| Rat Scabies and The Holy Grail | |
| Author: | Christopher Dawes |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
| Genre: | Gonzo journalism |
| Publisher: | Sceptre Books |
| Pub Date: | 2005, 2006 |
| Pages: | 325 |
| Isbn: | 978-0-340-83211-0 |
| Oclc: | 439637364 |
Rat Scabies And The Holy Grail is a 2005 book written by Christopher Dawes, published by Sceptre Books in the UK and Thunder's Mouth Press in the US. It is a gonzo-esque quest to find the Holy Grail by punk rock legend Rat Scabies, the one-time drummer of The Damned, with whom Dawes strikes up a friendship when the two become neighbours in the London suburb of Brentford.[1] [2] [3] [4]
The book, which has been described as "The Da Vinci Code gets the punk rock treatment" (The Bookseller), begins with Scabies introducing Dawes to the alleged mystery of Rennes-le-Château, a remote French village associated with all manner of esoteric conspiracy theories. Scabies and Dawes make several trips to Rennes-le-Château and also visit other places said to be linked to the Holy Grail, including Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland. The book is an often hilarious account of the pair’s adventures - they even manage to wangle themselves an invitation to a Knights Templar initiation ceremony - and its supporting cast of characters includes Henry Lincoln (the author of Holy Blood, Holy Grail) and a CIA operative, plus assorted treasure hunters, occultists, alien channelers, reincarnated medieval heretics, and numerous members of secret societies.