Written for the Road

For all you “Locked up Abroad” fans, HELL’S PRISONER is definitely a book for you. The story follows Christopher Parnell, who was in Bali on a relaxing vacation with his family when all of the sudden, the holiday turned into a nightmare. Chris’ apartment complex was raided and police claimed to have found 12.5kg of hash. Parnell was arrested on the spot. Chris, an innocent man clinging to faith, thought he would be released. To the contrary, Chris Parnell was sentenced to the death penalty. The sentence was later reduced to 20 years and a 30,000 USD fine. Over the next 11 years, Parnell was forced to survive in Indonesia’s most notorious prison. It was a place where murder, torture, and fights to the death were commonplace occurrences. It was a place where “survival of the fittest” was not just a saying but also a way of life.

Having twice been arrested in Bali, myself (for much more milder offenses), I found the horror Chris Parnell described in Hell’s Prisoner to be 100% believable. It is a great read for travelers, especially those headed to Indonesia.