On the Trail of the Serpent: The Epic Hunt for the Bikini Killer
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Book Overview
The complete story of Charles Sobhraj, the serial killer who inspired the hit Netflix series The Serpent. Charles Sobhraj remains one of the world's great conmen, and as a serial killer, the story of his life and capture endures as legend. Born in Vietnam to a Vietnamese mother and Indian father, Sobhraj grew up deprived of a sense of identity, moving to France before being imprisoned and stripped of his multiple nationalities. Driven to floating from country to country, continent to continent, he became the consummate con artist, stealing passports, smuggling drugs and guns across Asia, busting out of prisons and robbing wealthy associates. But as his situation grew more perilous, he turned to murder, preying on Western tourists dropping out across the 1970s "hippie trail," leaving dead bodies and gruesome crime scenes in his wake, triggering an international manhunt that put him at the top of INTERPOL's most wanted list. On the Trail of the Serpent draws its readers into the story of Sobhraj's life as told exclusively to journalists Richard Neville and Julie Clarke by the investigators, families of the victims, and even Sobhraj himself. Blurring the boundaries between true crime and novelization, this remains the definitive book about Sobhraj--a riveting tale of sex, drugs, adventure, and murder.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0143136852
ISBN13:9780143136859
Release Date:March 2021
Publisher:Penguin Books
Length:368 Pages
Weight:0.79 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 3.5" x 9.9"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
Charismatic revelations
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
I read this book several times in the eighties - I was reading as many titles as I could find on charismatic psychopaths. Ed Sanders "The Family" was another excellent read. Neville's story of CJ's rampant career across Asia was fascinating - he seduces us even from the page. I love/hate the charismatic trigger that all humans respond to - is it a genetic imperative to resond to this rare attribute in someone to ensure that we follow leaders? Few modern leaders have this charisma essence anyway - see Australian PM John Howard - maybe we need more Charismatics, and damn the odd psychopath as a necessary part of the deal. Collateral Damage, as the Yanks like to say...Get this book, however you can, and enjoy.
Absolutely brilliant
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
If any one has been to Thialand, Vietnam or India this book is a must, you simply cannot put it down and it's all true!
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