This book brings together 42 of the nation's most well-known and notorious criminal cases - and investigates over a century of crimes and murders that have gripped the attention of the entire nation and beyond. The cases go as far back as 1875, beginning with colonial-era intrigues that remain unresolved to this day, to the swift and sudden demise of a North Korean man at KLIA in 2017 and a mysterious epidemic that killed 15 villagers in a remote Kelantan outpost in 2019. Based on the authors' meticulous research and consultations with several Malaysia's most eminent historians and criminal lawyers, crime reporters and police officers, this compilation breathes new life into some of the cases and sheds new light on the notorious events. Infamous cases include: The Missing Millionaire, Jim Thompson (1967), The Robin Hood of Sentul, Botak Chin (1976), The Slaying of a Beauty Queen, Jean Perera (1979), Pop Singer Witch Doctor, Mona Fandey (1993), The Mystery of the Mongolian Model, Altantuyaa Shaariibuu (2006), The Missing Plane, MH370 (2014)
Author
Martin Vengadesan is associate editor at Malaysiakini. He began his journalism career in 1996 with The Star, specialising in stories about music, art and entertainment. He is co-author of the best-selling true crime book Malaysian Murders & Mysteries with fellow journalist Andrew Sagayam. His second book was the dystopian science fiction novel Malaya 2057: A Thousand Moons Have Passed. In 101 Albums You Need To Hear Before I Die he revisits his past as a music journalist. He was formerly general treasurer of the National Union of Journalists and a vice-president of the Youth Wing of Parti Keadilan Rakyat. As a musician, he has also recorded five albums in the folk-rock, psychedelic rock and progressive rock genres. A father of three, he is the son of former diplomat Ambassador Dato’ R Vengadesan and was born in Finland before growing up in nine countries across four continents.
