My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Abrams Books for an advanced copy of this new memoir, true crime narrative and family history.

Some families are blessed with interesting characters. Uncles who have served in war, with great tales to tell. Others who have might have helped the mujahideen with rockets and money in Afghanistan, back when the evil empire wasn't America. Some are megachurch pastors, who collect money one way, while others become bank robbers, collecting cash in another.

In Blessed Are the Bank Robbers: The True Adventures of an Evangelical Outlaw, writer Chas Smith known for his chronicles on surfers and hell zones, sometimes both at the same time, tells of his Cousin Danny, known to the world as Daniel Courson, but better known as the "Floppy Hat Bandit". In a six week crime spree Cousin Danny robbed nineteen banks, for gambling debts and child support payments, but more for the high that he got from robbing. After time in prison Courson added art crime to his repertoire, and went on the lam robbing banks, giving ski lessons, finding love on Tinder, while communicating with his cousin, Mr.Smith what life was like as a fugitive.

One of the most different and interesting books that I have read in awhile. A history of West Coast Evangelical life, a how- to on bank robbery, gambling history and card counting tricks, how to screw up your life, all sorts of information. Plus the book is a meditation on the real world and the life of the outlaw, one the author would love to try, but finds his reason as sketchy as why his cousin actually starting robbing banks. The writing is crisp and flows well, the narrative might dance around but the plot is never lost, even as Cousin Danny seems to find his wanderings a little too much even for him.

I'm not sure how much is true or how much is a gonzo. However this is a very interesting profile about a man, a family and a way of life that many, including the author tend to idolize, but at the end seems like tremendous amount of work and extremely tense. I've not read other books by Mr. Smith but I do plan to, as this was not just interesting and fun, but very well written. Definitely for fans of writers like Elmore Leonard, Edward Bunker, James Ellroy and Peter Maas.