Norco '80

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

De: Peter Houlahan

Narrado por: Joe Barrett

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.