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The Bikini Murders
Product Novels & Farrukh DhondyTarget ContemporaryBook EnglishBook HarperCollins IndiaPublication 2013 9789351160465Number of 376Product 130 x 196 x 28 mmProduct 260 g
- GenresFiction
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Farrukh Dhondy
60 books16 followersFarrukh Dhondy is an Indian-born British writer, playwright, screenwriter and left-wing activist of Parsi descent. He is well known not only for his writing, but also for his film and TV work.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 10, 2018
The book (people say) is based on the life of serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who used to murder and loot foreigners along the hippie trails. It is. With a lot of fictionalisation. Some part of the book is fine, reads nice. The excessively, overly-described sex scenese are like scripts for Indian pornographic movies, though(sorry). And Johnson's connection with the CIA (and international terrorist outfits is somthing too wide to be accommodated in the context of this novel. The Johnson guy after all is a serial murdered. Not a mafia.
But Farrukh Dhonday is a good writer. I've read his occasional essays published in periodicals. His essays written on defense of V.S Naipaul (no less) are wonderfully crafted pieces displaying great understanding of the master and his oeuvre.
But Farrukh Dhonday is a good writer. I've read his occasional essays published in periodicals. His essays written on defense of V.S Naipaul (no less) are wonderfully crafted pieces displaying great understanding of the master and his oeuvre.
August 9, 2011
Not something to rant and rave about but keeps one glued throughout. Jhonson Thatt (supposedly the crime maestro Charles Sobhraj) gets caught in a casino at Kathmandu, Nepal by an ex police officer. He is charged for the murder of an American hippie Mary Ann Smolinsky (in true life :Connie Jo Bronzich) way back in 1975. As the investigation proceeds Thatt unfolds his histoire as born to half Indian and half Vietnamese parents, getting a French citizenship, his estranged relationship with his father, his entry into the world of crime, and the women his aide in the crime. Immediately after the release of this book in 2008, Sobhraj sued the author Dhondy for fabricating the truth.
June 30, 2023
The Bikini Murders is a fictional crime story based off on a real life serial killer Charles Sobhraj who lived off by preying on Western tourists in South Asia in the 1970s. The real-life protagonist, Charles Sobhraj and the legal authorities confirm that the bikinis of those who were murdered is a mere coincidence and nothing more.
Having cleared that, moving to the book, I think the build is slow but catches pace in the last few chapters. Although I didn’t mind the slowly progressive pace as with each proceeding chapter, the lead protagonist, originally known as Johnson Thhat gained more depth and character. The book is about how a half-French and half-Vietnamese, baby Johnson who has been a victim of violence, political controversies, racism, hatred and abandonment at a very young age, moulded him into the person he became. The initial chapters of the book focuses on the series of events following how Thhat enters into the world of crimes and becomes a player himself. It captures Thhat’s life in quite detail, the committing of murders for trivial financial gains, as he called them to be experiments. Those events really give you insights into the mind of a criminal, for me it helped me humanise Thhat more and understand why he did, what he did. Obviously, it doesn’t make him innocent in eyes of the law and justice but only makes one ponder upon the wrath a person has to go through in order to turn into such a devil.
But the set of rather immoral set of events led his life to nothing but an intense gameplay of making the right move, as for Thhat, he happened to be the perfect combination of intelligence, with the knowledge of law and politics and prowess of leveraging people and their situations to one’s own advantage.
The final chapters of the book are based off on Thhat using his life-long experiences and finally putting all of his connections to use for his own survival. For the last few chapters, I think the author tries to put the audience at liberty to figure out and start fitting the puzzle pieces together of what might’ve caused the downfall of this mastermind. Although the epilogue is the icing on the cake with a dark twist which leaves you in awe, admiration and condemnation - all at the same time.
Having cleared that, moving to the book, I think the build is slow but catches pace in the last few chapters. Although I didn’t mind the slowly progressive pace as with each proceeding chapter, the lead protagonist, originally known as Johnson Thhat gained more depth and character. The book is about how a half-French and half-Vietnamese, baby Johnson who has been a victim of violence, political controversies, racism, hatred and abandonment at a very young age, moulded him into the person he became. The initial chapters of the book focuses on the series of events following how Thhat enters into the world of crimes and becomes a player himself. It captures Thhat’s life in quite detail, the committing of murders for trivial financial gains, as he called them to be experiments. Those events really give you insights into the mind of a criminal, for me it helped me humanise Thhat more and understand why he did, what he did. Obviously, it doesn’t make him innocent in eyes of the law and justice but only makes one ponder upon the wrath a person has to go through in order to turn into such a devil.
But the set of rather immoral set of events led his life to nothing but an intense gameplay of making the right move, as for Thhat, he happened to be the perfect combination of intelligence, with the knowledge of law and politics and prowess of leveraging people and their situations to one’s own advantage.
The final chapters of the book are based off on Thhat using his life-long experiences and finally putting all of his connections to use for his own survival. For the last few chapters, I think the author tries to put the audience at liberty to figure out and start fitting the puzzle pieces together of what might’ve caused the downfall of this mastermind. Although the epilogue is the icing on the cake with a dark twist which leaves you in awe, admiration and condemnation - all at the same time.
August 3, 2017
The book is said to be based on the life of the Serial Killer Charles Sobraj, A Name that spells mystery .. everyone wants to know why he did it? How he manage to remain at large? why he get caught so easily ?
The Book starts on a brilliant note, keep you hooked with the twists and turns of the plot, involving sex, diamond smugglers, murder, corruption and more sex. But the last twist in end is hard to digest, making the whole book a fictionalized biography.
A good read but nothing much to brag about.. 3.5 star at max ..
The Book starts on a brilliant note, keep you hooked with the twists and turns of the plot, involving sex, diamond smugglers, murder, corruption and more sex. But the last twist in end is hard to digest, making the whole book a fictionalized biography.
A good read but nothing much to brag about.. 3.5 star at max ..
October 9, 2019
Very badly written
November 19, 2020
Don't know why the rating is not so good? I really enjoyed reading it.
September 25, 2022
3 stars only because it's been taken from a real man's life.
April 2, 2020
Ah the bloody ratings I wanted to give this book 3.5 stars first and then 3.75 but then it snuck up to 4. Goodreads please implement the 1/4 or 1/2 star ASAP. Coming to the story this work of fiction works as a biography of Charles Sobraj yeah the Serial Killer caught in Nepal many years back. It is interesting at some points and not so interesting at other points. No doubt it is pacy book. If you like crime novels you may like it.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
March 29, 2012
Bikini Murders is the story of Thhat Johnson, a suspected serial killer. We get an insight into his early life which turns him the way he is, and follow his life as he goes about being an ally in the murders he commits.
I loved the initial few chapters where Farrukh fleshed out Thhat's character and showed the way his mind works, but it gets monotonous after a point with similar murders being committed with his accomplice Ravina. It gets boring in terms of the plot after a while, but the events happen quick, so I didn't get bored.
One thing that I couldn't fathom is that how could someone as shrewd, detached and intelligent as Thhat allow himself to be cheated more than once? His supposed detached nature isn't convincing considering the way he deals with Ravina and Virginie.
Overall, a gripping read, but not really *great*. Good enough if you like the crime/thriller genre.
I loved the initial few chapters where Farrukh fleshed out Thhat's character and showed the way his mind works, but it gets monotonous after a point with similar murders being committed with his accomplice Ravina. It gets boring in terms of the plot after a while, but the events happen quick, so I didn't get bored.
One thing that I couldn't fathom is that how could someone as shrewd, detached and intelligent as Thhat allow himself to be cheated more than once? His supposed detached nature isn't convincing considering the way he deals with Ravina and Virginie.
Overall, a gripping read, but not really *great*. Good enough if you like the crime/thriller genre.
May 31, 2013
The book is based on the life of the Serial Killer Charles Sobraj, but is a highly fictionalized version of the same. Farrukh Dhondy has added his own imagination and has recreated the life of Sobhraj whom he calls Johnson Thatt in the book.
The book almost follows in the lines of life of the real killer, but deviates in details. Definitely it an interesting read.
Towards the end it make Sobraj large than life by making him cohort with Al Qaeda and the CIA.
The book is in the form of a narration by Johnson to the police office who captures him in Nepal and the twist in the ending makes on rethink the entire book.
The book almost follows in the lines of life of the real killer, but deviates in details. Definitely it an interesting read.
Towards the end it make Sobraj large than life by making him cohort with Al Qaeda and the CIA.
The book is in the form of a narration by Johnson to the police office who captures him in Nepal and the twist in the ending makes on rethink the entire book.
May 31, 2013
This is a brilliant story, brilliantly told.
I was hooked from the very first page of this dark tale, which is relayed with the dark humour characteristic of Farrukh Dhondy's writing.
The twists and turns of the plot, involving sex, diamond smugglers, murder, corruption and erm...more sex, is allegedly based on the life of the serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who is, according to Wikipedia, well known to the writer and is currently serving a life sentence in an Indian jail...
Highly recommended (to anyone over the age of 21!).
I was hooked from the very first page of this dark tale, which is relayed with the dark humour characteristic of Farrukh Dhondy's writing.
The twists and turns of the plot, involving sex, diamond smugglers, murder, corruption and erm...more sex, is allegedly based on the life of the serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who is, according to Wikipedia, well known to the writer and is currently serving a life sentence in an Indian jail...
Highly recommended (to anyone over the age of 21!).
October 29, 2012
I picked up this book just on the basis of the blurb on the back cover, and it was just about OK. Nothing too fancy, just an account of the life and some bits into the mind of this killer who was just plain calculative.
More: http://vectorgaming.blogspot.in/2012/...
More: http://vectorgaming.blogspot.in/2012/...
July 21, 2010
Pathetic book
May 30, 2012
An average read... Story with the shadow of 'The Bikini Killer' alias Charles Shobhraj
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews