Plague of Pythons

by Frederik Pohl

"Plague of Pythons" by Frederik Pohl is a science fiction novel serialized in 1962 and published in 1965. In a world devastated by random "possessions," people commit horrific crimes while claiming no control over their actions. Chandler, an engineer branded as a fraud after his trial for murder, discovers the terrifying truth: the possessions are real, controlled by a small group wielding mind-control technology from Hawaii. As he's drawn into their world of power and temptation, Chandler must choose between joining the elite or destroying them.