Judas: How a Sister's Testimony Brought Down a Criminal Mastermind

by Astrid Holleeder Narrated by Naomi Frederick

Overview

The incredible true story of a woman who risked everything to put her brother, a murderous psychopath and one of the world's most infamous crime bosses, behind bars.

Astrid Holleeder is in hiding because she had the courage to write this book. Her brother Willem Holleeder, best known for his involvement in the 1983 kidnapping of the CEO and chairman of Heineken brewing company, is one of the most notorious criminals in contemporary history. For decades, Wim ruled over his family mafia-style, threatening death if any of them betrayed him. Astrid and her sister, Sonja, watched as their brother eliminated anyone who got in his way, and they lived in terror of inciting his rage, unable to protect even their own young children from his violence. Trained as a lawyer, Astrid served as her brother's unwilling confidante.

Now, she's turning the tables on him.

Charged for his involvement in multiple assassinations, including that of his former partner and brother-in-law, Holleeder is finally on trial for murder, all due to the shocking testimony of his own family.

An international bestseller that has sold more than 500,000 copies in Holland, this stunning, edge-of-your seat memoir chronicles Astrid's terrifying experience working as a double agent, preserving her brother's trust just so that she could get enough information to put him away for life.

Judas is the intimate account of Astrid's deeply personal betrayal, set against the backdrop of their haunting family history and the astonishing world of the criminal underground.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

06/25/2018
In an exhaustive account, Holleeder—the sister of Dutch crime boss Willem “The Nose” Holleeder—reveals her role in the investigation that put her brother behind bars. The youngest of four, Holleeder outlines how childhood abuse led to Willem’s cruelty, writing that she and her siblings were “all prisoners of my father’s madness.” In 1983, when Holleeder was in her late teens, Willem and his friend Cor van Hout kidnapped Freddy Heineken, CEO of Heineken Brewing, and ransomed him. Both Willem and Cor were sent to prison for the crime, and the high-profile ordeal embroiled the entire Holleeder family—especially Holleeder’s older sister, Sonja, who had a baby with Cor and later married him. Holleeder writes, “In the court of public opinion, we’d all become criminals.” After their release from prison in 1992, Willem and Cor went on to oversee an empire of corruption, with Holleeder serving as a confidante to both men. Years later, when Willem ordered the murder of Cor and threatened to kill Sonja, Holleeder turned on her brother. Holleeder’s detailed transcripts of secretly taped conversations with Willem add an element of intrigue, as does the afterword in which Holleeder addresses her brother directly, writing, “Wim, I still love you,” even as he attempts to coordinate her murder from his prison cell to prevent her from testifying against him. Written while awaiting her brother’s trial, Holleeder’s engrossing story reads like the last will and testament of a dead woman walking. (Aug.)

From the Publisher

"A harrowing, courageous account of murder and family...riveting, sensational, unforgettable."—Kirkus (Starred Review)

"Compulsively readable... [Judas] is not only a fascinating examination of a criminal many American readers will be unfamiliar with, but also a moving and heartbreaking tale of the toll exerted on the families of headline criminals."—Booklist

"Written from her place in hiding, Judas is Astrid's story of deception, turmoil and -- ultimately -- courage . . . A stark statement about how one familial tie can strangle so many lives."—The Washington Times

"Written while awaiting her brother's trial, Holleeder's engrossing story reads like the last will and testament of a dead woman walking."—Publishers Weekly

"Guaranteed, you've never read a memoir like Judas, already a runaway hit in the Netherlands where it was first published. Judas is the story of Astrid Holleeder, the criminal lawyer who decided to testify against her brother, crime kingpin Willem "Wim" Holleeder, knowing it would put her life in grave danger. Holleeder is currently in hiding as she waits to testify. Reading Holleeder's matter-of-fact account of the years leading to this decision gives the uncanny sensation of reading a death wish."—Refinery29

"A lurid crime story in the form of an intimate domestic drama."—The New Yorker

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170150489
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	08/07/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	961,399

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