Confession of a Thug

Confessions of a Thug is an English novel written by Philip Meadows Taylor in 1839 based on the Thuggee cult in British India. Ameer Ali, the anti-hero protagonist of Confessions of a Thug, was said to be based on a real Thug called Syeed Amir Ali (or Feringhea), whom the author was acquainted with.

Confessions of a Thug went on to become a bestseller in 19th century Britain. The story of the Thuggee cult was popularized by Confessions of a Thug, leading to the Hindi word "thug" entering the English language.


This book is a tale of crime and retribution, set in 1832 in India. The story lays bare the practices of the Thugs, or deceivers as they were called, who murdered travellers for money and valuables. This work was originally published in 1839 and reprinted in 1873.