of 2012, this author makes this case like a first time one and the rush of story feels brand new from the readers perspective.
The author's writing is fresh, flawless and sensitively depicted about such a case involving human emotions and anticipation. The readers will find it easy enough to comprehend with the story line. The narrative, though is real-life, yet it is engagingly penned down to arrest the minds of the readers. The pacing is really fast as one after another case of missing person starts spilling out after the first murder.
The story is wrapped with so many layers which the author peels away one after the another thereby not at once the story will feel rushed or containing any loose-threads, instead it is thoroughly satisfying. The mystery is bone-deep and the details are penned by the author in a visually graphic manner so its best for faint hearted readers to skip this book, as some of the details are gruesome and really painful to read about those. The author has projected the case so cleverly and skillfully that each and every scene from the book comes alive right in front of the eyes of the readers and also the backdrop too is striking enough to make the readers feel the real-life thrill and rush of the events.
The characters from the killers to the suspects to the victims to the victims' kin are exceptionally painted with realism and emotions to make the readers look straight into the minds of those characters. The serial killer, Vijay Palande, is short, is sophisticated, clever and with a penchant to show that whatever he does, he does it for the country. His obsession towards money and other such material possession is very evident from the choice of his victims. Yet the readers will stay rooted to this story line as well as with this cool serial killer as the author digs deep into his childhood days, his background, his teenage days and the pain that he endured while growing up, finally figuring out the psychologically flawed mind set of this killer. The author also captures the sense of loss of a human being through the struggling and hurtful emotions of the victims' family members and how that death eventually affects their psychology and social well being.
Not only that, the author intricately conveys the modus operandi of a journalist who everyday runs through the city to look for a breaking news or front page-kind of story. Their lives are hectic and are subjected to insults and humiliations but that never deters them from their goal to achieve the raw and unedited version of a story. The readers will feel enlightened with the world of Indian newspapers' reporters' lives and their method of work and their ways of breaking a story.
In a nutshell, this true crime book is engrossing and will keep the readers glued to read about one of the most infamous Indian serial killers and his affluent victims' tragic plight.
Verdict: A sensational book of the season!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Hachette India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
January 29, 2018
The book starts with the murder case of an individuals father - Arun Kumar Tikku and eventually takes you to various places and investigations through the news reporters eye - Puja Changoiwala. Each and every page gave me goosebumps since the way the incidents were put in right places keep the readers glued till the end... It takes a lot of guts and courage to reproduce real time incidents as book and this piece deserves a special mention. Hats off to Puja!!!
Waiting for your next work!!!
Overall, an excellent book to read!!!
Waiting for your next work!!!
Overall, an excellent book to read!!!
December 3, 2016
Once I received the book, I though it to be a fiction. I can’t help it but there is no preface and neither I bothered to check the back page. I started reading and while into few pages, I realize that the events and characters are familiar. I could not recall and re-create all the events but I do remember faintly. The book is about deception, lust, greed,honeytrap, cheating,betray, murder, and deftness in large measure. It’s not your crime thriller fiction but based on real life incidents .
It all started with small time bollywood actor whose father was brutally murdered. What intially looked like a robbery gone awry, later stirred up an hornet’s nest. It ended up opening a Pandara box. A month prior to the murder, a Bollywood aspirant was missing . While probing fruther, it was found that mastermind was Vijay Palande for both the crimes. His associates were Dhananjay Shinde and Manoj Gajkosh. Also involved in the crime was a small time model and Bollywood aspirant Simrin Sood. Their modus operandi was scounting for rich victims, primarily in social do’s , befrinding them and getting close , betraying by drugging and killing them and destroying evidence with deftness . Vijay Palande was also involved in twin murder of a father and son 14-15 year back. Each was gruesome and abominable.
Is Vijay Palande a serial killer then ? That’s how media has projected him. What seperates him from other serial killers in India? Unlike most killer, He was neither a pysche nor cynical. He would kill for whosoever comes in his way, what he want. His crimes were executed strategically . He was smart, astute, amicable , courteous, and extreamely sweet conversationalist. He could speak fluent English and easily mingle with the society. These were his USP and most succumb to his blandishments. His relationship with Simrin was obscure , sometimes sister sometimes girlfriend. He was well versed with knity-gritty of the court proceedings and police investigations. He rather had a profound knowledge. Hence, he would never leave a trail while commiting a crime. Police could never put him behind bars in real terms despite aware of his role in the crime. He was reticent and mislead police by concocting stories. He was calm and composed during police interrogation and show utmost respect for the law of the land. Vijay Palande was such an elusive character that it was turning out to be fiasco for the police force.
The author - Puja Changoiwala was a senior crime journist involved with Hindustan Times , when she had covered the case. She had narrated the crimes which some of the readers may be already aware. What interesting to the readers can be extensive court proceeding, vivid account of police investigation, world of journalist, helplessness of police force, inexplicable police-journalist relationship , crime and glamour relationship, how a perfidious character minds actually works and what trigger them to indulge in such egregious and heinous crimes. She had collected detail of investigation with persistent queries and even met victims of close ones. Her depth in writing reflects her ardous and sincere efforts. Her style of writing reflects her understanding of reader’s pulse. It’s not easy to keep readers hooked to the book especially when identitiy of the crimimal is known beforehand. Her account on mode of police torture and past serial killers made interesting reading. Her tits-bits on journalists, every now and then was amusing.
A couple of months back, I was reading an aritcle on “Spy Sagas, serial killings and whodunits! The crime rush in Indian literary world”. It mentions that most publishers have crime list with journalists turning authors with spy saga. I did not remember every name now. I read the same article again and this time found, now familiar Puja Changoiwala being featured in it. Are crime journalist proving to be a better author? Even Hussain Zaidi was brilliant in “Dongri to Dubai”. I don’t think any debate has ever taken place on the subject. Whatever be the result, make sure that this book is in your wish list.
It all started with small time bollywood actor whose father was brutally murdered. What intially looked like a robbery gone awry, later stirred up an hornet’s nest. It ended up opening a Pandara box. A month prior to the murder, a Bollywood aspirant was missing . While probing fruther, it was found that mastermind was Vijay Palande for both the crimes. His associates were Dhananjay Shinde and Manoj Gajkosh. Also involved in the crime was a small time model and Bollywood aspirant Simrin Sood. Their modus operandi was scounting for rich victims, primarily in social do’s , befrinding them and getting close , betraying by drugging and killing them and destroying evidence with deftness . Vijay Palande was also involved in twin murder of a father and son 14-15 year back. Each was gruesome and abominable.
Is Vijay Palande a serial killer then ? That’s how media has projected him. What seperates him from other serial killers in India? Unlike most killer, He was neither a pysche nor cynical. He would kill for whosoever comes in his way, what he want. His crimes were executed strategically . He was smart, astute, amicable , courteous, and extreamely sweet conversationalist. He could speak fluent English and easily mingle with the society. These were his USP and most succumb to his blandishments. His relationship with Simrin was obscure , sometimes sister sometimes girlfriend. He was well versed with knity-gritty of the court proceedings and police investigations. He rather had a profound knowledge. Hence, he would never leave a trail while commiting a crime. Police could never put him behind bars in real terms despite aware of his role in the crime. He was reticent and mislead police by concocting stories. He was calm and composed during police interrogation and show utmost respect for the law of the land. Vijay Palande was such an elusive character that it was turning out to be fiasco for the police force.
The author - Puja Changoiwala was a senior crime journist involved with Hindustan Times , when she had covered the case. She had narrated the crimes which some of the readers may be already aware. What interesting to the readers can be extensive court proceeding, vivid account of police investigation, world of journalist, helplessness of police force, inexplicable police-journalist relationship , crime and glamour relationship, how a perfidious character minds actually works and what trigger them to indulge in such egregious and heinous crimes. She had collected detail of investigation with persistent queries and even met victims of close ones. Her depth in writing reflects her ardous and sincere efforts. Her style of writing reflects her understanding of reader’s pulse. It’s not easy to keep readers hooked to the book especially when identitiy of the crimimal is known beforehand. Her account on mode of police torture and past serial killers made interesting reading. Her tits-bits on journalists, every now and then was amusing.
A couple of months back, I was reading an aritcle on “Spy Sagas, serial killings and whodunits! The crime rush in Indian literary world”. It mentions that most publishers have crime list with journalists turning authors with spy saga. I did not remember every name now. I read the same article again and this time found, now familiar Puja Changoiwala being featured in it. Are crime journalist proving to be a better author? Even Hussain Zaidi was brilliant in “Dongri to Dubai”. I don’t think any debate has ever taken place on the subject. Whatever be the result, make sure that this book is in your wish list.
December 30, 2016
It takes a fearless mind to harbor such a dark heart, a heart that knows no nobility, no apology...
Mumbai, April 2012. The gruesome murder of a senior citizen in a wealthy Mumbai neighbourhood leads the city’s Crime Branch to unearth several half-naked, mutilated and dismembered bodies rotting in the ravines of the Western Ghats on the outskirts of the city.
A trail of missing suspects, a lethal honey-trap, and unexpected links with Mumbai's film industry and the underworld, brings the investigators - and the press, ever hungry for breaking news - to Vijay Palande, a cold-blooded killer equipped with the sophistication of Charles Sobhraj, the manipulative genius of Ted Bundy and the cruelty of Jack the Ripper.
In The Front Page Murders, Puja Changoiwala, who covered the incidents as they unfolded, recounts in gripping detail the story behind the sensational case of multiple murders that shocked the country. Startling and intensely sobering by turns, her compelling narrative explores not just the murky depths of a serial killer's mind but, tellingly, the media's frenzy for a front-page story and the insatiable human appetite for horror in real life.
Review :
Like one of my friend's review of this books says, it seems quite less even to rate this book a 5/5. It deserves so much more. I am never much keen to reading Nonfiction, a fact I point out almost every single day. While reading this book, to be stupidly honest, I had no idea I was reading a Nonfiction. The fact that I always tend to pass this paticular category untouched has left a large gap in knowing what the different types are. This book right here is a True Crime, a genre I am looking forward to reading more of.
Getting back to the book, author pens down the blood chilling tale of series killer Vijay Palande and his merciless killings. The story begins with the discovery of murder of a senior citizen living in Lokhandwala complex. As the journalist pushes her ways into the happening of the murder and the information gathered by the police, she finds other dark secrets opening up one after the another. With, what seemed like, the murder of a senior citizen for money & property, opened the path to the revealing of 4 other gruesome kills by Palande and his sophisticated, genius mind.
I will not go into any more details of the book as I wish to avoid spoilers asking you to take your time and read this book. It's amazing. The whole tale making the heartbeat go fast and slow, makes one feel sad and happy. One thing which I keenly observed in the story is that, all is not bad from the very beginning, from the core. The core is always bright and pure, when the heart and mind still want to achieve good. But it all turns bitter with some rather painful incidents. Some manage to cope with it and move on while some can never get over the pain and turn revengeful.
No one is born bad, it is the pain they get and the path they chose to get over it that makes the different.
Wow... Someone's being rather too philosophical added she really isn't that much. (She is obviously I myself and I don't find myself much into philosophical thoughts.) *laughs
Human mind is but a complex system. What it decides to do makes oneself rather afraid at times. How it plays games with the body, how it controls the brain, how it chances a nature, how it creates a cold, sophisticated murderer out of an ambitious boy like Palande.
Mumbai, April 2012. The gruesome murder of a senior citizen in a wealthy Mumbai neighbourhood leads the city’s Crime Branch to unearth several half-naked, mutilated and dismembered bodies rotting in the ravines of the Western Ghats on the outskirts of the city.
A trail of missing suspects, a lethal honey-trap, and unexpected links with Mumbai's film industry and the underworld, brings the investigators - and the press, ever hungry for breaking news - to Vijay Palande, a cold-blooded killer equipped with the sophistication of Charles Sobhraj, the manipulative genius of Ted Bundy and the cruelty of Jack the Ripper.
In The Front Page Murders, Puja Changoiwala, who covered the incidents as they unfolded, recounts in gripping detail the story behind the sensational case of multiple murders that shocked the country. Startling and intensely sobering by turns, her compelling narrative explores not just the murky depths of a serial killer's mind but, tellingly, the media's frenzy for a front-page story and the insatiable human appetite for horror in real life.
Review :
Like one of my friend's review of this books says, it seems quite less even to rate this book a 5/5. It deserves so much more. I am never much keen to reading Nonfiction, a fact I point out almost every single day. While reading this book, to be stupidly honest, I had no idea I was reading a Nonfiction. The fact that I always tend to pass this paticular category untouched has left a large gap in knowing what the different types are. This book right here is a True Crime, a genre I am looking forward to reading more of.
Getting back to the book, author pens down the blood chilling tale of series killer Vijay Palande and his merciless killings. The story begins with the discovery of murder of a senior citizen living in Lokhandwala complex. As the journalist pushes her ways into the happening of the murder and the information gathered by the police, she finds other dark secrets opening up one after the another. With, what seemed like, the murder of a senior citizen for money & property, opened the path to the revealing of 4 other gruesome kills by Palande and his sophisticated, genius mind.
I will not go into any more details of the book as I wish to avoid spoilers asking you to take your time and read this book. It's amazing. The whole tale making the heartbeat go fast and slow, makes one feel sad and happy. One thing which I keenly observed in the story is that, all is not bad from the very beginning, from the core. The core is always bright and pure, when the heart and mind still want to achieve good. But it all turns bitter with some rather painful incidents. Some manage to cope with it and move on while some can never get over the pain and turn revengeful.
No one is born bad, it is the pain they get and the path they chose to get over it that makes the different.
Wow... Someone's being rather too philosophical added she really isn't that much. (She is obviously I myself and I don't find myself much into philosophical thoughts.) *laughs
Human mind is but a complex system. What it decides to do makes oneself rather afraid at times. How it plays games with the body, how it controls the brain, how it chances a nature, how it creates a cold, sophisticated murderer out of an ambitious boy like Palande.
August 28, 2017
Very good read. Most Indian serial killers are not of the psychotic variety who kills for the sake of killing. This is true of this twisted protagonist as well.Good insight into the work of journalists.
December 14, 2017
The rare Indian true crime book that does not insult your intelligence. Puja has written a fascinating yarn through a crime-beat journalist's days, it is perceptible, it is fun, and reads very fresh. You can almost taste the job's grime. Loved the way the book has shaped up as well, a sort of story running through a wikipedia entry, back again into a story, back out connected to an Indian link. It is all quite fascinating.
Recommended. Wish there were a lot of books this juicy.
Still wish there comes a time in India's literary landscape when every true crime book is not written by a journalist, but that is a crib unrelated to the book.
Recommended. Wish there were a lot of books this juicy.
Still wish there comes a time in India's literary landscape when every true crime book is not written by a journalist, but that is a crib unrelated to the book.
January 11, 2017
Sometimes a book comes along that makes you question reality - this is one of those books. A true crime story that reads like a thriller, it's both absurd and gruesome in its normalcy. A highly recommended read.
January 25, 2018
A journalist’s take at the serial killer angle.Vijay Palande is an engine no doubt.The writing is racy but does it fall in the category of a thriller ,not sure.Will give it a 3 with a rider,read it to be subject to some gory details.
February 5, 2022
Though the monotonous reporter angle of the book in the first half of the book isn't so interesting.. the book picks up good pace in the second half and sends chill down your spine when a police officer dissects a serial killers mind.. worth reading..
August 4, 2019
P.S. I borrowed this book from my sister who is pursuing journalism and this was part of her curriculum. Also, I am afraid to write about it about the book as I might give away the intense thrill it withholds.
Firstly, respect for the commendable job that the journalists do. We always see the fragments to their role in the society which drags them into nagging, pestering, stereotyping, cynicism and all the wrong things but we forget to appreciate all the hard work or struggles they go through to keep us updated and informed about what's going on around us.
Secondly, the author who is also a journalist has showcased a remarkable work with the smooth art of storytelling while keeping the suspense factor intact. The proficiency with which the dots are connected will definitely keep the readers glued.
Thirdly, all over the book the author has pointers not only for the readers to understand how the system of media works but also to whisper the reality of the profession into the upcoming journalists and to brace them for what lies ahead.
Fourthly, getting an insight to the minds and souls of serial killers? Nyah. That can be depressing and disturbing. The author gives you an in-depth understanding of the psychological functioning of such killers.
Lastly, it depicts the role of protectors of the society being tuned; law and justice being puppets at the play written by the wrong-doers of the society.
Robert F. Kennedy: Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. (Read the book to understand this.)
Warning: If you can't handle the horror, harsh reality, bitter truth of the life and the unremorsed insensitive deaths, kindly refrain from reading this. The choice is all yours but you must definitely give this a try.
Firstly, respect for the commendable job that the journalists do. We always see the fragments to their role in the society which drags them into nagging, pestering, stereotyping, cynicism and all the wrong things but we forget to appreciate all the hard work or struggles they go through to keep us updated and informed about what's going on around us.
Secondly, the author who is also a journalist has showcased a remarkable work with the smooth art of storytelling while keeping the suspense factor intact. The proficiency with which the dots are connected will definitely keep the readers glued.
Thirdly, all over the book the author has pointers not only for the readers to understand how the system of media works but also to whisper the reality of the profession into the upcoming journalists and to brace them for what lies ahead.
Fourthly, getting an insight to the minds and souls of serial killers? Nyah. That can be depressing and disturbing. The author gives you an in-depth understanding of the psychological functioning of such killers.
Lastly, it depicts the role of protectors of the society being tuned; law and justice being puppets at the play written by the wrong-doers of the society.
Robert F. Kennedy: Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. (Read the book to understand this.)
Warning: If you can't handle the horror, harsh reality, bitter truth of the life and the unremorsed insensitive deaths, kindly refrain from reading this. The choice is all yours but you must definitely give this a try.
December 3, 2019
Hate is too strong a word for me, but I hated this book to the core. Don't know if its just the book or the writer for writing such an unsettling book. Of course this one is a true crime book, but if you read it you'll simply lose faith in humanity, and I believe that's a much bigger threat to humankind. I couldn't understand her motive of writing every detail about those gory and animalistic murders. As it is, the print and digital media is spreading the sensational news with some facts but majority of it is just hype and false information. She also kept boasting about her journalism career every now and then, which I again failed to understand, why?! Don't understand how can people rate this book with 4-5 stars? Guess, we just love to be around negativity and sensationalism. I picked up the book because of a completely different notion, but I won't waste my time writing about it, and it clearly failed to fulfil my expectations with the details which are too disturbing to handle, and a series of investigations which saw no closure to it and even the Mumbai Police had to accept the defeat.
June 3, 2017
Picked on impulse, this true crime story is about an Indian serial killer who killed 6(?) different people in Mumbai coming across his determined path of wealth & fortune, written by a journalist who covered those events for her newspaper.
I hadn't followed this story in media (which apparently stirred a lot of attention in India) so started it with a clean slate. The book deals with whatever is wrong with Mumbai (sex, drugs, Bollywood ambitions, quest for wealth/fame, police & judicial system) and will get a disapproving nod from reader after every few pages. I know how I will sound to people but a few times I found myself shaking my head thinking how these people brought it on themselves. I guess the society and its pressures result in a lot of what is described in there.
Only for readers of true crime because the book only had entertainment value.
I hadn't followed this story in media (which apparently stirred a lot of attention in India) so started it with a clean slate. The book deals with whatever is wrong with Mumbai (sex, drugs, Bollywood ambitions, quest for wealth/fame, police & judicial system) and will get a disapproving nod from reader after every few pages. I know how I will sound to people but a few times I found myself shaking my head thinking how these people brought it on themselves. I guess the society and its pressures result in a lot of what is described in there.
Only for readers of true crime because the book only had entertainment value.
February 14, 2018
DISCLAIMER : It's not a novel and is just collection of a journalist's field works
The book starts of well but fails to keep up the steam. I was disappointed as I expected it to be a suspense thriller, but turned out there's neither suspense nor thrill.
You pick any one of the daily crimes that happens in the city, hype it as a front page flash news and keep talking about it over and over again for pages, you are bound to fail.
Though the book might state facts and gives you a peek inside a journalist's daily chores, it's ends portraying how cheap journalists turn out to be with a desperation to gain publicity but intruding anywhere and every where shamelessly and uncalled for. You would never want to be a crime reporter if you manage to reach till end of this book
The book starts of well but fails to keep up the steam. I was disappointed as I expected it to be a suspense thriller, but turned out there's neither suspense nor thrill.
You pick any one of the daily crimes that happens in the city, hype it as a front page flash news and keep talking about it over and over again for pages, you are bound to fail.
Though the book might state facts and gives you a peek inside a journalist's daily chores, it's ends portraying how cheap journalists turn out to be with a desperation to gain publicity but intruding anywhere and every where shamelessly and uncalled for. You would never want to be a crime reporter if you manage to reach till end of this book
March 31, 2019
A real world Mumbai serial killer's story has been presented in the form of an unravelling thriller. The author does a good job of maintaining a taut storyline and giving glimpses into the day to day functioning of crime journalism and crime investigation.
August 3, 2017
One of the most intriguing books in recent times. One of the best written books in recent times. Well done.
April 14, 2020
The book haunted me for days after. Not for the weak-hearted. I had to literally read Chetan Bhagat's tweets to snap off the feeling.
March 3, 2017
This is such an important book for aspiring media students — as well as for anyone interested in knowing how newspapers report crime, how reporters get information from sources, including police officers. Which means there is a large audience out there for The Front Page Murders, a true story by senior journalist Puja Changoiwala.
Because I teach journalism at a media college in Bengaluru, I have placed a copy of the book in our library for my students.
In addition, to give my students a flavour of what it means to feel the pressure to get the story first, I read out excerpts from the book, from Pages 197 to 199. In this section, Puja Changoiwala writes about the time a rival publication scooped her and how her boss lashed out at her on the phone. Here is a tiny sampler, from Page 199:
"The problem is that you relied too much on that one cop. How could you depend on one source? There are farting policemen all around. Your job is to smell them out," he shouted.
There is some powerful stuff in here. If it is your goal to understand crucial aspects of what it means to be a journalist, you cannot afford to not have this book on your bookshelf — and within arm's reach.
Because I teach journalism at a media college in Bengaluru, I have placed a copy of the book in our library for my students.
In addition, to give my students a flavour of what it means to feel the pressure to get the story first, I read out excerpts from the book, from Pages 197 to 199. In this section, Puja Changoiwala writes about the time a rival publication scooped her and how her boss lashed out at her on the phone. Here is a tiny sampler, from Page 199:
"The problem is that you relied too much on that one cop. How could you depend on one source? There are farting policemen all around. Your job is to smell them out," he shouted.
