The Angarsk Maniac. The Double Life of a 'Good Person'

86 victims. 20 years of horror.

With nightfall, the city sinks into darkness, and an automobile begins patrolling its streets—spreading terror through the Siberian region for more than two decades. By day, he is a model policeman and security guard, a trusted colleague, and a caring father who instills good qualities in his daughter. But at sunset, he turns into a merciless killer. His victims are women he chooses by watching their reflections in the rearview mirror before beginning his "instructional conversations," savoring his power over them. Every look, every smile, every tear becomes a prelude to unimaginable cruelty.

This book doesn’t merely document the course of the investigation. It lets you peek into the killer’s thoughts, feel the terror of the victims, and walk the path together with those who tried to catch him. It reveals the astonishing story of a woman who survived the attack—who, after waking up in the morgue, found the strength not only to keep living, but to become a key element in uncovering one of the most sensational crimes in Russian history: the case of serial killer Mikhail Popkov.

Are you ready to face absolute evil? Join this terrifying journey. 86 proven murders, two life sentences, and more than 20 years of impunity—behind these numbers lies the story of Russia’s most massive serial killer. But this book isn’t a simple retelling of known facts. It’s an attempt to understand the monster’s and his victims’ motivations—asking "how?" and "why?" rather than just "what?".

The killer’s portrait: how could a police officer commit dozens of crimes and at the same time take part in their investigation? The author reconstructs Popkov’s inner world in detail—revealing his perverse logic, complexes that became his motivators, and the amazing ability to live a double life without raising suspicions.

The psychology of the victim: the book explores why young women got into his car. It wasn’t carelessness—it was desperation, exhaustion, and longing for the provincial life of the 90s that made them vulnerable to evil disguised as a "protector." At the center of the narrative is a documentary-confirmed story of a surviving girl, whose testimony became the key to solving the mystery.

This book is not just a documentary thriller, but a deep study of evil backed by many victims and years of impunity—offering a new perspective on one of the loudest cases in Russian criminology. Elizabeth Buta, a criminal psychologist and author of numerous books about serial killers and psychopaths, offers five reasons to read this book:

1. Immersion in the killer’s mind: the book reveals the twisted logic of a man who lived a double life for more than 20 years.
2. The incredible story of the survivor: from the attack to waking up in the morgue—her story is proof of the will to live.
3. Understanding the era: the book depicts the 1990s and 2000s, when indifference and systemic errors created favorable soil for the criminal.
4. A look at the investigation: investigators who followed a false lead but still managed to crack the case offer an engrossing detective story.
5. The voices of victims: returning the names and stories of women turned into faceless statistics.

This book is a reminder of how vulnerability can intersect with absolute evil.