
Norco '80
The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History
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Narrated by:
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Joe Barrett
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By:
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Peter Houlahan
About this listen
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 BooksListeners also enjoyed...
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superb
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Incredible
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Spellbinding!
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A Very Awesome Read
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Drowning in irrelevant detail
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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.
A lot of story
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The only criticism I have with Joe Barrett’s performance is his interpretation of Manny (comes off as stereotypical Mexican bandito).
Great listen!
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Perfectly Told
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The Trial was as interesting as the entire Crime!
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Action Packed!
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