There is some powerful stuff in here. If it is your goal to understand crucial aspects of what it means to be a journalist, you cannot afford to not have this book on your bookshelf — and within arm's reach.
February 9, 2017
Do go by the rubric of this one. The murder story was and this book is also a front-pager.
A genre which has always gripped me to the hilt having read so many character-driven crime books just gets better with this non-fiction gem. As a crime reader, my dream has always been to read a lingering and labyrinthine book that never ceases. The Front Page Murders fulfils that feeling just almost utterly. Just three chapters down, you would realize that the writer has penned a potent puzzle that unveils many nasty and murky scenes in an enthralling crime manuscript. The graphic stories of human criminal depravity leave a blot of crime trail on your fingers as you keep turning the pages of this engrossing paperback page by page, chapter by chapter. At times written from the point of view of a criminal, at times the glimpses of sympathy towards the victims or at times the sheer trespassing and stalking adroitness of a scribe, this one has it all in there. Is there anything better than an author who can tell a story and create characters with meat to them without bombarding the story with a weighty tome of repetitious fluff! Crime reading aficionados and acolytes of the likes of Zaidi will find this one as match made in heaven between a storyteller and a scribe.
If you crave reading about murders, honey-traps, mob links and criminal manipulation, you’d be hard pressed to find a better compendium than Puja Changoiwala's 'The Front Page Murders'. Her unflinching look at the serial killings that shocked India has all the juices to quench the thirst of even a hardened reader of crime genre. Expertly researched and aptly titled, it opens box of thrill that digs deep into the police archives and journalism diaries. In this galvanizing account, Puja Changoiwala explores the tragic timeline of a baffling cold case that turned into a master key to several others with questions being asked to everyone involved. Interestingly and intriguingly penned, this one neither gets mawkish nor does it unnecessarily gallops down the main story. If you prefer a true story that is character-driven over a puzzle, get your hands on this one, right now.
A genre which has always gripped me to the hilt having read so many character-driven crime books just gets better with this non-fiction gem. As a crime reader, my dream has always been to read a lingering and labyrinthine book that never ceases. The Front Page Murders fulfils that feeling just almost utterly. Just three chapters down, you would realize that the writer has penned a potent puzzle that unveils many nasty and murky scenes in an enthralling crime manuscript. The graphic stories of human criminal depravity leave a blot of crime trail on your fingers as you keep turning the pages of this engrossing paperback page by page, chapter by chapter. At times written from the point of view of a criminal, at times the glimpses of sympathy towards the victims or at times the sheer trespassing and stalking adroitness of a scribe, this one has it all in there. Is there anything better than an author who can tell a story and create characters with meat to them without bombarding the story with a weighty tome of repetitious fluff! Crime reading aficionados and acolytes of the likes of Zaidi will find this one as match made in heaven between a storyteller and a scribe.
If you crave reading about murders, honey-traps, mob links and criminal manipulation, you’d be hard pressed to find a better compendium than Puja Changoiwala's 'The Front Page Murders'. Her unflinching look at the serial killings that shocked India has all the juices to quench the thirst of even a hardened reader of crime genre. Expertly researched and aptly titled, it opens box of thrill that digs deep into the police archives and journalism diaries. In this galvanizing account, Puja Changoiwala explores the tragic timeline of a baffling cold case that turned into a master key to several others with questions being asked to everyone involved. Interestingly and intriguingly penned, this one neither gets mawkish nor does it unnecessarily gallops down the main story. If you prefer a true story that is character-driven over a puzzle, get your hands on this one, right now.
May 27, 2018
The book deals with the infamous serial killer- Vijay Palande, his antics, the ghastly nature of his killings, as well as his victims and his modus operandi!
The book is very well written and also provides a valuable insight into the hectic, ruthless and competitive world of journalism, ‘where someone hits it, and another one misses it’.
