The Jolly Roger Social Club : a true story of a killer in paradise

Title:

Author:

Foster, Nick, 1966-

ISBN:

9781627793728

Personal Author:

Foster, Nick, 1966-

Edition:

First edition.

Publication Information:

New York : Henry Holt and Co., 2016.

Physical Description:

268 pages : ?b maps ; ?c 24 cm

Abstract:

"The true story of a series of bold killings which took place in a shadowy American ex-pat community in Panama--a tale of greed, political history, and murderIn the remote Bocas del Toro, Panama, William Dathan Holbert, aka "Wild Bill," is awaiting trialfor the murder of five fellow American ex-patriots. Holbert's first victims were the Brown family, who lived on a remote island in the area's Darklands. There, Holbert turned their home into the "Jolly Roger Social Club," using drink- and drug-fueled parties to get to know other ex-pats. The club's tagline was: "Over 90% of our members survive." Those odds were not in his victims' favor. But this is not just a book about what Holbert did and the complex financial and real estate motives behind the killings; it is about why Bocas del Toro turned out to be his perfect hunting ground, and why the community tolerated-even accepted-him for a time. Told through the fascinating history of the country of Panama, a paradise with sinister ties to the political andeconomic interests of the United States, journalist Nick Foster brings this uniquely bizarre place to life; shedding light on a community where many live under assumed names, desperate to leave their old lives behind-and sometimes people just disappear"-- Provided by publisher.

"In the remote Bocas del Toro, Panama, William Dathan Holbert, aka "Wild Bill," is awaiting trial for the murder of five fellow American ex-patriots. Holbert's first victims were the Brown family, who lived on a remote island in the area's Darklands. There, Holbert turned their home into the "Jolly Roger Social Club," using drink- and drug-fueled parties to get to know other ex-pats. The club's tagline was: "Over 90% of our members survive." Those odds were not in his victims' favor. But this is not justa book about what Holbert did and the complex financial and real estate motives behind the killings; it is about why Bocas del Toro turned out to be his perfect hunting ground, and why the community tolerated-even accepted-him for a time. Told through thefascinating history of the country of Panama, a paradise with sinister ties to the political and economic interests of the United States, journalist Nick Foster brings this uniquely bizarre place to life; shedding light on a community where many live under assumed names, desperate to leave their old lives behind-and sometimes people just disappear"-- Provided by publisher.

Language:

English

Personal Subject:

Holbert, William Dathan.

Subject Term:

Murder -- Panama -- Case studies.

Murderers -- Panama -- Case studies.

Electronic Access:

Cover image http://www.netread.com/jcusers2/bk1388/728/9781627793728/image/lgcover.9781627793728.jpg

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Summary

The true story of a series of bold killings which took place in a shadowy American ex-pat community in Panama--a tale of greed, political history, and murder

In the remote Bocas del Toro, Panama, William Dathan Holbert, aka "Wild Bill," is awaiting trial for the murder of five fellow American ex-patriots. Holbert's first victims were the Brown family, who lived on a remote island in the area's Darklands. There, Holbert turned their home into the "Jolly Roger Social Club," using drink- and drug-fueled parties to get to know other ex-pats. The club's tagline was: "Over 90% of our members survive." Those odds were not in his victims' favor.

The Jolly Roger Social Club is not just a book about what Holbert did and the complex financial and real estate motives behind the killings; it is about why Bocas del Toro turned out to be his perfect hunting ground, and why the community tolerated-even accepted-him for a time. Told through the fascinating history of the country of Panama, a paradise with sinister ties to the political and economic interests of the United States, journalist Nick Foster brings this uniquely bizarre place to life; shedding light on a community where many live under assumed names, desperate to leave their old lives behind-and sometimes people just disappear.

Reviews (1)

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* Journalist Foster, who writes features for the international edition of the New York Times, turns in solid research and gripping writing on the familiar theme of there's always a snake in Paradise. In this case, paradise is the village of Bocas del Toro, Panama, which became an incredible draw for American expatriates and also for scam artists when real-estate prices went cheap in the early years of this century. The most poisonous of the snakes in Bocas del Toro, according to Foster's research and interviews, was a man now awaiting sentencing in a Panama jail: William Holbert, formerly of the U.S., who occupied a string of Bocas dream houses after he murdered their owners. Holbert and his wife and accomplice ran a bar that jutted over the sea, the Jolly Roger Social Club, whose motto was Over 90 percent of our customers survive. (This motto turns out to be sociopathologically audacious, since Holbert used the club to meet, woo, and sometimes murder people who owned enviable properties.) Foster's eerie account of a serial killer operating until a few years ago is set against the backdrop of the history of Panama. A completely riveting true-crime tale.--Fletcher, Connie Copyright 2016 Booklist

A Note from the Author	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
1 The Tipping Point	p. 7
2 Bocas del Toro	p. 38
3 Welcome to Panama	p. 56
4 The Story of Bo Icelar	p. 79
5 "We Are Just Molecules"	p. 105
6 Where Is Cher?	p. 131
7 Darklands	p. 155
8 When Scott Met Bill	p. 185
9 Life Behind Bars	p. 204
10 The Lights That Don't Go Out	p. 223
Epilogue-"I Am Your Worst Nightmare"	p. 244
Selected Bibliography	p. 265
Acknowledgments	p. 267

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Summary

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Reviews (1)

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