Alcatraz Ghost Story: Roy Gardner's Amazing Train Robberies, Escapes, and Lifelong Love

by Brian Stannard

The Incredible True Story of the Most Hunted Man in Pacific Coast History––and the Woman He Loved

Before the 1920s found their roar, a charismatic gambling addict named Roy Gardner dominated news headlines with daring train robberies and escapes from incarceration. Nicknamed "the Smiling Bandit," Gardner spilled no blood––except his own––as he cut a felonious path across the western United States, as the country hobbled through a recession in the aftermath of the First World War.

Once imprisoned for the long term in federal prisons, including Alcatraz, the most notorious prison's second-most-notorious inmate won over some unlikely champions. Both Gardner's wife, Dollie, and a police officer who once arrested him launched extensive campaigns for Gardner's release on the vaudeville circuit, claiming a brain operation would cure his lawless ways. Was Gardner a good man who made bad decisions as the victim of injury and circumstance? Or was his charming personality merely the poker face of a scoundrel?

Richly researched, drawing on contemporary newspaper accounts, Alcatraz Ghost Story  explores the life of Roy Gardner in the context of his great love story and the larger backdrop of drug addiction, incarceration, and the racial and labor violence of the 1920s and 1930s.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime

264 pages, Hardcover

Published January 23, 2024

Reviews

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alcatraz is an atmospheric place, the press of many who leave their print in the space is easily felt there. Picking this up to read was automatic for this girl.

Roy Gardner and his love, his life and times though were of the same time period as my grandparents' journey on this earth, and provided some distance to consider his adventures. Over and over he made choices that were always going to end badly. I felt truly sorry for his wife and little one. In the beginning of the read the feeling was that perhaps this was a tale that would find some hope in all the sketchy choices, but in the end, at least for this reader, was that crime doesn't pay and what feels sketchy is sketchy.

Shoulda made a different choice Roy. But wherever you are, I hope you said sorry and meant it.

*A sincere thank you to Brian Stannard, Skyhorse Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #AlcatrazGhostStory #NetGalley 25|52:38d

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy old true crime and this was no exception. The story of Roy Gardner and his many exploits was very informative, but does become a warning tale to those contemplating a life of crime. I just felt sad for him and his family about halfway through. The way his life ended all alone was also very sad.

[Kay Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roy Gardner is not one of Alcatraz's well known convicts but his life and crimes were quite interesting. A unique indict with an odd journey to The Rock.

This story was a bit wordy and could seriously benefit from condensing. It also lacked on the entertainment, reading more like a school report.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alcatraz Ghost Story is about Roy Evans and his incredible life love and death. Before Roy started his criminal life he met his one true love at a candy store in Vallejo California in 1914 he was 32 and she was 18. Her name was Dolly and they would have one daughter together and he would always refer to Dolly as the love of his life the one true romance. They settle down and asked for Roy he made a good husband and father even owning his own welding company and when it burned down he would become a standout employee at another welding company he would even rallied the employees to support down on their luck coworkers when war broke out he would be the top bond seller and even though he would go to jail later in life for robbing trains and stagecoaches his coworkers money never had a penny missing when in Royse custody. He was well liked and much respected in his little community but things would change and Roy would be known for other endeavors such as train robbing escaping the police more than once and much much more. It seems whatever Roy did he did it in a big way in this book tell lol about it I’m always amazed when I run across the story I didn’t know and I totally didn’t notice one and so I couldn’t read this book fast enough he had a truly amazing life and a really sad death. This is a book I definitely recommend to those who love biographies True Crime an adult non-fiction you will definitely enjoy this book Brian Stanart did a wonderful job telling Roy Gardner story so kudos to him. as I said this is a truly amazing read in one I am so glad I got the opportunity to know more about. I want to thank Skyhorse publishing and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed this book so much. This is the kind of microhistory that I love. Sure, we know some famous faces of Alcatraz, but to hear about a run of the mill criminal ending up there was so interesting. I loved learning about Gardner and was always wondering what wild trouble he would get up to next. Overall, I thought this book was well written and well organized, but could have been a little cleaner, some parts are clunky, and words are added and missing in some spots. I also feel like the first part could have benefitted more from at least a few pictures, especially with the introduction of the characters; they don't appear until part 2 I believe. Other than that, I thought it was fantastic. I also really loved that we got back stories to the main characters in Gardner's life, I found myself constantly inquiring about them and was happy to get the wrap up at the end. I'll be waiting around for more of Stannard's books on the other prisoners of Alcatraz!

Wanted to come back & update this to say that I read this book while listening to Jonathan Eig's Get Capone, & it was really awesome to see Gardner & Capone's story overlap in Stannard's book!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alcatraz Ghost Story by Brian Stannard is the captivating true story about the "Smiling Bandit" Roy Gardner who was once a generous employer, attentive husband and father and respected community man. He married his sweetheart Dollie when he was 32 and she 18. They doted on their daughter.
But advocating on his behalf and working in vaudeville for income while he was in prison eventually grew old and Dollie felt like bait and media fodder. Fifteen years after marrying they divorced and she remarried.

Unbeknownst to Dollie when they married, Roy was a train robber, jewelry thief and prison escapee. Not only that but his adventures included mining, running guns for the Mexican Revolutionary Army and a tour of duty. He was a gambler who gambled with his and his family. Through it all he sustained a serious head injury and a knife wound but never injured anyone. He pleaded for the chance at reform. Was he truly sincere? How much did his head injury affect his reasoning? Why did he rob US mail trains?

His connection to Capone at Alcatraz is interesting; in fact, I would have loved more about prison life as I had the pleasure of visiting The Rock. The 1920s and 1930s is a special era to read about...thugs, robberies, heists and women in the workforce. The interwar years were indeed unique.

The author certainly did his research! Do read his fascinating story and inspiration, too.

My sincere thank you to Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this engrossing book.

[Vikki Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy a true crime story and I’m fascinated by Alcatraz, this book is well researched and I appreciate the opportunity to learn about Roy Gardner.
This amazingly well written story delves into the criminal activities of Roy, his prison life and the love of his life! Roy was in Alcatraz with some well known and hardened criminals but Roy has his own story that matches others, plus more!
I think that Roy had a wonderful time, testing the authorities and proving that he could do as he pleased! A life of theft and really, excitement as Roy worked hard at his chosen career!
Roy loved Dollie and their daughter, he provided well for his family, little did they know about Roy’s history.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of true crime and interest in Alcatraz, a great read!

Much appreciation and thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being into true crime and history lately this seemed like an interesting read about a bandit I'd never heard of, and it was definitely interesting! A lot of history of the times was interspersed with the story of Roy Gardner, a criminal with a conscience who never killed anyone and who, despite his impressive escapes, never seemed to really actually make off with anything except more train rides to jail. Roy wasn't in Alcatraz for very long, but as one of the first group of convicts sent there, he wrote a book about his time there which I'm tempted to look up. I was a little bothered that there were so many chapters (more of a me problem than anything), some of which were just a few sentences - but I think the author was trying to make the back-and-forth less confusing as he wrote perspectives from the different places/characters at different times. Overall a good read and I'd recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roy Gardner's Amazing Train Robberies, Escapes, and Lifelong Love.
Brian Stannard’s Alcatraz Ghost Story tells the life of Roy Gardner, who was a charismatic gambler, and a thief who was eventual convicted and placed at Alcatraz after some daring escapes.
This is the True Story of the Most Hunted Man in Pacific Coast History. Roy Gardner was a charismatic gambling addict who led a colourful life, and whose loving wife Dollie stood by his side even though Roy and Dollie had a baby and Roy spent most of their married life either on the run or in prison.
Gardner led a very shady life who was involved in a near-fatal head wound in a mining accident, which led to a metal plate being put in his head. Still this never stopped Gardner as he was running guns for the Mexican Revolutionary Army, and then went on to robbing trains which all ended in a string of failed robberies and subsequent jailbreaks in California, Oregon, Arizona, and Washington.
The news headlines back in the early 20’s was dominated with daring train robberies by Gardner and the escapes made Gardner famous and he was Nicknamed "the Smiling Bandit. One fact Gardner was immensely proud of was he always said I never once killed anyone. Gardner’s charismatic ways ended up with him befriended the men who captured him or who jailed him. He not only won them over, but he captured the hearts and imaginations of American people in the 1920s and 1930s due to his daring robberies and escapes. After so many escapes Gardner was eventually imprisoned for the long term in Alcatraz.
His wife Dollie finally divorced him after fifteen years and Gardner was released two years after Dollie divorced him and remarried. I Highly recommended this book as it is Professionally written and beautifully told by Brian Stannard. The book is Part history, part cautionary tale, and part love story and I highly recommend to individual readers and book clubs. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I had not heard of Roy Gardiner before reading this book but Alcatraz has always fascinated me. It was great to learn more about one of its most renowned prisoners. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. I think this was a great debut novel, the author did a great job of describing how well loved Roy was by the wider community and his ‘fall from grace’. The whole time I was rooting for Roy to get back on the straight and narrow!

[Mouse909 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very well written 80% of the time. However, 20% of the time, it felt like the author was writing a mandatory report and adding in fluff to get to the required length set by the teacher. There were some comparisons that the author tried to draw from the future to the past, and it could get a bit hard to try and weed through things. At those times, I wish the author stuck to the past because most of the future comparisons had no baring to the story being told.

But for the most part, it was very well written and motivated me to keep reading to find out the full story on Roy Gardner. There was also some cool tidbits in there like Elmer McCurdy who was pretty much mummified and shown off. Super weird how those things lined up with Roy. I wish Goodreads would do partial star ratings as this book would get a 3.5 star rating out of me—not just simply a 3.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Skyhorse Publishing for an advance copy of this biography about one of the most popular criminals on the Pacific Coast, a man who was arrested and escaped prisons with regularity, with a smile on his face, and love for his wife in his heart.

America loves the bad guy. This country loves to make legends of criminals, making Robin Hoods out of people who were just robbing hoods. Add a smile, a care in not hurting people while doing crimes, and even better making fools of the police and authority, one gets a criminal with more songs and stories than court appearances. Below the legend though is always the real person. With doubts, drives, fears, and mistakes with violence always possible. The might act nice, but their occupation is crime, robbing, stealing, and even if not liking to use force, the threat is always there. Along with what made them turn to crime. Addictions, maybe a bang on the head, or maybe they have just given up on themselves, even as others wives, even lawmen keep fighting for them. Alcatraz Ghost Story:Roy Gardner's Amazing Train Robberies, Escapes, and Lifelong Love is a biography of criminal who thrilled the populous of the West Coast in the early part of the century, written by Brian Stannard, with a look at what drove Gardner to crime, and how that life eventually paid out.

Roy Gardner seemed like a catch to his wife Dollie. A man with a strong work ethic, a good father who provided for his family, even when life was making things hard. A welder respected by his employers and his co-workers, a man of respect within the community. And a man with a past that his wife had no idea about. Gardner was an Army deserter, a miner, a gunrunner, an escaped Mexican prisoner, a boxer, and a criminal. A lot of life in a short time. Gardner's time as a miner might have ruined the rest of his life after a cave-in crushed his skull, giving him a metal plate and headaches for the rest of his life. Combined with his love of gambling, and need to provide for his family, crime seemed the only solution. Gardner began to rob people, buildings and trains, smiling and polite, without hurting anyone. Numerous arrests lead to numerous escapes, until he found himself in Alcatraz, and things really began to change.

A true crime book that is very deeply researched and very well written. Also the book has a unique look at it's main character by looking at the demons that drove the man, from an author who also shared a problem with addiction. Gardner did have a traumatic brain injury needing a metal plate that might have damaged Gardner enough to make him think that crime could pay. In addition his addictions to gambling and other things, might have driven him to feats that were sometimes successful, more times not. Stannard is like a said a good writer, able to balance a sort of boy's own adventure, running guns, prison escapes, tales of wrong ammo for weapons, with a deeply nuanced look at why people are driven to do the things they do. Stannard has a good sense for the time and the place, and his writing on Alcatraz is very insightful. A different kind of true crime book, but one that will really hold a reader's attention .

Recommended for true crime fans, and people who like to read about early 20th century underworld stories. Also for readers interested in Alcatraz and stories about people who really lived life on their own terms.

[Poppy Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
*********************************************************

The Incredible True Story of the Most Hunted Man in Pacific Coast History––and the Woman He Loved

Before the 1920s found their roar, a charismatic gambling addict named Roy Gardner dominated news headlines with daring train robberies and escapes from incarceration. Nicknamed "the Smiling Bandit," Gardner spilled no blood––except his own––as he cut a felonious path across the western United States, as the country hobbled through a recession in the aftermath of the First World War.

Once imprisoned for the long term in federal prisons, including Alcatraz, the most notorious prison's second-most-notorious inmate won over some unlikely champions. Both Gardner's wife, Dollie, and a police officer who once arrested him launched extensive campaigns for Gardner's release on the vaudeville circuit, claiming a brain operation would cure his lawless ways. Was Gardner a good man who made bad decisions as the victim of injury and circumstance? Or was his charming personality merely the poker face of a scoundrel?

Richly researched, drawing on contemporary newspaper accounts, Alcatraz Ghost Story explores the life of Roy Gardner in the context of his great love story and the larger backdrop of drug addiction, incarceration, and the racial and labour violence of the 1920s and 1930s.

A lover of the history of Alcatraz, I had heard of Gardner before … but the second most famous Alcatraz inmate? I can think of at least ten, ranging from Machine Gun Kelley (not the singer!), Robert Birdman Stroud, Voley Davis, Al Capone, Bulger (at the very tail end of Alcatraz), Bumpus and at least two men named Rufus and that’s 8 of 10 I can think of off the top of my head…and I only slightly remember Gardner, but that is me. (And who is #1 is arguable at times as it all depends on your point of view ... mine is as a Canadian looking from afar! Well, from my cousin's deck as he has a beautiful hou$$$$$e looking at Alcatraz and other landmarks!))

I was interested in his story and the history of the time, especially the racial and labour violence: have things really changed in 100 years? Nope….just add in fundamentalism, red vs blue politics, and insurrection and now it’s just more “more”. A great book to read if you live history or are interested in law enforcement. Highly recommended to individual readers and book clubs. (and the cousin who so graciously let us stay with him and his family vs.. a hotel in a city I now compare to NYC in the 70s and 80s!)

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Ray Gardner, “the Smiling Bandit,” was well known up and down the West Coast during the early part of the twentieth century. His flirtation with the wrong side of the law started in 1906 when he deserted his army post at the Presidio in San Francisco and hightailed it to New Mexico. The Great San Francisco earthquake proved lucky for him in that it obliterated not only the city but any evidence that might have proved that Gardner was alive; so he was never caught for desertion. From there, Gardner led a colorful, albeit shady life that involved a near-fatal head wound in a mining accident, gun running for the Mexican Revolutionary Army, and a string of failed robberies and subsequent jailbreaks in California, Oregon, Arizona, and Washington. Throughout this time, his loving wife stood by his side, he befriended the men who captured or jailed him while he won the hearts and imaginations of Americans in the 1920s and 1930s.

Alcatraz Ghost Story was an absolute delight to read! Prior to encountering this book, I had never heard of Ray Gardner, even though I have a passion for California history. It was a pleasure to be introduced to Gardner’s life and escapades by reading Brian Stannard’s book. Stannard weaves an engaging narrative that had me hooked from page one.

What I appreciate about Stannard is his ability to tell a story and keep the spirit of Ray Gardner alive while recounting Gardner’s eventful life. The beginning of the book shows us what a hapless yet likable rapscallion Ray Gardner was. We sympathize with his long-suffering faithful wife, Dollie. We shake our heads at the keystone-cops-like mishaps of the various law enforcement officials who somehow allow Ray to slip through their fingers. And yet, by the end of the book, Stannard shows us that in spite of Ray’s life on the lam, he was ultimately a tragic figure.

Stannard knows how to tell an engaging story. I look forward to any other tales he writes about.

[Richard Derus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3* of five

The Publisher Says: The Incredible True Story of the Most Hunted Man in Pacific Coast History—and the Woman He Loved

Before the 1920s found their roar, a charismatic gambling addict named Roy Gardner dominated news headlines with daring train robberies and escapes from incarceration. Nicknamed "the Smiling Bandit," Gardner spilled no blood—except his own—as he cut a felonious path across the western United States, as the country hobbled through a recession in the aftermath of the First World War.

Once imprisoned for the long term in federal prisons, including Alcatraz, the most notorious prison's second-most-notorious inmate won over some unlikely champions. Both Gardner's wife, Dollie, and a police officer who once arrested him launched extensive campaigns for Gardner's release on the vaudeville circuit, claiming a brain operation would cure his lawless ways. Was Gardner a good man who made bad decisions as the victim of injury and circumstance? Or was his charming personality merely the poker face of a scoundrel?

Richly researched, drawing on contemporary newspaper accounts, Alcatraz Ghost Story explores the life of Roy Gardner in the context of his great love story and the larger backdrop of drug addiction, incarceration, and the racial and labor violence of the 1920s and 1930s.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: An uneven true-crime story, one that reminded me of the old film Falling Down . How hard can you push a fundamentally decent man with charm and charisma until he gives violently up on The System?

Add the fillip of never being quite sure which Gardner was the fundamental one, the sales whiz charmer or the criminal manipulator, and you have a catchy book. My rating reflects mostly a dissatisfaction with the choppy pacing...we slow down to discuss historical events that end up being peripheral to the story, eg World War I bond drives, and gloss over things I'd like to hear more about, eg life in/on Alcatraz...rather than the research, or the story being told.

(Also I deeply dislike his One True Love, Dollie...shallow Babbitty broad.)

Skyhorse Publishing is asking $19.99 for a Kindle edition.

[Mark Lieberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book from Netgalley so I can read and review it before its published. I actually kept scrolling past this book on Netgalley, but a few days ago, I stopped and clicked and was intrigued.

I have always been a bit fascinated with Alcatraz, and when I took a trip to San Francisco in 2005, Alcatraz was one of the places I visited, and it was pretty amazing and eerie!

I didn’t know anything about Roy Gardner, but after reading, I learned he robbed a jewelry store, he robbed and escaped from a quite a few delivery trains and, he escaped from prison (not Alcatraz). Throughout the book, a lot of people everywhere think they saw him.

He was at Alcatraz from 1934 to 1938 and during that time, the Golden Gate Bridge was under construction. If things had turned out differently for Roy, he could’ve easily been one of the construction workers on it.

He was married to Dollie, and they had a daughter named, Jean. Even though he was a criminal, Dollie stayed true to him and did some vaudeville theater tours to help him. One of the police officers who captured him, Louis Sonney, also did the same. Dollie eventually left Roy after 15 years and remarried.

Dollie and Louis were trying to get some money so Roy could have brain surgery as earlier, he was working in a mine, and there was an accident. Roy had to have a steel plate inserted. He claims that’s why he did criminal things.

Overall, I enjoyed the book.

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roy Gardner was pretty impressive… even if he was also abhorrent as a human being. This reader found him perversely interesting, like a train wreck you can’t stop staring at. There is an element of action movie magic here, a kind of wonderment and expectation that the hero (Gardner) may not survive the next car chase. But he does.

Alcatraz Ghost Story is a biography of Roy, the man, but in true prosopographical fashion it paints a landscape of the early twentieth century through Roy’s life.

The result is a compelling read on multiple levels: Roy himself led an amazing life, if an unethical one, and tracing it reveals much about the expectations and norms of his life, as well as others in his orbit. His wife, for instance, and her reactions and behavior through his incarceration reveal the gendered notions of their age.