The book dives straight into the killings and traces them chronologically particularly in the way the police investigation proceeded and hence brings order to a pretty disarrayed timeline (as seen, when viewed from an outsider’s perspective). It also features highly detailed insight from experts and criminals and victims alike, and attempts to provide an extensive coverage to the saga of Vijay Palande aka Karan Sood.
The book also explores the deep underbelly of crime in Mumbai that is invariably intertwined with Bollywood, cricket, glamour and fame, and paints a picture of an unadulterated, uncensored Mumbai.
Overall, highly recommended for someone trying to dive into the wonderful world of non-fiction. Similar to Capote’s ‘In cold blood’, this book has the potential to serve as an excellent starting point.
PS- Anyone further interested in the criminal underbelly of Mumbai, is encouraged to take up S.Hussain Zaidi’s books, viz. ‘From Dongri to Dubai’, ‘From Byculla to Bangkok’ etc!
The book is very well written and also provides a valuable insight into the hectic, ruthless and competitive world of journalism, ‘where someone hits it, and another one misses it’.
The book dives straight into the killings and traces them chronologically particularly in the way the police investigation proceeded and hence brings order to a pretty disarrayed timeline (as seen, when viewed from an outsider’s perspective). It also features highly detailed insight from experts and criminals and victims alike, and attempts to provide an extensive coverage to the saga of Vijay Palande aka Karan Sood.
The book also explores the deep underbelly of crime in Mumbai that is invariably intertwined with Bollywood, cricket, glamour and fame, and paints a picture of an unadulterated, uncensored Mumbai.
Overall, highly recommended for someone trying to dive into the wonderful world of non-fiction. Similar to Capote’s ‘In cold blood’, this book has the potential to serve as an excellent starting point.
PS- Anyone further interested in the criminal underbelly of Mumbai, is encouraged to take up S.Hussain Zaidi’s books, viz. ‘From Dongri to Dubai’, ‘From Byculla to Bangkok’ etc!
February 5, 2017
Puja Changoiwala has brilliantly woven together one of the most twisted crimes of modern times. The book is thoroughly researched and answers all the questions that would race to the readers mind. The book is gripping and fast paced. It delves into the daily life of a crime reporter and never fails to bore or drag out the sequence of events as they unfold. Great piece of crime, drama and investigative journalism all in one!
May 29, 2018
An Amazing read
An Amazing read. The narration keeps one hooked till the last page. As the author is a journalist, the background work involved in press conference and interviews with top cops was so refreshing to read. Highly recommend this book for those who are interested in reading books about crime and journalism.
An Amazing read. The narration keeps one hooked till the last page. As the author is a journalist, the background work involved in press conference and interviews with top cops was so refreshing to read. Highly recommend this book for those who are interested in reading books about crime and journalism.
February 5, 2019
Well written
A deep , dark part of me enjoyed reading the gruesome exploits of Vijay Palande while a decent, civilised part of me was shocked. Didn't intend to read this book, but I am glad I did.
A deep , dark part of me enjoyed reading the gruesome exploits of Vijay Palande while a decent, civilised part of me was shocked. Didn't intend to read this book, but I am glad I did.
February 25, 2017
Unputdownable. If you like thrillers / crime thrillers this is an absolute MUST.
April 22, 2018
Very well written.
Read
March 29, 2018Chilling, of course, and for all sorts of reasons. What I found most interesting here was not so much the gore and the betrayal of trust, but our ideas of what criminals are like, and who ought to be forgiven what, and viewed in what light. Vijay Palande, serial killer, wins trust partly through constructing a religious image. And he insists that he is a patriot, that he worked in the interest of the nation. He tries to deflect attention from the horrors he inflicts on others by invoking nationalism.
June 1, 2018
A very good crime thriller, non fiction book. If you like this genre , you should go for it without fail. Immersing read. Wonderful narration style which keeps readers curious. Slightly monotonous and repetitive in between but a good, thought provoking, insightful read and Brutal, simultaneously.
Go For It!
Go For It!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews