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I Was a Killer for the Hells Angels: The Story of Serge Quesnal
The shocking confession of a five-time murderer
When I arrived at the restaurant, my boss gave me a wad of $20 bills, which amounted to some $2,000. He was acting as though money was burning a hole in his pockets. But this suited me fine. Melou often acted that way. He didn’t want me to run out of money. A happy killer is a productive killer. …
When he was fifteen years old, Serge Quesnel started hanging out in strip bars and committing minor thefts and burglaries. He soon became known to the police. He learned more about crime when he served time, first in a detention centre, and then later in the infamous Donnacona federal penitentiary. On his release, he was ready to realize his true ambition, to become a confederate of the Hells Angels.
To achieve this ambition, he set out to prove that he could hurt, maim, and kill people efficiently and without a qualm. His first murder victim was a drug dealer who was giving the local Angels chapter trouble. He and a friend beat the dealer to a pulp and then calmly wiped the crime scene clean of fingerprints. The Angels were impressed. He moved to Trois-Rivières and became a full-time enforcer.
Quesnel, having now “sold out” to the authorities and assumed a new identity, tells his story of violence and betrayal in chilling detail to Quebec journalist, Pierre Martineau. The resulting chronicle is a modern crime classic.
When I arrived at the restaurant, my boss gave me a wad of $20 bills, which amounted to some $2,000. He was acting as though money was burning a hole in his pockets. But this suited me fine. Melou often acted that way. He didn’t want me to run out of money. A happy killer is a productive killer. …
When he was fifteen years old, Serge Quesnel started hanging out in strip bars and committing minor thefts and burglaries. He soon became known to the police. He learned more about crime when he served time, first in a detention centre, and then later in the infamous Donnacona federal penitentiary. On his release, he was ready to realize his true ambition, to become a confederate of the Hells Angels.
To achieve this ambition, he set out to prove that he could hurt, maim, and kill people efficiently and without a qualm. His first murder victim was a drug dealer who was giving the local Angels chapter trouble. He and a friend beat the dealer to a pulp and then calmly wiped the crime scene clean of fingerprints. The Angels were impressed. He moved to Trois-Rivières and became a full-time enforcer.
Quesnel, having now “sold out” to the authorities and assumed a new identity, tells his story of violence and betrayal in chilling detail to Quebec journalist, Pierre Martineau. The resulting chronicle is a modern crime classic.
280 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 7, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 21, 2011
This book was ho hum ok for me. I didn't like the authors writing style at all! It felt like I was reading a speed writer, everything ran together so fast which made it hard to understand who everyone was in the book. He also had the horrible habit of switching from himself to Quesnal speaking which made it all the more confusing. Hardly any details about the outlaw biker gangs themselves, which was what I was hoping to read more of since the subject highly interests me, this was all about Quesnal and honestly hardly any detail of the man himself. This book was a HUGE disappointment for me!
October 28, 2013
The book suffers from translation garble, making what likely was elegant and clear prose in French, clumsy and sometimes awkward in English. The story is interesting but the protagonist, Quesnel, is fairly shallow and one-dimensional, making his account of his passage through the underworld fairly bland and predictable.
October 15, 2025
The story of the life of Serge Quesnel, petty criminal turned hitman for the Hells Angels, turned criminal informant. Serge talks of his life of petty criminal activity and watching the successful criminals lead an “easy”, wild life. His turning point was when he was sent to jail for minor crimes. He could have used the chance to get his life together and start afresh, however he willingly and knowingly chose his path trying to earn the respect and friendship of powerful criminal gangs.
He actively courted these criminals seeking to impress them and rise their ranks by doing whatever they wanted him to – including – no, especially – killing others.
On his release he sought out the Hells Angels and offered his services as a killer. He speaks of them giving him respect, money, women and anything he could want. Of course they would, they were using him to kill for them. He would have been kept around for as long as he was useful and obedient.
Serge seems to have an over inflated sense of his skills. From the brief descriptions of his plans, none seem too well thought out or fulfilled with any great skill other than the willingness to kill. He seemed to involve a lot of other people in his plans leaving himself open. His trust in his accomplices was too great, and he was too badly influenced by drugs to truly read his situation when I’m sure there were plenty of red flags for him to see.
Naturally he was caught, and clever police turned him as an informant. Again, his over inflated ego seems to think he was truly special because they gave him everything he wanted in exchange for his information and testimony. The author could see that the costs of keeping him were nothing compared to the costs of the manpower needed to investigate the gang without his knowledge.
He was lucky in his negotiations that he was placed in witness protection with a fund for when he left prison. He was lucky it was then that he did choose to grow up and use his time wisely to educate himself, invest and try to create himself a future with the new identity he will be given.
Hopefully he made it through on his release from prison. Although we will never get it, it would be interesting to hear an update.
He actively courted these criminals seeking to impress them and rise their ranks by doing whatever they wanted him to – including – no, especially – killing others.
On his release he sought out the Hells Angels and offered his services as a killer. He speaks of them giving him respect, money, women and anything he could want. Of course they would, they were using him to kill for them. He would have been kept around for as long as he was useful and obedient.
Serge seems to have an over inflated sense of his skills. From the brief descriptions of his plans, none seem too well thought out or fulfilled with any great skill other than the willingness to kill. He seemed to involve a lot of other people in his plans leaving himself open. His trust in his accomplices was too great, and he was too badly influenced by drugs to truly read his situation when I’m sure there were plenty of red flags for him to see.
Naturally he was caught, and clever police turned him as an informant. Again, his over inflated ego seems to think he was truly special because they gave him everything he wanted in exchange for his information and testimony. The author could see that the costs of keeping him were nothing compared to the costs of the manpower needed to investigate the gang without his knowledge.
He was lucky in his negotiations that he was placed in witness protection with a fund for when he left prison. He was lucky it was then that he did choose to grow up and use his time wisely to educate himself, invest and try to create himself a future with the new identity he will be given.
Hopefully he made it through on his release from prison. Although we will never get it, it would be interesting to hear an update.
October 3, 2024
Shallow with few details about the killings or the people involved
May 29, 2025
easy but interesting read
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews