The Best I Could

by Subhas Anandan

Subhas Anandan is undoubtedly the best-known criminal lawyer in Singapore.


From taking on the sensational cases of Took Leng How, Anthony Ler and Ah Long San to his views on mandatory death sentences and police entrapment , Subhas Anandan has become the face of criminal defence in Singapore.


But why does he choose to represent clients who are to all intents and purposes guilty? And are the criminals who he represents really the monsters they are made out to be? Has he ever felt sorry for the clients he represents?


What are his views on the death penalty, and which parts of the legal system does he think need reforming?

Genres: Nonfiction, Law, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir, Autobiography

296 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2008

Reviews

[Sim]

This book offers good insight to the many prolific cases as well as Mr Subhas's personality off the court. Before reading this book, I am perplexed that why would he defend the 'criminals'and even question his moral values. But after reading, I begin to see his point of view every person should have access to legal help and that we are in no position to act as judge and deem the accused as criminals.

It is written in plain English - no lawyer jargon, pompous words, just simple and easy to understand English. Also, he shared how he was rebellious in school ( many funny incidents written in the book). Some of the cases include are Huang Na and tampanies Raja. From his writings, it is hard not to feel his sense of dedication to his craft. I have nothing but huge respect for him after reading.

Overall, this is a very good read.I just couldn't put down this book once I started reading.

[George Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

- the cases reminded me of many cases that have captured Singaporean interest in the past 25 years
- I still remember lapping up on those news from the papers(there is no internet then and local papers are the only source we have)
- huang na, the 8yr old girl that gone missing and found killed at pasir panjang warehouse
- the ex air stewardess who had an affair with an Karang Guni man and then threw his 4 yr old Daughter out of a hdb flat
- Anthony ler, the guy who force his wife into threesome and later on got a young boy to kill his wife and witness by their 5 yr old daughter . I still remember the local papers was showing him crying at her funeral and pretending to be sad , only to be arrested the next day. He tried to cover his tracks by not using email or sms, and he thought that communicating to the boy by typing on a word document without saving is safe . But he did not know that word auto save and keep a record even if I delete it.

- ok subhas, he seems like a straightforward fearless man, who is ready to fight if he thinks he is right. But he also shows that singapore is a place where most people have an equal chance to succeed. He being from a
Poor neighborhood and hanging around gangsters , he still managed to finish law school in singapore
- his story is amazing in that he was also remanded in prison while he was a lawyer for being linked to gangs . The investigate officers seems to be pretty powerful and is able to put him to jail
- however , to say that he is not linked to gangs is naive. There are a few parts in the book where he demonstrated he is not your average joe. He is treated with a lot of respect by the gangsters in prison and they offer him so much cigarettes that he has to reject. It is either he is really one of them or his close friend is the head hocho. He was even asked to be the peacemaker between gangs
- then there is this part where he lost his sister salary during undergrad days and he went to the gang leader and borrow money. The boss told him he is the pride of them as he made it to be a lawyer so don’t waste it. The fact that he helped him , says a lot

- there is another part where he helped a young boy to stop his father from going to the night club in sembawang He did it by making sure the father got beaten up every time he goes there. How can he do that if he is not linked to them
- in uni he said he got his fren to gather at the hostel to fight the seniors who is tagging him. He said the fren wanted to help because he is the pride of them and are loyal. Sound like triads to me.
- in any case , he really helped a lot of criminals and and has a passion to help them
- the part where he is put in prison sounds incredulous to me given he is already a up and coming lawyer
- the books also mentioned many names of judges and who he think is fair who he thinks is not
- he is frustrated at the system where the accused are usually on the disadvantage and too much is depended on just one judge.
- he also hinted on those cases that is politically linked and the jbj case where judge michael khoo was demoted after acquitting jbj is well known.
- he also mention about FRANCIS seow and he has little
Respect for him as he ran away instead of staying to fight and left many behind Francis seow was once put in a solitary jail too and that probably broke him
- also he think David Marshall has no right to blame
Others for not standing up when he took up the ambassador role instead of fighting
- he is one who say what he believes and really is fearless. We need more people like him . Who work within the system and try his best that he could
- one of the case is about one guy who can’t really read and write english yet he become a very good conman. Some of the tricks mentioned are quite smart ,for example , he bribed someone to get a fire inspector certificate and then using that , he went around shops and inform them that they need to upgrade their fire safety and buy fire extinguisher from a certain company . He owns that company. Another is pretending to be income tax man and go to shops that are doing well like bird nests shop and tell them they could be fined unless he pay him off.
- reading the book make me realized the shortcomings of the system which could be prone to interference. One can only hope that those men with integrity are the majority in the system

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first knew of Subhas Anandan, I never understood how he brought himself to defend certain criminals (!) but this book answered my question.
I practically finished it in 3 days and loved every part of it. A lot of times I had to stop reading for a few minutes to digest the information, especially the emotional parts. This book is like a roller coaster ride. Thank for writing such an amazing book.
Rest In Peace.

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed this since NLB had quite a lot of local books which you can borrow electronically now. Really enjoyed reading the book & while I knew Subhas handled a lot of high profile cases, I’ve forgotten some of the cases he mentioned here. Very entertaining book & I like how he doesn’t talk down to anyone who might not be familiar with the law. It’s a pity he’s passed away while relatively young. Looking forward to the next book.

[Hamz · Rating 4 out of 5]

got sucked in so quick I finished this in one sitting. have always had a morbid interest in capital cases—this book provided so much more insights than our mainstream media could ever. also fascinating to see him battle his moral dilemma of standing up for his clients while still making sure they get their due punishments. excited to read his second book!

[Aye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Added new dimensions to my perspectives on criminals, second chances and humanity.

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

My interest in Subhas Anandan was piqued when my bf sent me the case judgment of Pram Nair v Public Prosecutor. In it, the case of Ong Mingwee was cited multiple times, which led to me reading that case, which led to Anandan’s book.

I read the book voraciously with great interest over 3 days. There is something about criminal law which captures the public’s imagination (I recall reading a similar crime book in Bishan Public Library with said bf one Sunday afternoon). Compared to working in the more lucrative but less taxing corporate law, criminal law seems like the pinnacle of public service. My lawyer-friend said that she read the same book a few years ago when she was convincing herself to study law (she now works in-house in a large bank).

It was pure joy reading about Anandan’s childhood in the British Naval Base, attending school, then RI and then university, excelling in soccer and running. I enjoy the easy camaraderie between boys, their unfailing loyalty towards each other, and the arrogance and aggressiveness of adolescence which only men can (seemingly) get away with. Books like this and films like Animal House always make me wonder how it’s like to grow up a man, be a part of a fraternity, get away with violence sometimes and chase after girls… just like how some men wonder how it is like to be a girl, dress up, paint the town red and be pursued.
I also enjoyed reading about the landscape of old Singapore: the Sembawang patio, the black-and-white houses near the law campus of University of Singapore, the old Raffles Place and sampans by the Singapore River. It made me nostalgic for a time now past and reminded me of how little I still know about Singapore’s history and key figures in law, commerce and entertainment.

What struck me upon reading the murders is how arbitrary death is. Coincidentally, death and its various causes was a subject I had been thinking about just a few weeks back, and the anecdotes from his book (admittedly cherry picked based on Anandan’s personal criteria) served to reinforce the sometimes arbitrary and ridiculous nature of how lives are taken – from the young to the old, from swift to gruesome, from accidental to intentional. The Japanese tourist who had her face smashed in a robbery-gone-wrong, the woman who drank poisoned water not meant for her… It also seems that while schizophrenic, depressed people are at higher risk of committing crimes (and getting a lighter sentence as a result of their psychiatric evaluation), normal ‘everyday’ people can also do murderous, foolish things in the spur of the moment, out of passion. Are we truly safe amongst ourselves? Would one of my acquaintances eventually crack? Could it even be me?? I admit feeling a bit unsafe walking home near midnight last night.

The insights into the legal system were also interesting. The uncharacteristically harsh death penalty towards drug offenders. People’s personal motives and desires in influencing a judgment. (Like the Justice who was a Christian elder who had a particular dislike for cases concerning extra-marital affairs) The politics of the Law Society, justice vs law, and the responsibility of a lawyer who has been assigned to a criminal he might not necessarily agree with. People bringing their bomohs to court and thanking them when the case has been won in their favour. Next up… LKY’s memoirs.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good insight and very simply written. I wish he could have lived longer. RIP Mr. Subhas.

[Kes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book about the criminal cases handled by Subhas Anandan - what was also interesting was his life and rebellions outside of law.

He also name-drops lots of people - he trained under Justice Chan Sek Keong, for example. There are some parts where Subhas is against the system (he thinks it's unfair) and some parts where he seems sympathetic to the establishment. ("He also told us about how unfair he thought the system was and how the judge had not been fair to him. He felt that from the moment he was caught, he was not going to get a fair trial. I told him through Sunil that this was not true as we really do give everyone a fair trial under our system. It may appear to some as being unfair but the fact is that trials in Singapore follow the letter of the law.") That being said, mistakes are made - which Subhas mentions at some stage.

For example, he supports the death penalty, but not the mandatory death penalty - a bit of nuance that I appreciated.

There are a few points that surprised me: Subhas' attitude towards Francis Seow, where he says "I honestly thought that when you lie so glibly like Francis Seow, it must have astonished Lee Kuan Yew that a man can lie that well."

I liked the part about judges going to visit crime scenes - and that during a corruption trial involving policeman, he invited a judge to visit the scene of the night club. The judge declined.

I liked the part about idiosyncrasies - such as the involvement of bomohs / black magic, or that an inmate started carrying a bible in the hope that he would get a favourable judgment (he wasn't: he got convicted).

I also appreciated some of the difficulties with criminal law - Subhas talks about how he defended Ramu Annadavascan until he was convicted of murder, and describes it as "one of those cases where I still feel a tinge of regret about doing the best I could." Moreover, as Subhas says "It is a myth that everyone who is acquitted is innocent. I personally know of many who have walked out of court as free men and women even when they were guilty of the charge."

The last part that struck me was that Subhas defended Julia Bohl, a German national who was initially facing a murder charge for drug trafficking but that her charges were later reduced to a non-capital charge. Alan Shadrake has alleged in his 2010 book that this was due to a backdoor deal between the German government and the Singapore government where the German government would pump money into the Singapore banks for reducing the charge (although Shadrake himself says that he could never find evidence to support this); what's telling is that Subhas' retelling of the case makes it seem above board. Subhas's book was published before Alan Shadrake's, so Subhas wouldn't have had the opportunity to disprove Alan Shadrake's allegation - but still, Subhas' view of the case (and his discussion after) seems to weaken Shadrake's allegation.

To end off on a happy note, I loved Subhas's story about a demonstration in 1968, where he and fellow students demonstrated in front of the Soviet Union Embassy. After a while, Subhas went around to the back to ask for vodka - which was foiled by fellow students as this was seen as cheapening the demonstration. I found it rather funny.

5/5 stars

[Ly · Rating 3 out of 5]

tbh i really struggled to finish this book and not skimmed through it :(

to me, it reads more or less like a catalogue of all the prominent cases that Anandan has done and the prominent people he rubbed shoulders with; with a slightly excessive dose of (sometimes uncalled for) judgements.

Anandan had the tendency to veer off into critical judgmental remarks about his clients, the judges, other lawyers or even the clients' relatives, and these hardly add any value to the narrative and sometimes are very problematic.

(on Julia Susanne Bohl, who was accused of drug trafficking in 2002)

I felt that she was an attractive young woman mixing around with some ugly people.

(on Quek Loo Ming, who was charged for poisoning a co-worker and his wife)

I found Quek a very foolish man who took offence over petty things and his reaction which led to Madam Fong’s untimely death was totally uncalled for
...
I thought his wife a remarkable lady. She was calm and emotionless throughout the proceedings. She even paid my fees without bargaining. She told me she had moved out of her neighbourhood and was living else

(taking issue with a judge for their religious belief)

I felt that Justice Lai always dealt more harshly with people who commit adultery. I also felt that as a church elder, and because of his personal convictions, he tended to take issues other than the law into consideration

(rather unnecessary and intrusive remark on the look of his client-Abdul Nasir's sisters)
Abdul Nasir was also quite a good-looking person, and it ran in the family. His two sisters who came to court when I was defending him were really beautiful women. They had no make-up on, yet looked simply exquisite.

other than these, i found the editing sloppy at times, especially towards the end of the book. awkward or even ungrammatical sentences like these are not uncommon:

“her worry spread like wildfire to members of the public.

“While having my coffee (Anandan meant to speak about himself), JBJ walked in and greeted me. ”.

Most of my notes for these quotes were: "why do we need to know this really?" and "problematic" :))

Overall, looking back at the questions the book seeks to shed a light on "But why does he choose to represent clients who are to all intents and purposes guilty? And are the criminals who he represents really the monsters they are made out to be? Has he ever felt sorry for the clients he represents?
" --> all are answered but in a cursory and superficial manner, you get lots of off-hand judgement from Anandan instead. Except for the part on Anandan's childhood, you will probably save time by reading the cases on wikipedia.

[Sheng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since Channel 5 aired a TV series based on the cases discussed in the late Subhas Anandan's The Best I Could, I became interested in reading the source material where all these crimes were talked about. It's been a few years since I first wanted to read Anandan's book and I was quite happy to be able to finally get my hands on it from the library last week.

The Best I Could not only mentions the various Singapore crime cases that Anandan undertook and worked on but also his other life experiences, such as his years growing up in the Naval Base, his days in University studying for his Law degree and his time in prison where he was falsely accused of crimes he did not commit. It was quite an eye-opener, reading about Anandan's younger days where he displayed unruly and mischievous behaviour that I definitely did not expect from one of Singapore's most prominent criminal lawyers. His time in prison was even more surprising where the misconception that he held a high-ranking position in the underground gangs led to him receiving special treatment and privileges from the other inmates.

Obviously, the main reason why I borrowed this book was to read about the cases that Anandan undertook during his time as a criminal lawyer. These included some of the most well-known cases in Singapore's history such as Huang Na's murder, One-Eyed Dragon and Anthony Ler. It was insightful to gain a behind-the-scenes look at how these cases were fought, won or lost and how Anandan personally interacted with the accused in each case. Some of the cases were also familiar to me because I had studied them as part of a forensic science module I took. It was pretty interesting to see the forensic science aspect of the case interplayed with the courtroom aspect. Although Anandan tends to have positive things to say about many of the individuals he has encountered throughout, he also sometimes paints an unflattering picture of the law when verdicts that he disagreed with were passed. He chooses to attack the character of some of the judges and justices involved by claiming they lacked the moral courage or knowledge to do what was fair and just. How fair is that, I do not know.

Of course, I am interested to read and learn more about Anandan's cases after this book but that is no longer possible after he passed away in 2015. Still, his career was a long and impressive one with the impact of his work still felt in the history of Singapore's criminal law till today. 4/5

[Wei Xuan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I binge read this book, and before I knew it, a pre-bedtime read went past midnight.

This book came as a rude-awakening of my inherent bias against the accused in any crime. Succinctly depicted in Subhas' son's question, "Papa, don't you have any good clients?". I was humbly reminded (yet again) that the world and people cannot be simply dichotomised as black or white, good or bad. Most notably, in one of his cases, his client could have asked to change lawyers to give himself more time (to live and see his young daughter) before being executed. But his client refused, thought that would not be right or fair, as it may give people the impression Subhas has done something wrong. Surprisingly (or not), it seems difficult to reconcile how a person who can show kindness or love, can also behave so barbarically and commit such heinous crimes. But I guess that’s why the old adage rings true, "There isn't anyone you couldn't love once you've heard their story."

Perhaps growing up in the iron clad governance of Singapore, I have been conditioned to accept and prioritise the rights of the community and society over the rights of the accused. Therefore, reading about Subhas, his thoughts and values - "Everyone deserves a fair trial regardless of how serious a crime has been committed" and "I never take the high moral ground when it comes to defending an accused person" - made me embarrassed. I don't know enough but I think we as a society definitely need people like Subhas to defend the rights of these accused and in a sense, I felt that he displayed kindness beyond anything I'm capable of.

Throughout the book, you can sense Subhas' passion, pride and love for his job - to the point, I wondered 1) in this lifetime will I ever experience such intense passion for my job (I enjoy my job btw but not till this extent) and 2) had I reached for this book a decade ago, would I have been infected by his righteousness and zest (haha who am I kidding I'm a scaredy-cat!). But in his finishing remarks: "To me, my illness made me a more realistic person, one who realises that in the past, I got all my priorities wrong. It was my career first, my career second, and my career third. I didn’t make time for my wife and son. I didn’t make time for my siblings and I didn’t make time for my very close friends." I don't think life is a zero-sum game - career, family, health, etc. - but what I know for sure is my first, second, third look very different from Subhas’.

[Tiffany Zhao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initially I wasn't interested because Subhas was interviewed as saying he couldn't reveal much due to customer confidentiality. Where's the gossip, then?

Still, an utterly fabulous book! I admit I had my predetermined opinion of this chap, I mean, he's notorious for always defending criminals, or in other words, bad people, people who deserved whatever end they got. So why was he pleading leniency for them?

Subhas Anandan addresses this issue in a very lighthearted yet poignant anecdote - once his young son asked him in disgust after watching CrimeWatch: "Dad, don't you have any good customers?" I'm sure it was a stab in the heart for him, but Subhas sure has a healthy outlook towards life that resonates throughout the book.

His strong & rascally character shines through. Noone mild & tame could survive in a criminal court, defending those who the public have already prejudged to be guilty.

What he said really pricked my conscience. If he rejected a murderer, does that mean he has already judged that person to be guilty without giving him a fair trial?

No doubt all civilised people would be indignant if you dare to say we don't give our criminals a fair trial. But look at the papers. Even Straits Times which prides itself on reporting facts neutrally - but if you read an article "Tan is accused of sexually assaulting his daughter." what would you assume?

Did that disgust you & cause an involuntary shudder & a mental condemnation of this beastly, fictitious Tan? To be honest, it did in me, even as I typed it.

Subhas also gives an insight into the minds of criminals, why they commited the heinous crimes they did. His tone is not condescending or judgemental - it's very conversational, very griping to read. I'm sure most people will be reading to hear the "inside story" about Singapore's famous criminals, especially since our papers do not sensationalise things by having exclusive interviews with the condemned. But we will inadvertently learn much more about the importance of giving a fair trial & how the justice system works!

Don't judge him by his "lion face", Justice Bao looks - give the man a chance, just like he's giving others a chance.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a huge chunk of this book before becoming a Legal Studies student (I had probably about 3 or 4 chapters left). Subhas sought to make it readable by everyone and he did just that, avoiding jargon most people wouldn't know or referencing other things. Although it was accessible, I definitely did benefit from my own knowledge of Law as he didn't get deep into the history, meanings or system. I was a little worried this might be dry to read or just not well-written in general. Not everyone with a story worth reading about can write a good autobiography but Subhas is a good author and I am looking forward to reading "It's Easy to Cry".

I read a quote somewhere describing this as Singapore's criminal log -I don't agree with that statement. Walking away from this book, you feel much more knowledgeable about Subhas himself. Subhas was very invested in his career. It came third in his life, after his first and second priorities -which were also his career. Naturally, it is impossible to get to know him unscathed from traces of Law.

He does discuss a number of cases in this book but they are recounts instead of examinations of the instances. We learn what his life was like from childhood, all the way through and we get a great sense of who he was as a person through old dialogues, anecdotes and his perspective on things. It felt as though an Uncle Subhas was inviting me to sit and listen to him talk while he had a smoke.

Other notable people within the legal and political Singaporean sphere he has interacted with have been mentioned in this book because of his ties as counsel. For example, J.B Jeyaretnam and David Marshall.

[khushi ☆〜（ゝ。∂） · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was recommended to me by a Singaporean law student, & I love how much of an easy read it was despite the content covered. I'm not from Singapore or remotely close, & have never visited, thus I know very little about the culture there. Additionally, I'm not a law student or remotely close. But the author very kindly explains details about Singapore's legal system & culture when relevant (w/o feeling redundant or making the reader feel like a layperson), which helps in better understanding the cases as a whole. The cases & individuals convicted, despite their questionable nature at times, are covered with so much care as well, which I was surprised to see. I think there was only one case that I can recall where Anandan was openly agitated w/ the outcome.

I didn't expect this to be, in part, an autobiography (I didn't even know who Subhas Anandan was prior to reading this book aha. So maybe that's my mistake...). It definitely helped understand why he took the stance he did throughout his career, as well as his gravitation towards certain cases mentioned in the book.

Overall, a pretty great read. In the past, I've tended to stick to more criminology/psychology-based analyses of criminal cases, but now I'm more keen on the lawyer's POV, especially if they're from a place that I'm not super familiar w/.

[Nicky Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subhas reminds me about the other side of the law: the criminals, the defences and the rights felons have, despite committing outrageous acts. A poignant insight from the book is to view the law and justice differently; The law was written to serve justice, but justice is complex. In reading about the criminal cases individually and from Subhas' (defendant's) perspective, I feel that it changed my notion of justice to a more redeeming, society-protecting and deterring view, instead of a retribution-seeking view.

In the people he meets, some of them have rather distasteful habits. Smoking, drinking, beating wives, conning people, etc. Yet, Subhas doesn't seem to impose much moral judgement on them. He speaks his mind and gives advice, but from what I read, he doesn't seem to be a condescending and proud person. I think that's a worthwhile lesson to any reader.

It was also fun to learn more about the legal profession, and in Singapore's context. Subhas ends the book beautifully about keeping promises and I respect him for that.

RIP Subhas.

[Ethan Teo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subhas Anandan was one of Singapore's most prolific criminal defence lawyers. He has been known, through the decades, to take cases which no one else would. Although to claim that no other lawyer would have taken the cases he did (certainly there are enough who respect the fundamental right of representation) would be a stretch, to do what Mr Anandan did over such a long time certainly required a certain amout of bravery.

'The Best I Could' are the accounts of some of the most famous cases he's taken over the years. Anyone, law-invested or not, can read this work simply to find out about some of the most famous criminal cases in Singapore from a firsthand source.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty easy read. He recounts his childhood and some of his cases. Chapters are about 3 pages long usually. It gets a bit more interesting when he offers insight into the judges' characters and how that affects their decisions. He also was v dismissive of Francis Seow and I want to know more about that. It was kinda depressing to see how much of the legal system is dependant on who you know. Every other chapter is like oh this lawyer I was up against we were classmates, oh this judge he trained me blabla.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read, especially for every Singaporean. The late Subhas Anandan writes with a dry wit and in such straightforward manner that I was won over by his arguments. When younger, I wondered (as he had for a while), how lawyers could bring themselves to defend the "bad guys". But behind some of the best defence lawyers are people who want fair justice. Not mob justice or the lack of justice, but one that is appropriate, and underlined by compassion. And seeing how angry the social media mobs can get these days, Mr. Subhas' approach is all the more outstanding and thought-provoking.

[WinterFell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always wondered what makes lawyers ticked. Was it the money, fame, or passion for justice?

At the turn of the final page, I could only admire Mr Subhas Anandan's deep conviction for a fair judicial system where everyone, regardless of the heinous crimes committed, deserves a fair chance to defend oneself. I may not have liked, nor am I in a position to judge his choice of clientele, but I deeply respect the man for his principles, and the fact that he wouldn't wince from standing up for the underdogs.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best I Could by Mr Subhas Anandan is a biography written by Mr Subhas himself about his life before becoming a lawyer and his life as a criminal lawyer.

In this book, he also shared many of his thoughts and his views regarding the cases he acted in. I really enjoyed reading this book as I am able to connect to him as I read it. His way of doing things and principles are something we all can learn.

Overall, this was a good read for me and I will definitely read the second one!

[Simon Salomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always thought about why he fought for murderers and many other criminals and the train of thoughts that would have been in his mind as he represented each of them. Finally got a chance to read this book and found the answers to my questions. His words and the emotions he expressed through his writing, for each and every case of his shows why he was one of our best criminal Lawyers and a great man indeed.

Rest In Peace sir.

[Julia Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciated his blunt perspective on life, and most especially his empathy. As someone who had to relinquish judgement in order to serve those whom were already condemned by society based on their actions, I felt his genuine compassion and mercy for others.

By writing the story in layman terms, he helped readers along by making the technical understandable and to draw us to the true focus of the book: to be human and humane.

[Mahesh Daryanani · Rating 5 out of 5]

A definite read for anybody who is interested in Singapore's criminal legal system, and/or contemplating a career in the same. As a Singaporean, Rafflesian, and law student, I resonated with his love for pro-bono and his courage to take on capital cases (many in vivid detail). It is truly inspiring.

[kess | wordwanderlust · Rating 3 out of 5]

easy to follow and i learned a lot about singapore's law and justice system over the years. i feel that if the cases were told in a more creative way, i would've had a much more enjoyable reading experience. nonethless, glad i read this. realised that my grandparents used to be neighbours with Subhas' family in Sembawang. small world!

[toomanytbr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book not only shows the other perspective that we don’t usually see but it also made me reflect on how i view the “bad guys”. One take away is that i would love to be like Subhas, factual but also compassionate. Read this when i was 17 years old, i am not 23 years old. This is one of the few books that left a deep impression

[Mirror4558 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished it in a day. Easy and fun read, but I definitely was expecting more reflection rather than a silly personal recount.

In spite of that, Subhas' personality does shine through in the book and I have to say it's a unique one. The writing was playful, and his experiences were interesting. It's not the read I expected, but a read I did enjoy overall.

[Pearlyn Chua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting read for exposure to criminal law, particularly from the POV of a defence lawyer for certain high-profile cases in Singapore (like murders, especially those potentially involving the death penalty, and one for opposition MP JBJ). It's definitely not an easy line of work, cognitively and emotionally.

[HSM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since young, I have seen Mr Subhas on papers and TV, always defending the baddies. I always wonder why he did so when these baddies obviously did bad things. Finally got my question answered in this book.

[Albert Solomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got me in the hook throughout the whole book. It gives insights on the criminals he’s defended that the media never covered and his opinions on certain judgements and policies in law. Excellent!
So sad he’s passed