Death, Lies & Cyanide
True crime podcast review — 2026
"A meticulously reported Spotify Original on one of India's most notorious family-poisoning cases."
Who is this podcast for?
- ✓Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish
- ✓Fans of original investigative journalism over retold news
Pros
- +Rated "Must Listen" by our editorial team
- +Serialized format builds a compelling, sustained narrative arc across episodes
About this podcast
Death, Lies & Cyanide, a Spotify Original documentary podcast narrated by veteran journalist Sashi Kumar, chronicles the case of Jolly Joseph from Kozhikode, Kerala, accused of poisoning six members of her own family over 14 years before finally coming under suspicion in 2019. Across 10 episodes it reconstructs how she evaded suspicion for so long and how investigators finally built the case against her.
Best episode to start with
Episode 1
Serialized format — listen from the beginning for the full experience
Rate this podcast
Community reviews
0 reviewsWrite a quick review
No reviews yet. Be the first!
Frequently Asked Questions about Death, Lies & Cyanide
What is Death, Lies & Cyanide about?
Death, Lies & Cyanide, a Spotify Original documentary podcast narrated by veteran journalist Sashi Kumar, chronicles the case of Jolly Joseph from Kozhikode, Kerala, accused of poisoning six members of her own family over 14 years before finally coming under suspicion in 2019. Across 10 episodes it reconstructs how she evaded suspicion for so long and how investigators finally built the case against her.
Is Death, Lies & Cyanide worth listening to?
Our editorial verdict is "Must listen". A Spotify Original narrated by journalist Sashi Kumar, chronicling how Jolly Joseph allegedly poisoned six members of her own family over 14 years in Kerala.
Who is Death, Lies & Cyanide for?
Death, Lies & Cyanide is ideal for: Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish; Fans of original investigative journalism over retold news.
What is the best episode of Death, Lies & Cyanide to start with?
We recommend starting with Episode 1. As a serialized show, it's best to listen from the beginning of a season.
What podcasts are similar to Death, Lies & Cyanide?
If you enjoy Death, Lies & Cyanide, you might also like: A Million Other Choices, Profiler: True Crime Africa, Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast, MURDERISH. See our full "Podcasts Like Death, Lies & Cyanide" page for more recommendations.
Quick facts
- Format
- Serialized
- Host style
- Solo narrator
- Style
- Journalistic; sombre; forensics-focused; historically grounded
- Episode length
- 30-40 min
- Episodes
- 10 episodes
- Country
- India
Browse category
Region
🇮🇳India True CrimeNewsletter
Get weekly recommendations
Curated picks, new reviews, hidden gems.
You can unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
If you liked this, try…
See all alternatives
A Million Other Choices
A Canadian-hosted, victim-centred true crime podcast covering murder and other criminal cases from around the world, with a particular interest in the Canadian justice system.
Profiler: True Crime Africa
A journalist and a forensic psychologist look at South African crimes.
Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast
Foggy gaslit streets. A quiet courtroom. And crimes that history tried to bury. <
MURDERISH
Jami Rice tells real cases in full, from start to finish, with detailed research.
True Crime DEADLINE
Journalist Matt Johnson covers cold cases, unsolved mysteries and murders.
Gone South
Narrative series about crime in the American South, now widening to other regions.
Explore more in these categories: