The Last Man

About this book

"A novel as compelling as the incredible true story it's based on." -James Wade, two-time Spur Award-winning authorWhen Santa Claus enters a Texas bank just before Christmas in 1927, no one expects him to pull a gun.He has brought three men with him, each counting on an easy heist. Minutes later, all four are trapped inside the bank as armed lawmen and citizens gather outside, some hoping to claim a controversial new reward for dead bank robbers. Two young girls are taken hostage, and the bandits make their way through a hail of gunfire to reach their getaway car.And that is only the beginning.What follows dominates newspaper headlines for two years: a relentless manhunt, sensational trials, desperate prison escapes, an execution, and a mob lynching that shocks the nation.But once the headlines end, one of the four men still has a story left to tell.Based on the true story of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery, The Last Man follows four flawed men through crime and consequence toward four very different reckonings. Gritty, fast-moving, and rich with Texas history, it asks whether a man can ever become more than the worst thing he has done.WINNER OF THE 2024 SPUR AWARD2024 WILL ROGERS MEDALLION AWARD RECIPIENT"A riveting read."-Midwest Book Review