Readers who enjoy true crime, history, and biographies of so-called ordinary individuals will find that Stannard successfully develops a textured experience for the reader.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Roy Gardner, a gambler and a train robber in the early 1900's finally gets caught and spends time in many of our country's well-known prisons, a few he escaped from! He seemed to be a man with heart. He married and was put in prison when their daughter was only two, yet his wife and daughter seemed to love him and stand by him for many of the years he was imprisoned. She fought hard for him and his health. But the part of the story that really grabbed me was when he was imprisoned at Alcatraz. I visited there long after the prison was shut down and the place really does give you the creeps. I met a man selling his book about his experience in prison in there and I'll never forget his words: "This was a bad place, a really evil place."

This was a wild story of Roy Gardner - his escapades, his many prison experiences, and even his love for his wife and daughter.

My thanks to Net Galley and Skyhorse for an advanced copy of this e-book.

[Susan K. Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the 1920’s Roy Gardner was a household name in California. He loved to rob trains. Specifically mail trains. However he never hurt or killed anyone and everyone thought he was a nice guy. He met and married Dolly when she was seventeen years old but never told her he had spent time in San Quentin. He went on to become a very successful welder and even owned his own business. It wasnt until he started gambling and lost most of their money that he started stealing. He was nicknamed Houdini because he escaped while being transferred by train two different times. Written by a former Alcatraz tour guide this book is based on true events. I have toured Alcatraz and it is such a scary place. Alcatraz Ghost Story by Brian Stannard. 3.5 stars

[Sarah Olson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I struggled with this book. I was not a fan of the writing style I think was the main issue. I also thought it was going to be a little bit more about Alcatraz and Roy but Alcatraz really only had a chapter or two related to it. It took me a long time to read this but I did not give up because part of me was very interested in Roy's story. It was a fun story. I think it had alot of extra fluff that did not need to be in there and the writing style was just not for me. I think I could have really loved the story otherwise. Roy Gardner was a very interesting guy and that was kept me reading until the end because I wanted to know more about him, what he would do next, and what happened to him in the end.

[Jama Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is hard to rate because I have a lot of conflicting opinions… it was an absolutely WILD story. I can’t believe I’ve never heard about Roy. It was very interesting, and I was never bored.

I struggled with a few things though. First, the author includes some of Roy’s self-told legend as fact. The entire first crazy story, yeah, it never actually happened. Then, there was randomly lots of repetition where it was not necessary. One sentence introduces someone and the next sentence does again, only with different words. Edit that sh*t out. Lastly, some sections were all about what MAY have happened. Just stick to the details; I want to know what DID happen, not what maybe, possibly could have happened.

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the story of Roy Gardner, from his many criminal activities, to his family, and ultimately his death, Alcatraz Ghost Story is both a true crime story and a cautionary tale. I enjoyed the deep dive into his history, as it was a story I was totally unfamiliar with. The story was definitely an emotional one. However, the book did get in its own way sometimes. At times it was overly wordy, and some of the emotion didn't come across well because of this.

Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was unfamiliar with the story of Roy Gardner, so it was all new to me. He was quite a character! The book was interesting. In places the writing was a bit too much “The sky looked like a war wound.” “The landscape looked like the gods were holding their breath…” but the tale is worth reading.

[swanky_books (Heather) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always had an interest in Alcatraz and if you do too then definitely read this book. Such an enjoyable historical read. Perfect for lovers of true crime, history and Alcatraz. Definitely recommend!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall good read! I enjoyed the telling of his life, and the exploits he had. This read pretty well for the most part. Parts of the book really needed to be pulled together more, and some of the wording redone.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not what I expect from this book. Some part were interesting some very badly written. It looks like the whole story was written by different people. Mixed feelings.

[Alyssa Berman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written account of a convict and the people he encountered in his life. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

3.5 ⭐️

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating true story about Roy Gardner lesser known resident of Alcatraz prison. The book is rather long but entertaining.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't what I expected, but I enjoyed Roy's story. He wasn't the biggest and baddest (and really wasn't at Alcatraz for long), but Brian Stannard's writing really made me enjoy reading this book.

[Jessica Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story of Roy Gardner as a criminal. The title is misleading as a few chapters were about Alcatraz.