In her compulsively readable memoir, a best-seller in the Netherlands, Holleeder tells the story of how she became a witness against her criminal brother ... This 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. Especially recommended for fans of such TV shows as The Sopranos and Breaking Bad.
Astrid Holleeder’s life sounds like the plot of an airport novel ... The only moments she seems shaken in Welmoed Smith and Caspar Wijers translation of her memoir, Judas, come when she’s forced to reckon with the bond of family. It is her possession of everything her brother lacks—sympathy, humanity—which most endangers her chance of mitigating his terror ... Judas succeeds in offering an inside look at the chthonian society few of us will ever dare approach. More importantly, it is a portrait of bravery and righteous betrayal we pray we will never actualize.
Processing feelings of guilt and betrayal while clearly risking her life ... Holleeder has written a harrowing, courageous account of murder and family loyalty while sacrificing her career and her identity in the process. A riveting, sensational, unforgettable autobiography.
In an exhaustive account ... 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.
