Plague of Pythons

"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.

Plague of Pythons, by Frederik Pohl. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #51804.