Norco '80

The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History

By: Peter Houlahan

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

In the spirit of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Onion Field, Norco '80 is a gripping true crime account of one of the most violent bank heists in US history.

Norco '80 tells the story of how five heavily armed young men - led by an apocalyptic born-again Christian - attempted a bank robbery that turned into one of the most violent criminal events in US history, forever changing the face of American law enforcement. Part action thriller and part courtroom drama, Norco '80 transports the listener back to the Southern California of the 1970s, an era of predatory evangelical gurus, doomsday predictions, megachurches, and soaring crime rates, with the threat of nuclear obliteration looming over it all.

A group of landscapers transforms into a murderous gang of bank robbers armed to the teeth with military-grade weapons. Their desperate getaway turned the surrounding towns into war zones. When it was over, three were dead and close to 20 wounded; a police helicopter was forced down from the sky, and 32 police vehicles were destroyed by thousands of rounds of ammo. The resulting trial shook the community to the core, raising many issues that continue to face society today: from the epidemic of post-traumatic stress disorder within law enforcement to religious extremism and the militarization of local police forces.

©2019 Peter Houlahan (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

superb

i read a lot of narrative history and have fairly high standards. the work the author put into both his research and writing is obvious and makes for an enjoyable and informative read
you should read the whole book...but the prologue alone...with its scope of the social and religious tones of the 1970s in America is worth the price if the book

Incredible

This is a fascinating true story. It is very compelling. It's true, but unbelievable in certain respects, It is well written and narrated. Don't miss it!

Spellbinding!

This book is so absorbing and detailed, I listened to it twice to make sure I didn’t miss a word. Author Houlahan tells the story of the Norco 1980 bank heist from every angle. The listener gets to know every person involved and why they did what they did. This bank robbery had lasting consequences for police forces across the U.S. Its a must-read for anyone interested in history, crime, survival culture or organized religion.

A Very Awesome Read

I worked for San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, as a deputy, for almost 20 years. I saw 1 training video about the Norco bank robbery. This book sheds so much more light on the event than the training video. I never knew Sgt. McCarty was involved. I have a whole new respect for him.

Drowning in irrelevant detail

I’m amazed this book has garnered so many awards and kudos. It reads as if the author basically transcribed Word for Word court records. I never could fully relate to or understand the key characters and it was far too much role calling of all of the police involved. As far as the audiobook goes, I’m afraid I did not care for the reader at all.

A lot of story

I had this robbery confused with the (years later) North Hollywood one, so initially, I was disappointed.

The book starts off with background of the robbers as well as the police officers involved. Some of the details, especially of the robbers, bored me to tears.

Once the heist starts, it gets your attention and holds on to it. I had no idea the chase was going to go as long and as far. Finally, they're all in custody and you see...there's a couple more hours of listen involved.

The story then goes into the trial, which I would describe as "circus." The lawyers, the judge, the investigators, the games...the whole thing goes on and on. Amazingly, the jury endures the whole thing and gets it right.

I would recommend this book, just stick with it past the first tiring hour or so.

Great listen!

Intense, well researched story.

The only criticism I have with Joe Barrett’s performance is his interpretation of Manny (comes off as stereotypical Mexican bandito).

Perfectly Told

This was a pleasing, engaging audio book. The characters plenty, but well-defined. Narrator was great. And, good storytelling. The writer is extremely capable

Action Packed!

Very enjoyable. The author’s pacing allows readers to vicariously experience how quickly or slowly time can seem to pass, in the chaotic situations that story’s subjects are drawn into.

Great Book-Problems with Editing

There is an annoying problem with the way this book is edited. Each time the narrator finishes a passage, it sounds like the audio is clicked off so when the next passage is clicked on, one often miss the first syllable of what the narrator is saying.